Key Takeaways
- French President Emmanuel Macron criticized US President Donald Trump for using France’s riots for political gain.
- Macron warned of leaders exploiting France’s unrest for their campaigns, including Trump and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.
- The French government faces challenges managing the crisis, with curfews imposed in certain areas ahead of upcoming protests.
French President Emmanuel Macron has criticized US President Donald Trump for using France’s recent riots for political gain, during a visit to Qatar.
Macron, speaking to reporters in Doha, implied that Trump and possibly Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is also in election mode, made 'stupid comments' on the unrest for political advantage.
The French government is struggling to manage the crisis, which has marred France’s image both domestically and internationally, six months ahead of presidential elections.
The unrest, involving masked youths clashing with police and looting shops, has been described as the worst France has seen in years.
Macron’s government has admitted it 'lost control' during the weekend’s violence, which has also impacted financial markets, with the yield on French government bonds surpassing five percent.
In response to the unrest, French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu held a meeting with union leaders organizing marches and vowed a 'massive' police deployment for upcoming demonstrations.
The French government has warned of no further violence, with curfews imposed in certain zones prone to protests or looting.
Macron will chair a meeting of key ministers and intelligence officials on Thursday to receive a detailed account of the events of the previous weekend.
Analysts have dismissed claims that migrants were driving the protests, focusing instead on economic factors such as rising inflation and cost of living.
