In France, a country that has long measured its public life by the promise of order and the dignity of its schools, the state now finds itself answering two questions at once: how to restore calm after weeks of looting and violence, and how to hear young people whose grievances over education and university admission have been recognized as legitimate. President Macron, speaking in Marseille where protesters briefly seized the city hall, pledged strong measures while admitting that the scale of the unrest had not been anticipated at all. Whether the government can hold firmness and listening t
Macron Promises 'Strong Measures' as France Grapples With Violent Protests and Student Grievances
Protests turned violent with looting and an attack on Marseille city hall, leading to 1,435 arrests nationwide on October 24.
In France, a country that has long measured its public life by the promise of order and the dignity of its schools, the state now finds itself answering two questions at once: how to restore calm after weeks of looting and violence, and how to hear young people whose grievances over education and university admission have been recognized as legitimate. President Macron, speaking in Marseille where protesters briefly seized the city hall, pledged strong measures while admitting that the scale of the unrest had not been anticipated at all. Whether the government can hold firmness and listening together, while blame is cast on social media and on organized far-right groups, will shape how the country remembers this autumn.
President Emmanuel Macron stood in Marseille on Monday and promised that his government would answer the weeks of protest that have shaken France with "strong measures." In the same breath, he said the students at the heart of the movement have "legitimate" grievances. Marseille was a deliberate choice. It was there, on October 17, that protesters briefly stormed the city hall, and the presence of the president was meant to honor the security forces who helped restore order.
Macron admitted that the authorities had "not anticipated at all" the scale of what followed. Demonstrations slid into widespread violence and looting in several major cities, and some began to wonder whether the state had lost the streets. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez pointed to organized far-right groups that confronted left-wing activists, while Macron blamed social media for drawing people toward criminal acts.
The government says its response on October 24 worked. Seventy thousand police were deployed and 1,435 people were arrested, and government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon insisted that "the state prevailed this weekend." The students, however, have been promised a hearing. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has been asked to respond with "concrete and huge" measures on education and university admissions, following a national consultation. But the dialogue is conditional: there must first be calm.
The days ahead are uncertain. Protests planned for Saturday will be kept away from city centers, and officials expect fresh trouble on Halloween. The student measures are coming, but whether they arrive in a quiet France or a turbulent one remains an open question.
President Emmanuel Macron stood in Marseille on Monday and told the country that his government will announce "strong measures" in answer to the protests that have shaken France for weeks. In the same remarks he said that the students at the center of the movement have "legitimate" grievances.
Marseille was a deliberate choice. France's second-largest city was where protesters briefly stormed the city hall on October 17. Before he arrived, the Elysee Palace said Macron meant to pay tribute to and thank the internal security forces who helped restore republican order there. A presidential aide said the aim was to show that the state is present, standing firm and fulfilling its mission to protect.
Macron acknowledged that the authorities had "not anticipated at all" the scale of the demonstrations. They slid into widespread violence and looting in several major cities, and some began to suggest the state had lost control of the streets. He conceded that security forces underestimated how many "extreme left forces" would gather "so early in the day" on October 17.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, speaking to the broadcaster BFM, added another element: organized far-right groups that confronted left-wing activists in several cities. He said officials knew that numerous identity-based and nationalist movements had called on people to come out and defend businesses. In Nice and Montpellier, he said, these groups arrived in organized formations, mainly to target the ultra-left movement.
Macron also pointed to social media, saying the networks are "damaging our democracies." In his account they drew young and not-so-young people to places where criminal acts, attacks and looting were happening. He called them tools for mobilizing the worst impulses.
The government says its response last Saturday, October 24, worked. Authorities deployed 70,000 police officers across the country and made 1,435 arrests, and Macron said curfews helped keep relative order. Government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon told RTL radio: "The state prevailed this weekend. The state was strong."
The other half of the message concerned the students. Macron said he has instructed the government, led by Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, to respond to the legitimate demands at the root of the movement. He said it will soon announce several "concrete and huge" measures on education and university admissions, following a nationwide consultation with high school and university student representatives. Bregeon said demands must be heard and answered, but that there is a prerequisite: a return to calm. In her words, social dialogue cannot function in a climate of violence like the one of a week ago.
The immediate calendar is not reassuring. Macron called fresh demonstrations planned for this Saturday "risky" and said protest routes will stay outside city centers to protect public order. Nunez expects further trouble on October 31, noting that Halloween evening is traditionally a bit lively and that officials expect it to be complicated again. The student measures are due soon, but the government has tied the dialogue to whether the streets stay quiet.
Quer a matéria completa?
Leia o original em Deutsche Welle ↗
Politics & Governance