Australia

Canberra, 18 October 2026. The Australian press is covering the French riots as a crisis that is weakening a president at the end of his term. SBS writes that the "convulsion" of Saturday, 17 October "has raised the stakes" for Emmanuel Macron, who is in his final months in power before an election scheduled in six months. The Age mentions clashes that "will shape" national elections expected in a few months.

The facts are presented with precision. Around 550,000 people marched against the high cost of living and the quality of schools. The Parisian procession, estimated at 110,000 people, was largely peaceful before rioters attacked the police and stores. The city hall of Limoges was set on fire and its roof collapsed. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez reported around 1,800 arrests, including 855 in Paris, a "record". ABC and SBS later updated the toll to nearly 2,400 arrests and almost 1,000 injured police officers and gendarmes, including seven seriously. Hundreds of businesses were looted, with estimated losses of several hundred million euros. A 78-year-old resident, Mehmet Ozeden, summed it up: "It's as if we had been at war."

The Sunday evening speech is closely reported. Macron said he felt "anger and shame", distinguished between protesters with "legitimate claims" and those who "destroyed, broke and looted", and targeted "agitators from ultra-left fringes, joined by many delinquents". PerthNow cited his promise of "full transparency" and his threat to ban certain gatherings through the prefects. SBS noted that he stopped short of drastic measures, such as a state of emergency or curfew. The media also highlighted the political quarrel over whether the state had done enough to prevent the destruction, as well as criticism of inadequate police preparation.

The international dimension occupies a significant place. The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age headlined with Donald Trump's phrase, "France is burning!", and reproduced his call to "close the borders", which follows the comments of Vice President JD Vance on "importing the Third World". The "Macron condemns" label remains central, but Washington's agenda is cited prominently.