French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has asked local authorities to introduce partial curfews following violent protests and unrest that swept across the country over the weekend.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, October 19, Lecornu said his government was determined to restore public order but indicated that a nationwide state of emergency was not currently the preferred option.
He said authorities could declare a state of emergency if necessary, but believed targeted curfews would be more appropriate at this stage.
Lecornu did not specify which cities would introduce the restrictions or exactly how they would be implemented. However, he ruled out placing the entire French capital under curfew.
“These curfews must be local and partial. It is out of the question to put all of Paris under curfew,” he said.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez confirmed at the same press conference that there were no plans to cancel Tuesday evening’s football match between Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona.
The unrest has also prompted mayors of France’s largest cities to demand explanations from the government over what they described as inadequate security preparations ahead of the violence.
The country is still dealing with the aftermath of the weekend’s rioting and looting, which followed weeks of student demonstrations that had occasionally erupted into street violence.
The unrest comes just six months before France’s next presidential election, adding to pressure on the government amid concerns over the country’s weak economy and rising public debt.
