minister warned that the demonstrations planned for Halloween weekend will almost certainly turn violent again.
"I have asked the government to respond to the legitimate demands that lie at the root of this social movement," Emmanuel Macron told reporters in Marseille, where he travelled to inspect the damage from earlier protests. He acknowledged the risk of more unrest ahead, echoing a warning issued hours earlier by Interior Minister Laurent Nunez.
A minister who expects trouble on Halloween
Laurent Nunez, asked by BFM TV on Monday whether he expected further disturbances during the demonstrations planned for October 31, did not hesitate: "Clearly, yes."
"Halloween evening is traditionally always a bit lively. We expect it to be complicated again," Nunez added.
The warning lands after a Saturday in which the interior ministry deployed 70,000 police across France for demonstrations called by unions to denounce the high cost of living and the state of public services. Nunez said the huge police presence prevented a repeat of the violence seen earlier this month — but the calm, he made clear, is not expected to hold.
A movement that keeps growing
What began as student discontent has grown far beyond the classroom. Trade unions and "yellow vest" activists — known for their high-visibility jackets and mass demonstrations against economic pressures including high fuel costs — have joined the marches, turning a sectoral protest into a broad movement against Emmanuel Macron's government.
The protests show little sign of easing after violence nine days ago engulfed dozens of cities, leading to fears the state had lost control of the streets. Reports from the unrest also described far-right gangs confronting far-left activists in the middle of the demonstrations.
On Saturday, more than 400,000 people marched across the country, and police made 1,314 arrests. Unions have already called for further demonstrations next Saturday, October 31, and a nationwide strike on November 5.
Lecornu to face the students
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is set to hold a news conference after a meeting with unions of high school students who want more resources for the education sector and an overhaul of a university admissions process they say embeds inequalities.
The meeting is the government's first direct engagement with one of the groups at the origin of the movement — and the measures Emmanuel Macron promised on Monday will be judged, above all, on whether they answer the students, the unions and the yellow vests at the same time.
Sources: Reuters, 26 Oct 2026 (Crispian Balmer and Sudip Kar-Gupta, Paris); BFM TV, 26 Oct 2026.