PARIS : France faced one of its worst bouts of unrest in years as violent protests over the rising cost of living spread across parts of the country.
Demonstrations and clashes have put fresh pressure on President Emmanuel Macron’s government, with authorities deploying additional security forces to protect public buildings and businesses. Macron condemned what he described as uncontrolled violence and said officials would coordinate with local mayors to safeguard cities.
The turmoil also rattled financial markets, with the euro weakening against the US dollar during Monday’s Asian trading session. The unrest has added to political uncertainty in France ahead of elections and raised concerns over its economic outlook.