France’s Macron vows no repeat of riots as Yellow Vests mobilise
Macron promises stronger response as Yellow Vest protests return to Paris
Bdbusinessdaily.com – French President Emmanuel Macron has said authorities will act decisively to prevent a renewed outbreak of violence when Yellow Vest protesters gather in Paris this weekend, following riots and looting that hit several French cities days earlier.
The planned Saturday mobilisation is expected to be a major test for the government after demonstrations on October 17 escalated into serious disorder in Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Limoges. Police took hours to bring some of the violence under control, prompting criticism of the initial security response and raising pressure on ministers to show they can protect both public safety and the right to demonstrate.
Macron said people intending to exploit the protests to cause damage in city centres would be stopped. Speaking during a visit to Qatar, where he has been pursuing energy arrangements as France faces higher fuel costs, he stressed the need for a firm response from the state.
“Those who want to cause disorder in city centres next Saturday will be prevented from doing so.”
“There must be no wavering at the top of the state.”
The president is due to meet intelligence officials, Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu and other ministers on Thursday for a detailed review of the unrest. The discussions are likely to focus on how last weekend’s violence spread so quickly and how security plans can be reinforced before the next round of demonstrations.
Yellow Vest march and student action planned
A representative of the grassroots Gilets Jaunes movement has submitted plans for a march through central Paris, including districts damaged during the previous weekend’s unrest. The movement is not affiliated with France’s main unions and is seeking to revive the campaign that first emerged in 2018 amid anger over rising living costs and weakening public services.
Student organisations have also called demonstrations for the same day, with demands centred on increased spending for education. The overlap between the separate actions presents a difficult policing challenge, particularly in areas where large crowds could gather close to commercial and government districts.
Government ministers have acknowledged shortcomings in their first response and have promised a much larger security operation. Additional police officers are expected to be deployed, alongside troops, as authorities try to prevent vandalism, looting and clashes while allowing peaceful protesters to assemble.
The prospect of troops on Paris streets has drawn sharp criticism from the hard-left France Unbowed party, known as LFI. The group rejected claims from ministers that it helped fuel the unrest and warned against treating protesters as an internal threat.
“Demonstrators are not enemies within. The French government must not go to war against its own people.”
Economic concerns add to political pressure
The unrest has also unsettled financial markets. French government borrowing costs rose this week, with benchmark 10-year bond yields reaching 5%, their highest level since July 2002. The increase reflects concern that prolonged instability could make it harder for the government to address already strained public finances and rising budget pressures.
For households, the immediate political focus remains the cost of living, fuel prices and access to public services. These issues have been central to Yellow Vest anger since the movement’s original emergence, and they remain politically potent as France approaches presidential elections next year.
The violence has intensified criticism from opposition figures across the political spectrum. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen said the administration had lost control, while parties on the left have argued that a security-led approach cannot resolve the deeper social frustrations behind the protests.
“The government has lost control of everything.”
Union leaders meeting Lecornu have pressed for a political answer rather than an approach focused only on enforcement. In a letter sent before the talks, the prime minister said discussions should protect the essential freedom to protest, while preventing unacceptable acts from being used to discredit demonstrations more broadly.
Sophie Binet, who leads the CGT union, said public anger was substantial and justified. She argued that the government needed to engage with its causes rather than rely on repression. After the meeting, Binet said ministers had announced no new measures, though youth organisations would be invited to further talks.
“There is huge and legitimate anger, and the answer to that situation is not repression. It is a political response.”
France’s main unions have separately scheduled a nationwide mobilisation for November 5, meaning the government could face continued pressure even if this weekend passes without major violence.
Curfews bring a brief period of calm
Two consecutive nights of local curfews in areas affected by the unrest passed without significant incidents, giving officials a short period of relief as preparations continued. The calmer evenings do not remove the risks surrounding Saturday’s planned protests, but they offer authorities a chance to refine security arrangements and coordinate with local officials.
Macron has also criticised foreign political figures whom he said were spreading misleading accounts of the unrest. He singled out comments by US President Donald Trump only indirectly after Trump blamed the turmoil on mass migration and radical Islam, presenting events in France as a warning to Americans.
Asked whether Trump was among the leaders he had in mind, Macron replied that he was, among others. He said some foreign politicians were trying to gain politically from France’s difficulties.
“We don’t need that. We already have difficulties to deal with.”
Concern is not confined to France. Demonstrations in countries including Italy and Albania have heightened fears that frustration over living standards could spread more widely across Europe, where many governments are dealing with tight budgets and public dissatisfaction. Italy approved a package of security measures on Tuesday as leaders across the continent monitored the situation closely.
For France, the coming days will show whether a reinforced police operation can prevent another descent into violence without further inflaming the grievances that brought protesters into the streets.
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