French slam Macron’s riots response – poll

Four in five voters disapprove of the president’s handling of the unrest, according to Ipsos

French voters overwhelmingly disapprove of President Emmanuel Macron’s handling of weeks of violent nationwide protests, with just 12% backing his response, according to a new Ipsos-BVA-CESI poll.

Around 80% of respondents said Macron’s response to the unrest has been inadequate, according to the poll for Le Parisien published on Saturday. The riots also sparked widespread anger, with 58% of respondents expressing outrage.

Macron’s overall approval rating fell to 16%, the lowest since January and down seven percentage points from last month, according to a monthly CSA poll for Le Journal du Dimanche published on Sunday.

The unrest began last month with student demonstrations over teacher shortages, school funding, and deteriorating facilities before spreading nationwide. As trade unions and opposition parties joined the movement, the protests grew into broader demonstrations against soaring living costs, inequality, and cuts to public services.

The unrest escalated sharply on October 17, when around 550,000 people joined the demonstrations nationwide, spilling out into clashes with the police, arson, and widespread looting in several cities.

Read more

Macron bans protests

Immigration also emerged as an issue in public perceptions of the violence. Around 55% believe there is a link between immigration and the October 17 riots, according to a CSA survey published last Thursday.

Last week, Macron responded by announcing a crackdown on public gatherings. Protests deemed unauthorized were banned and limits on marches were imposed – even those organized by recognized groups.

Opposition leaders blamed Macron’s policies for the unrest, accusing him of failing to maintain public order.

Despite the restrictions, the demonstrations continued, drawing around 410,000 people on Saturday, according to Interior Ministry data.

Read more

EU members’ mistakes behind mass protests – Putin

Similar protests took place elsewhere in Europe, with demonstrators in Italy, Belgium, Spain and Portugal voicing concerns about living costs, housing shortages, and public services.

After Western media outlets reported that several EU governments suspected Russia of involvement in the unrest, President Vladimir Putin dismissed the allegations.

“To claim that we are provoking mass protests in major European cities is really going too far,” Putin said, arguing that the accusations reflect European leaders’ inability to address the crisis.