Protesters stand on top of the Marianne statue at the République monument during a demonstration in Paris, France, on October 17, 2026.
Karl Cote | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said on Tuesday that the curfew contributed to a “calm” night across France, even as public discontent remained high following the weekend’s mass protests, looting and violence.
Curfews were imposed in certain areas of several French cities, including Place de la République in Paris, Les Halles and parts of central Lyon. Lille and Nice were among the cities that imposed curfews on minors.
The unrest comes at a particularly critical time for France, where public anger over declining living costs and services is colliding with political instability and a fiscal crisis that threatens to escalate into a debt crisis as government borrowing costs rise to the highest levels in decades.
The country faces a divided parliament with no majority and a presidential election in April 2027.
Lecorne said in a statement Tuesday that local authorities will impose new curfews if necessary.
Meanwhile, criticism is mounting over President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to embark on a three-day tour of the Middle East as France grapples with the worst violence in years.
The violence followed weeks of demonstrations over the country’s education system, cost of living and other issues.
While hundreds of thousands of people marched peacefully, violence broke out across the country, with demonstrators destroying storefronts and setting fire to Limoges City Hall, shocking the country.
Protesters vandalize a retail store during a demonstration near Place de la République in Paris, October 17, 2026, in Paris, France. Gilets jaunes joins students participating in weekend action.
Karl Cote | Getty Images News | Getty Images
“There was no longer a pilot on the plane,” Christophe Barbier, political commentator for radio station RTL, said on Monday. At the same time, La Dépeche du Midi newspaper wrote in a scathing editorial that as France “sinks deeper into crisis”, Macron “needs to find out whether the misery of a reviled president is no less painful under the Persian Gulf sun”.
President Macron said on Sunday he aimed to combat high fuel prices and secure France’s energy supplies through visits to Kuwait, the UAE, Bahrain and Qatar, while strengthening defense and security cooperation.
business takes a hit
Violence and looting intensified over the weekend, sparking public anger over claims that police had lost control of the situation. Police were accused of using excessive force in response to student protests earlier this month after a 15-year-old boy’s hand was blown off with a stun grenade.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez tendered his resignation on Monday after claiming responsibility for the development of events. President Macron has refused to resign, saying he needs immediate guidance from law enforcement.
“The lack of enforcement means that more than 3,000 stores have been laid off, and for today’s economy we are waking up with a feeling that the state is failing in its fundamental obligations, and this somehow creates a lack of trust,” Fabrice Le Sachet, vice president of business group MEDEF, told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Europe” on Tuesday.
“This is dangerous, because we are used to riots in our country. Remember the yellow vests and other movements, but I think this riot has exceeded the level of previous riots. We cannot continue to have the same situation every time there is social unrest,” Le Sache said.
He added that although French companies face the highest tax burden in the eurozone, they now feel they are unable to receive basic protections in return.
Lecorne said on Monday he would set up a support fund for damaged and looted businesses and that the government would consult with insurance companies to speed up assessments.
“Given the scale of the damage, this weekend’s riots could ultimately prove more costly than the riots following Naher Merzouk’s death in 2023, which generated around 1 billion euros ($1.12 billion) in insured losses,” Jess Middleton, senior European analyst at risk intelligence firm Verisk Maplecroft, said in an email.
Mr Middleton said: “While further violence is inevitable, protests related to underlying grievances, such as pressure on the cost of living and dissatisfaction with public services and education, are likely to continue, and pressure will continue to mount on the government to demonstrate that it can maintain order.”
French markets were under pressure on Monday following scenes over the weekend, with bonds, stocks and the euro all selling off amid growing skepticism about France’s ability to bring its budget deficit down to sustainable levels.
There has been intense debate over the 2027 budget, with the government aiming to reduce the overall budget deficit from 5.4% to 5% of GDP.
