PARIS Oct 18, 2026 – French President Emmanuel Macron said young people are expressing “great anguish and concern about the future” during a national address on Sunday, October 18, following a day of large-scale protests that turned violent in cities across France.
In the televised speech, Macron stated: “For several weeks now, our youth has been expressing a deep anguish in high schools and universities. An anxiety about the future, about living and study conditions, about the ability to find one’s way, to project oneself, to find one’s place in society. The idea that there would be no desirable future, so to speak.” He added that he understands high-school and university students, that their voices must be heard without preconceived ideas, and that difficulties must not be minimized.
The remarks come after nationwide demonstrations on Saturday, October 17, which the Interior Ministry estimated at around 550,000 participants. What began in mid-September as lycée blockades over teacher shortages, overcrowded classes, dilapidated school buildings, and the Parcoursup university admissions system expanded to include broader grievances over the cost of living and fuel prices. Some protests escalated into rioting, looting of shops, and attacks on public buildings, including the burning of Limoges city hall, the invasion of Marseille’s town hall, and damage to other government sites. Authorities reported roughly 2,400 arrests and hundreds of injured police officers.
Macron distinguished between what he called legitimate claims of peaceful demonstrators and the “unbridled violence” carried out by “seditious elements from far-left factions, joined by numerous delinquents.” He declared that “nothing justifies, explains, or excuses” the destruction and said those responsible “must pay” and “will be held accountable.” At the same time, he instructed the government to deliver concrete responses, noting that an education consultation platform has already collected more than 100,000 contributions, and announced that the prime minister would convene students, teachers, unions, local authorities, and others for talks in the coming days.
Earlier in the week, Macron had already recognized the “legitimate anxieties” of the younger generation while criticizing their political exploitation into urban violence. The unrest occurs six months before France’s next presidential election, against a backdrop of high living costs, energy price pressures linked to external conflicts, and long-standing dissatisfaction with public services.
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