French President Emmanuel Macron has vowed to prevent a repeat of last weekend’s violence as France prepares for fresh demonstrations, while condemning comments by foreign leaders about the unrest as “stupid” and “unacceptable”.
France’s main student union, UNEF, has called for further rallies on Saturday, while the Yellow Vest movement, which emerged as a major anti-establishment force in 2018, has planned a march through central Paris on the same day.
Macron said he would meet intelligence officials and senior ministers on Thursday to discuss the crisis. Speaking during a visit to Qatar, where he was seeking energy deals amid rising fuel costs, he warned that authorities would not allow further disorder in city centres.
“Those who want to cause disorder in city centres next Saturday will be prevented from doing so,” he told reporters.
Macron also accused some foreign leaders of spreading misinformation about the unrest. US President Donald Trump, in particular, has blamed immigrants and radical Islam without providing evidence and described the situation in France as a warning for Americans.
Asked whether he was referring to Trump, Macron replied, “Among others”, accusing foreign politicians of attempting to score political points at France’s expense.
He said foreign disinformation following the unrest had prompted comments from several leaders that were both unacceptable and foolish.
Unions Threaten National Strike As Cost-Of-Living Anger Grows
Efforts to ease social tensions have made little progress, with trade unions confirming plans for a nationwide strike on November 5 to protest against the rising cost of living and cuts to public services.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu met union leaders in an attempt to defuse the crisis, but the discussions ended without a breakthrough. Labour representatives said the government had offered no concrete response to their demands over wages and public services.
Sophie Binet, head of the left-wing General Confederation of Labour (CGT), said their demands had not been considered.
“The time has come to take the mobilisation to the next level,” she added, confirming the planned national strike.
The unrest reflects growing frustration over rising energy costs, pressure on household budgets and concerns about the quality of public services.
France experienced some of its worst urban unrest in years on October 17, during nationwide protests, with the scale of the violence and the police response shocking the country.
A second consecutive night of local curfews passed without major incidents in affected areas, offering the government some relief ahead of Saturday’s planned demonstrations.
Ministers have promised a significantly reinforced security operation, with additional police and troops expected to be deployed after authorities acknowledged shortcomings in their initial response.
Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said about 2,500 people had been taken into custody following the October 17 protests. Of those, 917 suspects had been referred for prosecution, while 174 people had already been jailed.
French Bond Yields Rise As Investors Worry About Unrest
The political turmoil has also unsettled financial markets, with French government borrowing costs rising sharply this week.
Benchmark 10-year government bond yields reached 5%, their highest level since July 2002, reflecting concerns that continued unrest could complicate efforts to repair the country’s strained public finances.
France is already facing mounting budget pressures, adding to uncertainty over the government’s ability to manage the crisis.
The unrest has also intensified political tensions ahead of next year’s presidential election, with far-right and hard-left candidates performing strongly in opinion polls.
Far-right leader Marine Le Pen told Franceinfo radio that the government had “lost control of everything”.
The hard-left France Unbowed (LFI), which has denied accusations from ministers that it helped fuel the unrest, criticised plans to deploy troops on the streets of Paris.
In a statement, the party’s parliamentary group said demonstrators should not be treated as enemies and warned the government against going to war with its own people.
Protests In Europe Raise Wider Concerns
France’s unrest comes amid growing demonstrations elsewhere in Europe over living costs and public spending.
In Greece, thousands of students and teachers took to the streets on Wednesday to demand increased government funding for education, improved facilities and less-crowded classrooms.
Meanwhile, Italy approved a series of security measures on Tuesday, including a new offence covering violent participation in demonstrations and tougher penalties for rioters, following unrest over the weekend.
The developments have raised concerns that anger over living standards could spread across Europe as governments struggle with budget constraints and growing public dissatisfaction.
