Rebellions Break Out in France as Cost-of-Living Increases

November 8, 2026 

The State Times 

International Institute for Environment and Development

Grace Diviny, Staff Writer

For about a month, France has been rocked by a series of protests and riots by working class  people enraged at higher costs of living. 

The situation started in late September, where French high school students in Southeast Paris  went on strike over a lack of school resources, such as teacher shortages and poor school conditions. These protests eventually turned its focus onto the recent rise of living costs in  Europe. Rioting had been occurring in certain areas as far as early October, the worst of the violence eventually broke out in various cities across the country around October 17th, where rioters targeted a variety of public buildings alongside committing lootings and attacking police  officers. 

One of the buildings set ablaze by rioters was the 19th-century City Hall in Limoges, which was nearly destroyed alongside its roof collapsing. At least 2,400 to 2,700 people were arrested in the aftermath. 

In response to the riots, President Emmanuel Macron held an emergency meeting with government officials immediately in the aftermath on the 18th, where he then made a televised  statement towards rioters. 

“Those who looted will have to pay for the damage, and those who sought to bring down the Republic will be held accountable,” Macron said in his speech to French citizens. He also made a written statement on X, where he threatened to punish the rioters. “We will all stand united against the sowers of chaos, who ⁠only seek to undermine our institutions and prevent those who peacefully express their demands from doing so,”  

Macron and other officials blamed the riots on far-left activists in the midst of the upcoming French  election. They have also imposed a ‘ban’ on illegitimate protests as of Thursday to protect the interests of businesses. Night curfews in various towns have also been implemented. 

In the midst of the protests throughout France, other countries have joined in on the protests over the same economic struggles. Italy, Portugal, and Belgium also joined in on the protests, where guards and police have been sent out to watch over stores in towns. The protests also caught the attention of  activists such as Greta Thunberg, who joined French students last week to protest in solidarity with them. 

Despite the bans and curfews, protests in cities such as Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Lille, and Nantes have continued to occur as of this weekend, with things seeming to escalate yet again as riot police squads have reportedly fired tear gas at protestors alongside two people facing severe injuries in the process. As of now, 1,300 people have been arrested as of this weekend alone as at least nearly millions continue to protest in favor of more affordable living and available resources throughout Europe.