France’s Macron to give address in wake of violent protests

French President Emmanuel Macron was to give a televised address at 6 p.m. GMT on Sunday (October 18, 2026), his office said, in the wake of violent protests that rocked the country.

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The broadcast was to take place after a meeting between Mr. Macron and various Ministers, the Elysee said.

It was to come as France counts the cost of the previous day's protests, which saw clashes, arson and widespread looting.

Ministers have blamed "ultra-left" groups for the violence, which erupted six months before the French go to the polls to elect Mr. Macron's successor.

The French President was scheduled to leave Monday (October 19, 2026) for a three-day trip to four Arab countries caught up in the West Asia war.

That conflict, started when the United States and Israel attacked Iran in February, has led to soaring fuel prices and higher inflation worldwide.

Those cost-of-living concerns sparked Saturday's (October 17) nationwide demonstrations in France, which degenerated into violence. They followed four weeks of high school student protests that at times also turned violent.