Macron calls for order after protests leave 1,800 detained in France

French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday urged political parties and unions to unequivocally condemn the violence that marred the protests and said the country needs order, according to Diario ABC. His remarks follow a day of unrest in central Paris, around the Place de la République, after a nationwide call against the cost of living and conditions in schools that left at least 1,800 people detained across the country, according to data released by MercoPress.

The mobilizations reflect deep social discontent over the loss of purchasing power among French households, strained by persistent inflation and pressures on family budgets amid an adverse economic backdrop. Such conflicts highlight the difficulties facing the central government in sustaining essential public services, such as education, while it implements fiscal adjustment measures.

Saturday's clashes included looting of shops, attacks on public buildings and property damage in several cities across the country, prompting the executive to harden its stance and warn of a possible ban on certain public gatherings as social tensions escalate.