France extends partial curfews to quell unrest

Authorities across France extended partial curfews on Tuesday after overnight restrictions helped restore calm following violent weekend protests.

Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said curfews imposed in several cities on Monday had "helped keep the night calm", adding that new restrictions would be introduced wherever needed.

"These decisions will be made on the ground, by the prefects, in coordination with the mayors," he said on Tuesday.

The measures followed the government's admission that officers had "lost control" during Saturday's protests, which drew hundreds of thousands onto the streets over the cost of living and deteriorating public services.

Laurent Mazzarolo, 31, a train driver living in Paris, told China Daily that rising petrol prices were a growing burden for commuters, while tight budgets forced people to buy the cheapest food.

Life in France has worsened over the past five years, he said. "Everything costs more now, and people are struggling," he said, citing inflation, the conflict in Ukraine and other global crises.

Beyond economic hardship, Mazzarolo said, many people were frustrated by what they saw as a government unwilling to listen. "They don't feel their voices are being heard. We have no confidence in our government, so people go to the streets to express themselves."

Emergency talks resumed on Tuesday, with officials meeting social media platform representatives amid accusations that online disinformation had fueled the violence.

After an emergency cabinet session on Monday, Lecornu announced the "local and partial" curfews, ruling out blanket restrictions on entire cities. Four northern cities — Lille, Douai, Wattignies and Denain — imposed curfews for minors from 8 pm to 6 am on Monday and Tuesday nights.

Paris also imposed an overnight curfew on Monday, banning gatherings at Place de la Republique, where clashes erupted on Saturday, and in the looted Les Halles shopping district. The southern city of Nice also enforced an overnight curfew.

The weekend riots left cities scarred just six months before France elects a successor to President Emmanuel Macron. Nearly a decade after taking power with promises of economic reform and a stronger presidency, Macron is now a lame-duck leader presiding over political paralysis and acute financial strain.

"The end of this term is a slow agony," Loic Kervran, a former lawmaker from Macron's camp, wrote on X, calling the president's 2024 decision to dissolve parliament "arguably the worst decision in the history of the Fifth Republic".

Michel Steiger, a Parisian in his 40s, told China Daily that he supported the protests but condemned those exploiting them to vandalize property and loot, saying they undermined the cause.

Younger generations faced growing hardship, particularly over housing and living costs, he said. "I don't think the government is doing enough, and I feel that there is very little that can be achieved under the current government."

As the next presidential election approaches, Steiger added, political parties are "either capitalizing on the current situation or being cautious about taking action that could hurt their chances of winning".