Macron vows new measures as protests persist across France
President Emmanuel Macron said his government will unveil a package of measures to address the grievances fueling weeks of nationwide protests, while officials warned of further unrest.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Monday that his administration will present a package of measures aimed at addressing the underlying demands of the ongoing street protests that have spread across the country. He told reporters in Marseille that he had asked the government to respond to the "legitimate demands that lie at the root of this social movement."
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is scheduled to hold a news conference after meeting with high school student unions seeking increased education funding and reforms to university admissions. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez reiterated earlier statements that additional unrest is expected, particularly ahead of demonstrations planned for October 31, describing the upcoming Halloween evening as "traditionally always a bit lively" and "complicated again."
The interior ministry deployed about 70,000 police officers for Saturday's protests, which unions said were driven by concerns over the cost of living and public services. Authorities reported 1,435 arrests nationwide and noted the emergence of organized far-right groups confronting far-left activists in several cities, including Nice and Montpellier.
Government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon said the state had prevailed over the weekend, emphasizing that while protesters raised legitimate grievances, restoring calm was necessary for meaningful negotiations. Business leaders warned that the unrest continued to harm the economy, with retail sales reportedly falling sharply after the violence on October 17.