Macron mulls state of emergency after worst unrest in decades
President Emmanuel Macron considered declaring a state of emergency as he met security chiefs on Sunday seeking a way out of nationwide protests after rioters turned central Paris into a battle zone and vandalized the Arc de Triomphe monument.
Riot police on Saturday were overwhelmed as protesters ran amok in Paris’ posh neighborhoods, torching dozens of cars, looting boutiques and smashing up luxury private homes and cafes in the worst disturbances the capital has seen since 1968.
The unrest poses the most formidable challenge yet to Macron’s presidency, with the escalating violence and depth of public anger against his economic reforms catching the 40-year-old leader off-guard and battling to regain control.
Arriving back from the G20 summit in Argentina, Macron rushed to the Arc de Triomphe, a revered monument and epicenter of Saturday’s clashes, where protesters had scrawled “Macron resign” and “The yellow vests will triumph.”
The “yellow vest” rebellion erupted out of nowhere on Nov. 17, with protesters blocking roads across France and impeding access to some shopping malls, fuel depots and airports. Violent groups from the far right and far left as well as anarchists infiltrated Saturday’s protests, the authorities said.
Government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux said the Macron administration was considering imposing a state of emergency. The president was open to dialogue, he said, but would not reverse policy reforms.
“We won’t change course. We are certain of that,” he told Europe 1 radio. Asked about imposing a state of emergency, Griveaux said it would be among the options considered.
As he spoke, workmen in the upper-crust district of central Paris set about cleaning the defaced Arc, removing charred hulks of cars and replacing the shattered windows of banks, restaurants and glitzy boutiques.
The protests began as a backlash against Macron’s fuel tax hikes — necessary he says to combat climate change — but have mined a vein of deep dissatisfaction felt toward his liberal reforms, which many voters feel favor the wealthy and big business.
Police said they had arrested more than 400 people in Paris on Saturday and that 133 were injured. Some 10,000 tear gas canisters and stun grenades were fired as well as water canon as security forces fought for control.
Macron’s plight illustrates a conundrum: How do political leaders introduce policies that will do long-term good for the environment without inflicting extra costs on voters that may damage their chances of re-election?
His unyielding response has exposed him to charges of being out of touch with common folk outside of France’s big cities who worry about the squeeze on household budgets and job security.
The protests have driven Macron’s popularity to record lows and left him facing a loselose situation, said Gael Sliman, president of the Odoxa polling institute.