(Screengrab from France TV)
French President Emmanuel Macron called for “calm and order” in a televised address Sunday evening as anti-government protests that began largely peacefully turned into rioting, leaving one police officer and one protester dead and government offices burned.
Macron warned participants not to “escalate” and blamed “insurrectionists from radical far-left groups, joined by numerous criminals.” He said looters would have to pay for the damage and that those who sought to bring down the Republic would be held accountable.
More than 550,000 people took to the streets across France over the weekend, according to the report. The protests grew into a broader movement against the government’s deficit reduction plans, which include a wage freeze and underinvestment in school infrastructure. Protesters demanded more teachers, school buildings that can withstand extreme temperatures and an end to police violence against young people.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said police have detained more than 2,000 people. More than 600 officers have been injured.
The 2027 budget would cut the deficit to 4.8% of gross domestic product. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has argued that the plan is not austerity and that the cuts are necessary to bring the deficit to an acceptable level.
France’s debt stands at 119% of gross domestic product, or €3.596 trillion, the highest since World War II, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. As a member of the European Union, France is subject to an annual budget deficit cap of 3%.
Lawmakers from both the left and the right have criticized the government’s handling of law enforcement. Lecornu plans to meet with local officials from Paris and Lyon, who have urged greater reinforcements to keep order.
Education Minister Édouard Geffray has met with student protesters in recent weeks but has yet to reach an agreement with them.
