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Macron Leaves for Gulf Trip as Riots Grip France, Drawing Criticism From Left and Right
ReMacron Leaves for Gulf Trip as Riots Grip France, Drawing Criticism From Left and Right
French President Emmanuel Macron traveled to Kuwait for energy talks as violent unrest spread across French cities, prompting criticism from political rivals and raising questions about his leadership ahead of a presidential election in which he is term-limited.
French President Emmanuel Macron left for Kuwait on Sunday for energy negotiations even as violent riots spread across major French cities, a decision that drew immediate criticism from both the left and the right as his government struggled to contain the unrest.
The demonstrations began weeks earlier as student-led protests over classroom conditions but escalated over the weekend into widespread riots involving a range of political and ideological factions. Social media videos showed groups of men waving foreign flags while engaging in destruction in cities across France. Reporting found that communist organizations, Islamic advocacy groups, labor unions and environmental activists were involved in the unrest.
Macron departed shortly after delivering a nationwide address in which he denounced what he called the « unbridled » violence of rioters. Defending his travel, the president said rising fuel prices were one of the causes behind the riots — a claim that framed the Gulf trip as directly relevant to the crisis at home.
French officials said more than 2,500 people have been arrested in connection with the demonstrations. Macron acknowledged failures in security but declined the resignation of his interior minister, keeping a key member of his government in place despite the scale of the disorder.
The unrest has become a political flashpoint. Marine Le Pen, a right-wing contender for the presidency, charged that France under Macron was a country « caught in a vice between violence and impotence. » From the left, socialist presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon accused the government of relying on « inaction and police brutality » to quell the riots.
The riots come as France's presidential election looms. Macron is term-limited, and his centrist allies face an increasingly difficult political environment as Le Pen on the right and Mélenchon on the left seek to capitalize on public discontent. Political observers have suggested the unrest could benefit Le Pen, a staunch critic of immigration, at the polls.
Macron also faced criticism for attending a concert while the riots were ongoing, adding to the perception among opponents that his leadership has been disconnected from the crisis.
Violence in the streets has reportedly cooled after officials imposed overnight curfews in Paris and other major cities. But the damage was extensive: rioters inflicted more than $1 billion in estimated losses, including destroying small businesses and setting fire to historic buildings, according to an analysis by the financial services firm Morningstar.
The unrest has resonated beyond France. American conservatives described it as emblematic of a broader decline in European social cohesion and a cautionary tale for the United States. Simon Hankinson, a former U.S. consul in Marseille, called the riots a « warning sign for the United States. » Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro blamed the demonstrations on « an out-of-control welfare state, left-wing radicalism and third world immigration. » Vice President JD Vance wrote on X that « Western liberals imported the third world into France and other countries in the name of diversity and compassion, » adding that « they ignored fundamental questions of assimilation and compatibility. »
Some American liberals, including California Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna, have pointed to economic grievances as a driving force behind the unrest, though Khanna condemned the violence and vandalism that accompanied the demonstrations.
The secondhand marketplace Vinted said it is removing listings suspected of containing looted goods after the riots. Social media posts appeared to show luxury shops such as Louis Vuitton, Burberry and Celine being ransacked, while Sephora said protesters broke into several of its locations. Vinted said it is collaborating with law enforcement to prevent the resale of any potentially looted items.
For Macron, the episode has sharpened a leadership challenge at a delicate moment. His trip to the Gulf, intended to address energy costs tied to the unrest, has instead become a symbol of the political pressure closing in on him at home.
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