French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has warned that the government could declare a state of emergency if necessary, as authorities step up efforts to restore public order following violent protests and looting across the country.
Lecornu made the statement on Monday, October 19, 2026, after an emergency meeting with senior government officials to assess the security situation.
According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), the prime minister said he remained determined to restore order but indicated that targeted curfews were currently a more appropriate response than declaring a nationwide state of emergency.
“If needed, I will do it,” Lecornu said, while describing a state of emergency as a serious measure.
The government has directed local authorities to introduce limited and targeted curfews in affected areas to prevent further violence and protect businesses and public infrastructure.
The unrest followed weeks of student-led demonstrations over conditions in schools, alongside protests linked to the rising cost of living and dissatisfaction with public services.
Reports by Reuters and the Associated Press said the violence over the weekend involved looting, attacks on public buildings and clashes with security forces in several French cities, including Paris, Lyon and Marseille.
French authorities reported thousands of arrests and injuries among police officers and gendarmes during the disturbances, highlighting the scale of the security challenge facing the government.
President Emmanuel Macron has condemned the violence while distinguishing between peaceful demonstrators with legitimate grievances and those responsible for destruction and looting. He has also rejected calls for Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez to resign following criticism of the police response.
Despite the government’s warning, a state of emergency had not been declared as of Monday. Instead, officials were pursuing localised curfews and other security measures in an effort to contain the unrest.
The government’s response has renewed debate over the balance between public safety and democratic freedoms, including the rights to peaceful protest, freedom of movement and assembly.
Any declaration of a state of emergency would carry significant implications for civil liberties and the exercise of government powers. Authorities would therefore face pressure to ensure that extraordinary measures were legally justified, proportionate to the threat and subject to appropriate oversight.
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