France’s riots death throes test Macron’s grip on power
Rioting damaged shops and public spaces in Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Limoges, while two people died during the unrest, according to the source report…
Damage from riots across France has raised the stakes for a government already struggling to manage domestic crises. The unrest in Paris and other cities has left shops looted and public spaces damaged, while two people died, according to a report published by Yahoo.
Paris streets showed the destruction on Sunday morning. Trucks and cars were smouldering, bus shelters had been smashed, and bins and Lime bikes lay melted along avenues and boulevards.
Shops were hit hard. The report said dozens had their metal shutters forced open, windows smashed and stock looted. Similar scenes unfolded in Marseille, Lyon and other large cities. In Limoges, a 19th-century bell tower collapsed in flames.
The immediate human toll was two deaths. One person died after suffering a seizure during the Paris protest, while another fell from atop the Arc de Triomphe, the report said. The government had described it as a “miracle” that nobody died, but the account said two people had in fact been killed.
For residents and businesses, the damage means disrupted streets and losses extending beyond the protesters and police. The report put the cost of the riots in the “hundreds of millions,” while noting that the state was already cash-strapped. It did not specify the currency or provide a more precise estimate.
Macron faces a test of authority
President Emmanuel Macron addressed the nation on Sunday night and said public gatherings would be banned if necessary to stop the rioting. He also promised harsh consequences for people looting and burning property, while insisting they should not be confused with peaceful protesters.
“They will answer for what they have done to the Republic,” Macron said, according to the report.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu urged people to choose between “the Republic or the rioters.” The report said the violence had further weakened Macron’s domestic political position after his decision to call snap elections in 2024.
France has since lurched from one domestic crisis to another, the account said, with a minority government struggling to pass a budget. Macron has six months left in the Elysée Palace before his second and final presidential term ends, according to the report.
Public demonstrations had included parents, teachers, pupils and students, alongside Yellow Vests and unions protesting rising living costs and calling for “social justice.” The report described peaceful concerns, including anger over war, climate change and AI, as being eclipsed by the disorder.
Police, whom young protesters accused of brutality, were overwhelmed and at times absent, the report said. Benoit Payan, Marseille’s mayor, questioned why the city had only one company of national riot police despite being 2.5 times the area of Paris. Left-wing and Green politicians called for Interior Minister Laurent Nunez to resign.
The unrest also prompted a response abroad. US President Donald Trump used a post on Truth Social to link the violence to immigration and call for border restrictions. The report said Macron’s remaining political capital had been stripped by the revolt as France faced repair costs running into the “hundreds of millions.”
Source: yahoo.com
