President Emmanuel Macron vowed on Wednesday to prevent a repeat of last weekend’s violence at protests planned in the coming days, and dismissed as “stupid” and “unacceptable” comments from some foreign leaders about the unrest.
France’s main student union, UNEF, has called for further rallies on Saturday, while the Yellow Vest group, which emerged as a potent anti-establishment movement in 2018, has filed plans for a march through central Paris the same day.
Efforts to ease social tensions showed little sign of progress, as unions pledged to press ahead with a general strike on November 5 to denounce the high cost of living and cuts to public services after government talks ended inconclusively.
France was hit by some of the worst urban tumult in years on October 17 on the fringe of nationwide protests, shocking the nation both because of its scale and the apparent inability of police to contain it.
Macron said he would meet intelligence officials and senior ministers on Thursday to discuss the crisis.
“Those who want to cause disorder in city centres next Saturday will be prevented from doing so,” Macron told reporters during a visit to Qatar, where he has been seeking energy deals as France grapples with rising fuel costs.
He also accused some foreign leaders of spreading misinformation about what had happened. US President Donald Trump in particular has blamed immigrants and radical Islam, without providing evidence, and said the turbulence was a warning for Americans.
Asked whether he was referring to Trump, Macron said: “Among others”, adding that some foreign politicians were looking to make political capital at the expense of France.
“There was foreign disinformation in the aftermath, which prompted comments that were as unacceptable as they were stupid from many people, including foreign leaders,” he said.
BORROWING COSTS RISE AS INVESTORS FRET
Highlighting investor concern over the situation, French government borrowing costs have jumped this week, pushing benchmark 10-year bond yields to 5%, their highest level since July 2002.
Analysts said the move reflected worries that the unrest could complicate government efforts to repair strained public finances at a time of already mounting budget pressures.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu met union leaders in an effort to defuse the crisis, but there was no sign of a breakthrough, with labour groups saying they had received no concrete response to their demands on wages and public services.
“There has been no consideration whatsoever of our demands,” said Sophie Binet, head of the left-wing CGT group.
“The time has come to take the mobilisation to the next level,” she added, confirming next month’s national strike.
The protests reflect a deeper malaise in France, where high energy costs, pressure on household budgets and concerns about the state of public services have fed a growing sense of frustration among workers and young people.
A second consecutive night of local curfews passed without major incidents in areas hit by the mayhem, offering the government some respite as it prepared for fresh demonstrations.
Government ministers have promised a vastly reinforced security operation this coming Saturday after acknowledging shortcomings in their initial response, with troops expected to be deployed alongside additional police.
Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin said on Wednesday around 2,500 people had been taken into custody following the October 17 protests, adding that 917 suspects had been referred for prosecution and 174 people already jailed.
PROTESTS ELSEWHERE IN EUROPE
The unrest has triggered a political backlash ahead of presidential elections next year, with candidates from the far right and hard left performing strongly in polls.
“The government has lost control of everything,” far-right leader Marine Le Pen told Franceinfo radio.
The hard-left France Unbowed (LFI), which has denied allegations by ministers of fueling the unrest, criticised plans to deploy troops on the streets of Paris.
“Demonstrators are not enemies within. The French government must not go to war against its own people,” LFI’s parliamentary group said in a statement.
Protests in other European countries have added to concerns that anger over living standards risks spreading at a time when many nations are struggling with budget woes.
In Greece, thousands of students and teachers took to the streets on Wednesday, demanding higher state funding for education, better facilities and less-crowded classrooms, echoing protesters in other European countries.
Meanwhile Italy approved a raft of security measures on Tuesday, including a new offence of violent participation in a demonstration and tougher penalties for rioters in response to turbulence last weekend.