France

Paris, October 19, 2026. After an interministerial crisis cell, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced on Monday that he had asked prefects to "trigger a number of curfews" that same evening, "partial" and "very localized", in order to protect people and especially businesses. Sud Ouest specifies that he did not rule out a state of emergency "if it's useful", but considers curfews "more suitable". A map was to be communicated after discussion with mayors and chambers of commerce.

The weekend's toll shapes the accounts. France 24 mentions nearly 2,400 people arrested on Saturday, October 17, almost 1,000 police officers and gendarmes injured according to the Ministry of the Interior, town halls set on fire and hundreds of businesses looted or damaged. Commerce Minister Serge Papin estimates the number of affected stores at "probably at least 3,000". On Sunday, October 18, at the Place de la République in Paris, then around the Halles and the BHV, new looting took place; Lyon and Marseille experienced attempted break-ins, according to 20 Minutes and France 24.

The executive has responded on two fronts. Lecornu announces a "specific support fund" and partial unemployment for merchants. In his Sunday address, Emmanuel Macron denounced "troublemakers" from the far left and delinquents, said he felt "anger, shame", and promised to respond to the "legitimate demands" of high school students and university students. Laurent Nuñez acknowledged "a loss of control" by the police in certain cities; his resignation was refused by the Élysée "given the need for continuous command of the security forces", and he must be transparent about the shortcomings in anticipation and intelligence.

The political reactions are already taking place in the perspective of the presidential election. Jean-Luc Mélenchon asks Lecornu to "name and prove his accusation" against the far left; Marine Le Pen judges the government "exhausted, disoriented". At the RN, Sébastien Chenu qualifies the address as "consternating carelessness", while the Alliance Police union says it is "dismayed by the lack of response" to the curfew.

RFI notes that the government has not responded to the demands regarding the cost of living, education, and public services, and that the "yellow vests" coordination is calling for a new day of mobilization on October 24. L'Express points out that Italy, Belgium, and other European countries are also experiencing clashes.