According to Phoenix Satellite TV, riots in France caused by high living costs have not yet subsided. The capital Paris continued to have people on the streets setting fires and looting shops on October 18th. French President Macron held a meeting that day to discuss countermeasures and issued a television speech condemning the violence that occurred during the riots.
The situation in Paris continued to be chaotic. Large numbers of rioters went out on October 18th to set fire to the streets, loot shops, and throw goods into the streets, causing spectators to roar.
The worst riot in France in recent years still showed no signs of calming down on Sunday. Firefighters could only come forward to fight the fire while riot police temporarily controlled the situation.
People continued to gather in the Plaza de la República, trying to resist the police. The police then used tear gas to disperse the crowd.
After nightfall, the riots continued and riot police were exhausted. Statistics from the Ministry of the Interior showed that more than 600 police, gendarmes and firefighters had been injured in two consecutive days of riots, and hundreds of businesses suffered serious property losses. Police arrested more than 2,000 people nationwide, with more than 800 in Paris breaking the relevant record.
Macron presided over a cabinet meeting at the Élysée Palace to discuss countermeasures. He condemned the violence that occurred during the protests, emphasized that the government would definitely pursue legal responsibility for the people involved, and demanded that the government summarize the lessons from the violent events of October 17 and ensure that similar incidents do not occur again.
Macron said he understood the public‘s concerns about living costs and fuel prices. He announced that Prime Minister Le Corney will host a crisis response panel meeting on October 19 to assist affected businesses and respond to public dissatisfaction. Macron will also visit the Gulf countries on October 19 to ensure French energy supply. The French government will meet with youth groups in the coming week to respond to their concerns.
There are analyses that the French government is currently facing serious fiscal and economic difficulties and plans to improve the public fiscal situation through increased taxation and savings. However, whether the government has the ability to respond to public dissatisfaction with the current situation remains questionable.