Marches against the rising cost of living degenerated into nationwide clashes, looting and fires across France, weeks after student protests and six months before presidential elections. The Interior Ministry counted 550,000 marchers while the CGT union said 800,000, and Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu reported 1200 arrests and 150 police officers hurt. Gangs looted shops in Paris, Marseille, Nice, Bordeaux and other cities, and several town halls were attacked, with Limoges' more than 140-year-old building largely destroyed by fire. President Emmanuel Macron promised prosecutions, while far-right candidate Marine Le Pen condemned the rioters and accused the far-left camp of legitimising violence. Far-left candidate Melenchon urged demonstrators to avoid looting, which he called contrary to their methods.
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EUR/USD
▼ Likely negativeRelevance: low
| Market | Currencies |
|---|---|
| Close on 10/16/2026 | 1.12393 |
| Change that session | +0.16% |
Impact is scored by AI from the headline and may be wrong. It is not investment advice.
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