France will deploy a 70,000-strong police force on Halloween as nationwide protests over living costs and public services bring a widely expected bout of fresh unrest, two weeks after riots and looting caught security forces off guard, while organisers in Germany expect more than 160,000 people to join youth-led demonstrations over education and living costs.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez has vowed not to let a repeat happen. "Everyone is on deck to ensure an extremely firm response to any trouble," he told a news conference earlier this week, describing the day as carrying "a very high risk" of unrest. Authorities are alert to the possibility that rioters could use Halloween masks to conceal their identities, and Nunez noted that laws already allow police to ban face coverings when public order is at risk. The US Embassy advised travellers to avoid areas where demonstrations or large gatherings are planned.
The protests gathered pace in late September as President Emmanuel Macron's minority government launched its 2027 budget talks. Facing public debt approaching 120% of economic output and rising borrowing costs, the government is under pressure to rein in spending. Students angry at the dilapidated state of many schools, crowded classes and a university admissions system widely seen as unfair have been joined by trade unions and a re-emergent Yellow Vest movement demanding action on the cost of living. The government's promises to reform education and ease fuel costs have failed to calm discontent.
The unrest has handed a political boost to far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who leads opinion polls ahead of April's presidential election, while potential centrist successors to Macron remain divided. The government is pushing ahead with a law making rioters liable to pay up to €10,000 ($11,000) for damage caused either by themselves or by groups they are deemed to be part of. Rights groups and some lawyers say the measure risks undermining the right to peaceful protest.
In Germany, the campaign group Gen Z regelt, whose name means Gen Z takes charge, has planned rallies in 34 cities including Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich. The group says it opposes compulsory military service and wants greater investment in education as many young Germans struggle with rising costs. The protests follow a wave of Gen Z-led demonstrations across Europe this year. In Serbia, student-led activism helped unseat the country's long-time leader at the ballot box.
German authorities expect the demonstrations, which coincide with Halloween festivities, to be largely peaceful but have warned of attempts by extremist groups to exploit the movement. Parts of Germany's far-left extremist scene and some groups linked to foreign extremist movements have joined efforts to mobilise support, according to the federal interior ministry. "We all have those images from France in our minds - looting, burning houses, burning police vehicles, and attacks on police officers," said Roman Poseck, interior minister for the state of Hesse, whose capital is Frankfurt. "France must not be held up as a model in this regard." In Berlin, some businesses along the Kurfürstendamm shopping boulevard boarded up windows and planned early closures ahead of the demonstrations amid concerns about possible unrest.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- France's showdown comes with a presidential election months away: the unrest has lifted far-right leader Marine Le Pen into the lead of opinion polls, while potential centrist successors to Macron remain divided.
- The day tests whether a 70,000-strong police deployment can prevent a repeat of the riots and looting that caught security forces off guard two weeks ago.
- Germany's rallies are part of a wave of Gen Z-led demonstrations over living costs and education spreading across Europe this year, the same wave that helped unseat Serbia's long-time leader.
Background
The French protests accelerated in late September when Macron's minority government launched its 2027 budget talks under pressure from public debt approaching 120% of economic output and rising borrowing costs. Students, trade unions and a re-emergent Yellow Vest movement have converged over living costs, schooling and university admissions, and two weeks ago the demonstrations turned into riots and looting in cities across France. In Germany, the rallies follow a wave of Gen Z-led demonstrations across Europe this year.
Key Perspectives
- Interior Minister Laurent Nunez: says everyone is on deck to ensure an extremely firm response to any trouble on a day he has described as carrying a very high risk of unrest.
- Rights groups and some lawyers: say the government's law making rioters liable for damage risks undermining the right to peaceful protest.
- Gen Z regelt: the group behind the German rallies opposes compulsory military service and wants greater investment in education as young Germans struggle with rising costs.
- German authorities: expect the demonstrations to be largely peaceful but have warned of attempts by extremist groups to exploit the movement, with far-left and foreign-linked groups involved in mobilising support.
- Roman Poseck, Hesse's interior minister: says France must not be held up as a model, citing images of looting, burning houses and police vehicles, and attacks on police officers.
What to Watch
- Whether the French protests turn violent again and how the 70,000-strong police deployment responds.
- Whether the German rallies stay peaceful as authorities expect, or are exploited by extremist groups.
- Whether Marine Le Pen's poll lead grows towards France's April presidential election, and how the riot-liability law fares against rights-group opposition.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedFrance will deploy 70,000 police on Halloween.RTÉ News: “France will deploy a 70,000-strong police presence to contain a widely expected bout of fresh unrest today in the latest nationwide protests.”
- SupportedOrganisers expect more than 160,000 people at German Halloween rallies.RTÉ News: “More than 160,000 people across Germany are expected to join demonstrations today, organisers say”
- SupportedThe French demonstrations over living costs and public services come two weeks after riots and looting caught security forces off guard.RTÉ News: “The nationwide demonstrations, which fall on Halloween, come two weeks after riots and looting caught security forces off guard”
- SupportedGerman authorities warn that extremist groups may try to exploit the youth movement.RTÉ News: “German authorities say they expect the demonstrations, which coincide with Halloween festivities, to be largely peaceful but have warned of attempts by extremist groups to exploit the movement.”
- SupportedThe French demonstrations are driven by anger over living costs, public services and Macron's government.RTÉ News: “The demonstrations are driven by anger over living costs, public services and President Emmanuel Macron's government.”
- SupportedMore than 160,000 people across Germany are expected to join youth-led demonstrations over education and lower living costs.RTÉ News: “More than 160,000 people across Germany are expected to join demonstrations today, organisers say, as a youth-led movement inspired by protests elsewhere in Europe takes to the streets to demand better education and lower living costs.”
- SupportedLaurent Nunez said, “Everyone is on deck to ensure an extremely firm response to any trouble.”RTÉ News: ““Everyone is on deck to ensure an extremely firm response to any trouble,” Mr Nunez told a news conference earlier this week”
- SupportedNunez described the day as carrying “a very high risk” of unrest.RTÉ News: “as he set out details of security arrangements for a day he described as carrying “a very high risk” of unrest.”
- SupportedThe government is pursuing a law that could make rioters liable for up to €10,000 in damage caused by themselves or groups they are deemed to be part of.RTÉ News: “The government is pushing ahead with a controversial law making rioters liable to pay up to €10,000 ($11,000) for damage caused either by themselves or by groups they are deemed to be part of.”
- SupportedRoman Poseck said, “France must not be held up as a model in this regard.”RTÉ News: ““France must not be held up as a model in this regard.””
- SupportedPoseck said, “We all have those images from France in our minds - looting, burning houses, burning police vehicles, and attacks on police officers.”RTÉ News: ““We all have those images from France in our minds - looting, burning houses, burning police vehicles, and attacks on police officers,” said Roman Poseck”
- SupportedThe German campaign group has planned rallies in 34 cities, including Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich.RTÉ News: “The German protests, organised by campaign group Gen Z regelt (Gen Z takes charge), are planned in 34 cities including Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich.”