National Rally presidential candidate Marine Le Pen pointed to violence during France’s Oct. 17 protests as a failure of President Emmanuel Macron’s government, as officials assessed damage to thousands of shops.
The Associated Press reported that Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez estimated 550,000 people took part in 110 marches, compared with an organizers’ estimate of 800,000. AP reported confrontations with police, fires involving vehicles and trash bins, and looting at some sites. The government said many people marched peacefully and that serious disorder was concentrated in certain urban areas.
Commerce Minister Serge Papin said Oct. 19 that a preliminary government count put the number of damaged or looted shops at no fewer than 3,000. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced localized curfews after the unrest and a support fund for businesses. He said the short-time-work support rate for affected employees would rise to 100%.
In a video address posted Oct. 18, Le Pen portrayed the unrest as evidence of weakened state authority under Macron. The Wall Street Journal reported that Ipsos Bva pollster Adélaïde Zulfikarpasic and Eurasia Group analyst Mujtaba Rahman viewed the disorder as an opening for her public-order message.
The Associated Press reported that groups associated with the Yellow Vest movement took part in the Oct. 17 protests. Opposition to fuel prices helped drive that movement’s 2018-19 demonstrations.
France faces strained public finances ahead of the election. The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) reported a 2025 public deficit of 5.1% of gross domestic product (GDP) and public debt of 119.0% of GDP at the end of the second quarter of 2026.
Le Pen’s conviction and sentence remain under review, leaving their effect on her candidacy unresolved. The Paris Court of Appeal found her guilty July 7 of misuse of public funds and complicity in a case involving European Parliament money. It imposed a 45-month ban on running for elected office, with 30 months suspended. The Court of Cassation said the penalties cannot be enforced during its review.
The Court of Cassation has scheduled a Dec. 16 hearing on constitutional questions. The presidential election is set for April 18, 2027, with a May 2 runoff if needed.
