France Extends Curfews as Macron Faces Unrest Criticism

France maintained targeted curfews in Paris and other cities on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, after a weekend of violent protests, looting, and property damage. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said the restrictions had helped restore calm overnight, while criticism mounted over President Emmanuel Macron's decision to visit Gulf countries amid domestic unrest.

According to reports cited by The Guardian, restrictions covered areas including Place de la République and Les Halles in Paris, as well as parts of central Lyon. Lille and Nice imposed curfews for minors, while measures in Bordeaux and Nice were expected to remain in effect for several days.

Lecornu said local authorities could introduce additional restrictions wherever necessary. Security measures in Paris included a helicopter sweeping a searchlight over Place de la République, one of the focal points of the unrest, according to Agence France-Presse.

The disturbances followed weeks of demonstrations over living costs, education, and public services. Although hundreds of thousands of people attended peaceful marches, some protesters smashed storefronts and set Limoges Town Hall on fire, according to CNBC.

The unrest has intensified pressure on Macron as France faces political uncertainty, a divided parliament without a governing majority, and a presidential election scheduled for April 2027. Parliament is also negotiating the 2027 budget amid concerns about rising borrowing costs and the government's ability to reduce its deficit.

Macron began a three-day tour of Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Qatar. On Sunday, he said the trip aimed to address high fuel prices, secure French energy supplies, and strengthen defense and security cooperation.

Political commentator Christophe Barbier criticized the government's handling of the situation during an appearance on RTL on Monday.

"There is no longer a pilot in the plane," Barbier said.

The newspaper La Dépêche du Midi also criticized Macron's absence, questioning whether conditions in the Persian Gulf offered an escape from the difficulties facing the French president as the country's crisis deepened.

Business leaders raised concerns about the economic consequences of the unrest and the protection of commercial property. Fabrice Le Saché, vice president of the business group MEDEF, told CNBC that widespread looting had undermined confidence in the state's ability to maintain public order.

"The lack of enforcement means that more than 3,000 shops have been sacked, and for the economy today we awake with a feeling that the state cannot do the basic duty that it is supposed to do, and this is now creating somehow lack of trust," Le Saché said.

He warned that the scale of the disturbances exceeded previous episodes of unrest, including the Yellow Vests movement, and argued that France could not continue experiencing similar crises whenever social tensions escalated.

Le Saché also said French businesses faced one of the highest tax burdens in the euro area while questioning whether they received adequate protection in return.

In response to the damage, Lecornu announced on Monday that the government would establish a support fund for businesses affected by vandalism and looting. Officials would also work with insurers to accelerate damage assessments, according to CNBC.

French financial markets came under pressure on Monday, with government bonds, stocks, and the euro selling off amid concerns about the country's fiscal position. The government is targeting a reduction in the overall budget deficit to 5% of gross domestic product in 2027, from 5.4%.

Elsewhere in Europe, Italy's government decided to send 500 army troops to Milan following two days of unrest that affected shops in the city center, according to The Guardian.