Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu says local authorities will coordinate with mayors to decide whether to impose curfews. Published October 20, 2026 October 20, 2026 French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has said new curfews will be imposed where necessary in some parts of the country, as authorities tried to restore order after weekend demonstrations over the cost of living and problems in the education system led to riots. In a post on X on Tuesday, Lecornu said local authorities would coordinate with mayors to decide whether to impose curfews in their respective prefectures. Recommended stories list of 3 itemsend of list More than half a million people gathered across France on Saturday in demonstrations that brought together students demanding better educational conditions and groups rejecting the high cost of living. The protests led to looting and arson in numerous places, with more than 2,500 people arrested. Monday night passed without major incidents across France, police confirmed. The government will hold a series of meetings as it steps up efforts to contain the unrest, which followed weeks of student protests over educational standards. French digital minister Anne Le Henanff will meet social media bosses on Tuesday to discuss the protests. In a post on X on Monday, Henanff said products looted over the weekend were being sold online and called on platforms to remove such listings. Protesters have called for more protests this Saturday, but France’s main unions have not backed the call, and union leaders will meet Lecornu on Wednesday. On Thursday, Lecornu will hold talks with political parties about the protests, which will come ahead of presidential elections in April and May next year. Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally party, is currently leading in the polls. Far-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon, who heads La Francia Insumisa, is currently in second place. President Emmanuel Macron cannot run due to France’s two-term limit. Le Pen and Melenchon have been accused of exploiting protests ahead of next year’s vote. Alice Cohen-Morzadec, spokesperson for the Union of French Students, told Al Jazeera that the demonstrations were an “outbreak” of anger in response to Macron’s policies, which she said had “destroyed” the living conditions of students. “One student in two cannot eat properly. One student in three does not have a permanent home to live in. We cannot study in these conditions,” Cohen-Morzadec said.
