Nighttime curfews have been extended across several French cities after the country's worst civil unrest in years, with the government acknowledging that previous security strategies had left city centres unprotected from rioters and looters. In central Paris, restrictions around Place de la République and the Les Halles shopping district run from 11 pm to 6 am; Lyon imposed a curfew from 9 pm, and Marseille restricted the movement of minors around its hardest-hit commercial areas.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said the targeted curfews "have contributed to the calm" and may be extended further into the week where needed, while insisting a full city-wide curfew was "out of the question". He has also announced a large police operation backed by the military to regain control of major urban centres.

A weekend of violence

The curfews follow demonstrations on Saturday, October 17, in which between 550,000 people (by the government's count) and 800,000 (by the organisers' count) marched in more than 110 towns and cities. Most demonstrations were peaceful, but violence broke out in several urban centres: protesters stormed Marseille's city hall, partly damaged Limoges town hall in a suspected arson, torched a tourist office in Lyon, ransacked the Gironde prefect's residence in Bordeaux and looted shops in Paris. The Associated Press reported that around 3,000 businesses were damaged or looted, while authorities said at least 2,400 people had been detained since the weekend. CNN reported at least two deaths and serious injuries, including two people who lost hands.

How the protests grew

The movement began in September with secondary-school pupils protesting teacher shortages, overcrowded classes and dilapidated buildings. Trade unions, left-wing groups and yellow-vest activists then joined, and anger spread over rising living costs: inflation reached 3.1 per cent in September, with energy prices up 21.3 per cent in a year, while the government's 2027 budget plans a €54 billion fiscal adjustment.

President Emmanuel Macron addressed the nation on Sunday, speaking of "anger" and "shame" and blaming ultra-left groups joined by "many delinquents" for the destruction. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez offered to resign on Sunday, saying authorities had "lost control" in some cities, but Mr. Macron refused, while acknowledging failures in anticipation and intelligence.

What comes next

More protests are planned for the weekend, and the unrest has begun to spill across borders — crowds have also taken to the streets in Italy and Albania with similar grievances over living conditions. With presidential elections scheduled for April 2027, just six months away, the government's handling of the crisis is likely to define the coming political season. Markets are watching too: France's bond yields have jumped as investors price in the political and fiscal risk.