Mayors accepted: French authorities are ready to put down riots harshly
Mass protests in France are increasing pressure on the government, which is trying to reduce the budget deficit through unpopular austerity measures. The cabinet of Sebastien Lecorgne has to simultaneously increase military spending and respond to the demands of citizens. The possibilities for compromise are limited, so the authorities may rely on tougher measures against the protesters, experts say. The mayor of Marseille has already requested additional law enforcement forces from the center, and the heads of Paris and Lyon intend to meet with the Prime Minister to discuss measures to pacify the streets. How the authorities handle the crisis will affect the positions of political forces ahead of the presidential elections in spring 2027.
The largest wave of riots in France
French President Emmanuel Macron described the events of recent days in the country as "rampant violence", condemned them and demanded that the authorities take measures to prevent the riots from happening again. He stated this on October 18 in his address to the nation. In addition, he instructed the Government to prepare specific measures in response to the demands of citizens.
Macron decided to make an appeal after large-scale protests that escalated into pogroms and clashes with the police. According to the Interior Ministry, on Saturday, October 17, about 550 thousand demonstrators took to the streets of French cities, and the organizers estimated the number of participants at 800 thousand.
French President Emmanuel Macron
In many cities, peaceful marches with social demands quickly turned into street clashes: rioters threw stones and bottles at security forces, set fire to parked cars and historic buildings, and looted premium boutiques. To stop the riots, the police used tear gas and water cannons and detained more than 2,000 rioters.
In Marseille, several dozen demonstrators broke down the front doors and broke into the city hall. Inside, they smashed furniture and knocked over a bust of Marianne, the national symbol of the republic. The police forced the radicals out of the premises, after which the mayor of the city, Benoit Payan, urgently requested additional law enforcement reinforcements from the central authorities.
The French protests, which began at the end of September with demonstrations by schoolchildren against the shortage of teachers and the dilapidated state of educational institutions, have outgrown the educational agenda in just a few weeks. The students were quickly joined by teachers, major trade unions, and activists from the Yellow Vests movement. As a result, the banal demands to repair schools have been replaced by large-scale complaints to the authorities: now people are massively demanding to stop the rising cost of living, raise salaries and stop cutting public services.
What are the protesters unhappy about
Alexey Chikhachev, associate professor of the Department of European Studies at St. Petersburg State University, believes that the root of the protests lies in strict budget balancing. The government is forced to increase military spending as part of its obligations to NATO, while simultaneously cutting social services, freezing pensions and minimum wages.
The government of Sebastien Lecorn presented the draft state budget for 2027 in early October. The document provides for a reduction of costs by €54 billion at once. The main goal of the authorities is to keep the budget deficit within 5% of GDP and stop the rapid growth of the national debt, which is close to 120% of GDP.
The main savings measures will hurt the population and businesses: it is planned to freeze pension indexation, as well as cut tax deductions for employers who pay low and medium salaries to employees. However, while reducing the budgets of civilian ministries, it was decided to increase French defense spending by 6.4 billion euros.
The French authorities will probably try to make limited concessions to the protesters, Sergei Fedorov, a leading researcher at the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told Izvestia. However, the government's capabilities are hampered by the difficult budget situation: the demands to allocate € 10 billion for school repairs are difficult to fulfill, and disagreements on the budget of even € 1-2 billion may lead to the fall of the government, the analyst believes.
How can the protests in France end?
Alexey Chikhachev, however, believes that the resignation of the prime minister is unlikely now. Sebastien Lecorny's main task today is to successfully implement the draft budget for 2027 and ensure the stable work of the Cabinet of Ministers until the presidential elections. The personnel leapfrog and hasty replacement of the head of government just six months before the vote will only demonstrate the weakness of the Elysee Palace, the analyst stressed.
According to Chikhachev, the wave of protests may well subside by spring. However, this does not mean that the accumulated discontent in society will completely evaporate or somehow automatically determine the outcome of the presidential race. The further political impact of this crisis largely depends on the authorities' ability to offer citizens a clear and convincing response to their social demands.
French President Emmanuel Macron had previously harshly stated that all participants in pogroms, robberies and attacks on government institutions should be severely punished. And in a speech on October 18, he also called for "all means" to respond to the protests, including banning certain gatherings in cases "when necessary." Sebastien Lecorny accused radical groups of trying to use street violence to achieve their political goals.
Earlier, the head of the Cabinet of Ministers urgently convened an interdepartmental crisis committee, which includes Interior Minister Laurent Nunez and Justice Minister Gerald Darman. At the same time, the mayors of the largest French cities — Paris, Marseille and Lyon — requested an urgent meeting with Lecorn to discuss the stabilization of the situation in the regions.
Due to pogroms and fear of street violence, society and the leading media stop noticing the real demands of peaceful demonstrators, says French political scientist and lawyer Karin Bechet-Golovko. In her opinion, the growing anxiety among the population allows the Elysee Palace to easily seize the initiative. Frightened by the unrest, citizens themselves will begin to demand protection from the state, which will eventually untie the government's hands to impose harsh restrictive measures and further curtail civil liberties in France.
If the situation worsens further, the authorities may strengthen the police presence on the streets, says Sergey Fedorov from the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences. However, he considers the introduction of a state of emergency unlikely, since this measure will in no way solve the underlying causes of the protests themselves.
Meanwhile, mass riots are spreading to other European countries. In Italy, clashes occurred in Milan, Turin and Bologna: radicals smashed shop windows and set fires, which caused the police to use tear gas and water cannons. In Belgium, protesters began throwing stones and bottles at patrols, forcing the police to use riot gear.
Major riots swept across Albania as well: There, security forces had to use rubber bullets against demonstrators in Tirana, who demanded the immediate resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.
At the same time, the crisis in France is gaining special political significance due to the presidential elections in 2027: the right criticizes the authorities for their inability to ensure order, while the left opposes cuts in social spending. President Emmanuel Macron's forceful response may help regain control of the streets, but it will not resolve the budget dispute on its own. Before the elections, the authorities will have to explain how to combine increased military spending with funding for schools and other public services. If there is no convincing answer, the protests may continue to influence the political agenda even after street activity subsides.
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