Emmanuel Macron calls for calm ahead of the elections and announces measures to limit violence at the next protests in France

French President Emmanuel Macron called on Monday for the scenes of chaos, violence and looting witnessed during the October 17 protests not to be repeated, as France is approximately six months away from the presidential election. He made the remarks in Marseille, where the demonstrations caused significant damage.

Macron announced that the routes of protests planned for the following Saturday would remain outside city centers, to protect shops and public order. He said the October 24 demonstrations had been calmer, but warned that mobilizations announced for October 31 and November 5 still posed a risk.

The government is facing criticism over its handling of the October 17 protests, when public buildings were set on fire and vandalized in several cities. In Marseille, the city hall was briefly stormed, and the building still bears signs of the incidents.

The president acknowledged that law enforcement forces had not been deployed judiciously and that the government had reacted too slowly to the students’ protests. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez accepted responsibility and wanted to resign, but Macron rejected his resignation. For now, the president has rejected declaring a state of emergency and accused social media of contributing to the escalation of violence. The crisis is unfolding amid public discontent over the rising cost of living, budget debates and an electoral landscape dominated by Marine Le Pen in the polls.