France Protests Ease After Overnight Curfews in Paris and Major Cities, Prime Minister Says

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu credited localized overnight curfews in Paris and other major cities for providing a measure of calm after intense nationwide protests that have seen thousands arrested and sustained violent clashes between demonstrators and police.

Nighttime curfews went into effect on Monday night in cities including Paris, Bordeaux, Nice and Lyon as French police sought to combat rioting and looting associated with the recent protests.

The curfews came in response to protests over the weekend which devolved into the worst rioting seen in France for several years, with some demonstrators targeting businesses and government buildings while protesters accused the police of using excessively violent tactics.

The demonstrations initially erupted in September as a student-led movement demanding reforms to the education system. In recent weeks, the demonstrations have evolved into a broader movement demanding action to address rising costs of living.

The protests come ahead of the next French presidential elections in April 2027, which will mark the end of President Emmanuel Macron's two terms in power. Among the most prominent candidates to take over the office are Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far-right National Rally Party, and Jean-Luc Melonchon, who leads the left-wing France Unbowed party.

"Targeted curfews have contributed to the calm of this night," Lecornu wrote in a post to X on Tuesday morning. "I thank the police officers and gendarmes who ensured their enforcement, as well as the prefects for their mobilization."

"Tonight, new curfews will be decided where the situation requires it. These decisions will be made on the ground, by the prefects, in coordination with the mayors," Lecornu added.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said on Monday that 2,513 people had been taken into custody amid the recent protests, with 67 people imprisoned. Nunez said that "dozens of judicial investigations" are still ongoing.

Nunez said that around 60,000 police and other security forces had been deployed around the country, though admitted that authorities had been unable to suppress riots in cities like Paris, Marseille and Lyon.

"You couldn't look shopkeepers in the eye after hundreds of shops had been looted and say we hadn't lost control," Nunez told French radio on Monday, blaming "rioters, looters and ultra-left militants" for the unrest.

Among the most notable incidents of damage to public buildings occurred in the central city of Limoges, where a historic town hall was set ablaze on Saturday. Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin said in a post to X on Sunday that counter-terrorism authorities were involved in the investigation into the fire.