French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said he would meet political parties this week on election security and public order after weekend violence, as France heads toward its 2027 presidential election.
Lecornu said the discussions would cover protecting candidates and campaign events, along with policing and public order. He also planned to consult unions about preserving their ability to demonstrate.
Violence broke out alongside Oct. 17 demonstrations centered on living costs and school conditions. EconoTimes previously covered Lecornu’s allegation that an “ultra-left” movement was seeking to prolong unrest ahead of the 2027 vote. On Monday, he said intelligence services had warned him that the movement wanted disorder to continue into the presidential election.
At a government crisis meeting on Oct. 19, Lecornu instructed prefects to initiate partial, localized curfews in areas affected by the violence. He said the restrictions were intended to protect residents and shops; damaged merchants faced immediate costs from the unrest.
Research professor Sebastian Roché of Sciences Po Grenoble told The Associated Press that far-left militants alone could not account for the scale of the disorder, given their limited numbers and loose coordination. Roché compared the unrest with the 2018 Yellow Vest protests and distinguished politically motivated attacks from looting, AP reported.
Unions had filed notice for a demonstration on Nov. 5, Lecornu said.
