French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu on Monday said he had asked local authorities to impose partial curfews on Monday evening following violent protests across the country over the weekend, as reported by Reuters.
Lecornu told reporters that he was “fully resolved to restore public order”. He added that the government could declare a state of emergency if deemed necessary, but said partial curfews appeared “more appropriate” at this stage.
The prime minister did not specify which cities would impose partial curfews or what form the restrictions would take. However, he ruled out imposing a full curfew across Paris.
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"These curfews must be local and partial. It is out of the question to put all of Paris under curfew," he noted.
PSG vs Barcelona Match To Go Ahead
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said during the same press conference that there were no plans to cancel Tuesday evening's Paris Saint-Germain versus Barcelona football match.
The announcement comes as France grapples with the aftermath of a weekend of rioting and looting. On Monday, the mayors of the country's biggest cities demanded answers from the government over what they described as a lack of preparation by security forces.
Protests Add To Pressure On French Government
The unrest follows weeks of student demonstrations, which have occasionally been accompanied by street violence. The protests have rocked France six months ahead of its next presidential election, adding to pressure on the government amid a weak economy and rising debt.
The latest violence has raised concerns over public order and security as the country attempts to recover from the weekend's disturbances.
France had the broadest of a series of demonstrations that took place across Europe, with Belgium, Italy and Portugal also affected.
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