Curfews, 3,000 police, union talks: How is France preparing for fresh demonstrations on October 24?

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has promised a "massive" police deployment ahead of fresh demonstrations scheduled for October 24. The French government is also extending the curfews and tightening security following days of violent unrest linked to nationwide protests over rising living costs and deteriorating school conditions. PM Lecornu will also meet with representatives from five unions on Wednesday morning to discuss "ways and means to guarantee the essential freedom to demonstrate" according to a letter sent to the organisations, which noted some were attempting to subvert the protests with “unacceptable acts.”

According to CBS News, the announcement followed an admission by Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez that authorities had underestimated the unrest and lost control in some cities during Saturday's demonstrations. More than 2,500 people had been taken into police custody by Monday evening, Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said. The violence included the burning of a historic town hall in Limoges and widespread looting and damage to businesses.

Overnight curfews have been imposed around Paris' Place de la République and the Les Halles shopping district, with similar restrictions introduced in Lyon and other cities. Authorities decided to extend the measures after Paris and Lyon reported no major incidents on Monday night.

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France protest

France is reeling from its worst urban unrest in years after nationwide demonstrations on October 17, 2026, descended into street violence, arson, and mass looting. Over half a million peaceful protesters took to the streets across major cities. The catalyst began a month prior with student-led protests in the Paris suburbs over severe teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms, and crumbling school infrastructure. The movement quickly broadened into a society-wide protest against soaring inflation. The French Interior Ministry reported that nearly 2,400 people have been detained nationwide. In a televised address on Sunday evening, President Emmanuel Macron expressed "anger and shame," vowing that those who sought to "bring down the republic" would be held fully accountable.

The government has announced plans to deploy more than 3,000 substitute teachers to schools most in need and authorised several hundred additional hires. However, financial pressures and political divisions have complicated efforts to introduce wider reforms. France's public debt stood at nearly 3.6 trillion euros at the end of June, equivalent to 119 per cent of its annual economic output, CBS News reported. The government expects the fiscal deficit to reach 5.4 per cent of economic output this year and aims to reduce it to 5 per cent in 2027. Macron's allies also lack a majority in parliament, making it difficult to secure support for major policy measures.