French Prime Minister Sebastian Le Corneille has instructed local authorities to impose a curfew in certain areas of cities amid widespread riots and looting.
Le Figaro writes about this.
The restrictions will come into effect on the evening of October 19. According to Lecornu, they will be "very limited" and local — a curfew will not be imposed across the country or in all of Paris.
The governmentʼs priority is to protect businesses and areas where there is a risk of new pogroms. The prime minister also announced financial support for businesses affected by the unrest.
Lecornu also stated that the authorities could introduce a state of emergency in the country if necessary, but for now he considers a local curfew a more appropriate measure.
The prime minister blamed the violence on far-left groups, who he said were trying to destabilize the country ahead of the 2027 presidential elections.
Getty Images / «Babel'»
Whatʼs happening in France?
Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of France on October 17 to protest against rising costs of living, social inequality, and the deterioration of public services. The demonstrations, which began over problems in schools, were joined by unions and supporters of the “yellow vest” movement.
In a number of cities, peaceful demonstrations have escalated into clashes with police, arson and shoplifting. In particular, in Limoges, protesters set fire to the 143-year-old historic town hall, causing the roof to collapse.
According to the French Ministry of the Interior, a total of nearly 2 400 people were detained during the protests, and about a thousand police officers were injured.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunes admitted that police in some cities had “lost control” and were unprepared for the scale of the unrest. He resigned, but President Emmanuel Macron did not accept it.
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