410,000 marched across France on 24 October; Macron promises student measures

Turnout and unrest on 24 October

Some 410,000 people marched across France on Saturday, 24 October, demanding more resources and a new place for young people, under heavy security by the authorities. The demonstrations followed several days of tension, property damage and injuries. In the 5th arrondissement of Marseille, looting was under way, and at least three shops, two of them jewellers, had been looted, according to a police source cited by BFMTV. BFMTV reported that 18 people had been detained at that stage. At the end of the march in Paris, police used a water cannon and tear gas after projectiles were thrown at officers near the Porte de Vincennes, where the procession ended, and the police prefecture described this as the only point of tension in the capital.

Curfew and earlier violence

Earlier protests over the cost of living and the state of education had already ended in violence in several French cities, with damage to public buildings and looted shops. On Thursday, 22 October, authorities extended a nightly curfew in parts of Paris, including the Place de la République and the Les Halles district. The curfew runs from 23:00 to 06:00 local time every night until Monday morning, 26 October. Olivier Faure said the movement had been left to itself by the executive for about a month, which he said had pushed the demands and methods of action toward radicalisation. Emmanuel Macron called for a ban on demonstrations organised by 'illegitimate' individuals, a term that left-wing parties say they do not understand, since French law contains no such definition.

Government response and Monday talks

Emmanuel Macron said on social media that he had heard the legitimate expectations of secondary school student organisations, which he met on Friday, 23 October. He said the prime minister and ministers would continue this dialogue from Monday, 26 October, and present concrete responses. The next meeting is set to bring together student organisations, teachers, unions, business organisations, local authorities and parliamentarians, following weeks of social protest. After their meeting with Macron on 23 October, representatives of secondary school pupils decided to keep up their mobilisation and protests until concrete measures for education are taken.

Opposition criticism

Olivier Faure, first secretary of the Socialist Party, criticised a Thursday meeting between Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu and party representatives, which he said focused exclusively on security. He argued that the issue is first social and political and needs both social and political answers.

“To interrupt the demonstrations, it is enough to respond to the demands.”

Faure, speaking on the Grand Jury programme, accused the Macronist power of not listening to anyone for 10 years.

Key dates

The sequence of events runs from 22 October to the planned government meeting. Lecornu met party representatives on Thursday, 22 October, the same day the curfew was extended in Paris. Macron met student organisations on Friday, 23 October, and the pupils' representatives chose to continue protesting. On Saturday, 24 October, 410,000 people demonstrated nationwide, with looting in Marseille and clashes in Paris. The government's follow-up meeting with the wider group of organisations is scheduled for Monday, 26 October.