DOMINANT ANGLE
Ankara sees the French crisis as a political test for the executive: resignation refused, intelligence failures acknowledged, and a presidential election in six months, while Trump adds the migration theme to it.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
KEY POINTS
- 01
Macron acknowledged "failures in anticipation and intelligence" and refused the resignation of Laurent Nuñez, according to the Élysée as cited by Daily Sabah.
- 02
More than 2,330 people were placed in custody this weekend and nearly 1,000 members of the security forces were injured, according to Anadolu.
- 03
Trump wrote on Truth Social: "The migrants have taken over France. They must close the borders, fast."
ANALYSIS
Ankara, October 19, 2026. Turkish media are following the aftermath of the violence in France from the angle of a weakened government. Daily Sabah reports that President Emmanuel Macron has acknowledged "anticipation and intelligence failures" after the violent protests, while refusing the resignation of Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, according to the presidential palace on Monday, October 19.
The newspaper places the crisis in a broader context: weeks of student protests, followed by hundreds of thousands of people in the streets this weekend against what many describe as declining public services, under the pressure of the cost of living. In Paris, Marseille, and Lyon, rioters would have quickly hijacked peaceful processions, causing damage and chaos. Nuñez had indicated on Saturday on France Inter that 60,000 police officers and security forces had been deployed, without this being enough to contain the violent crowds in some cities.
Daily Sabah emphasizes the political and financial dimension. The country is six months away from its next presidential election, with a weak economy and growing debt. Tensions within a fragile government, at a time when it must adopt a crucial budget, could worry investors. The Élysée has asked Nuñez to urgently define new strategies to "put an end to barricades and looting" and ensure transparency about the failures. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin confirmed these failures, citing a threat from the "far left".
Anadolu Agency, on the other hand, focuses on the American reaction. Donald Trump wrote on Monday on Truth Social: "The migrants have taken over France. They must close the borders, fast", after asserting on Sunday that immigration had "broken" the country. The agency recalls that the protests originated in mid-September with student protests over the lack of teachers, before spreading to strikes against inflation.
The Turkish agency also provides figures: several buildings set on fire, including the historic city hall of Limoges, nearly 1,000 members of the security forces injured according to the Interior Ministry, more than 2,330 people in custody according to Darmanin. It relays Macron's comments on Sunday evening, who denounced "unrestrained violence" by "insurrectional" elements of the far left, which he distinguishes from protesters with legitimate demands. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced that he had asked regional authorities to impose limited and localized curfews, a measure reported at the end of the dispatch.
