Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 04:58pm on 26 Oct 2026,Monday International
French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday blamed social media for “damaging our democracies” as France faces renewed cost-of-living protests ahead of its presidential election, six months away. Visiting Marseille City Hall, briefly occupied by protesters on October 17, he condemned the looting and vandalism, insisting such incidents must “never” happen again. Macron said authorities must address legitimate public expectations while maintaining order. Officials acknowledged security and intelligence failures and prepared a robust operation for planned weekend demonstrations. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez reported 1,435 arrests, 267 injured police officers and gendarmes, and 150 injured protesters, including three seriously. The unrest began with student protests over education conditions before widening. (PC: AFP)
