Nationwide protests in France on Saturday left more than 600 police and firefighters injured and over 2,000 people detained, officials said. The unrest occurred during a political transition six months before the presidential election and the incumbent government said its strained public finances limit its ability to address the grievances that sparked the protests. President Macron condemned the violence in a televised address but did not outline concrete measures. Prime Minister Lecornu said t

Nationwide protests in France on Saturday left more than 600 police and firefighters injured and over 2,000 people detained, officials said. The unrest occurred during a political transition six months before the presidential election and the incumbent government said its strained public finances limit its ability to address the grievances that sparked the protests. President Macron condemned the violence in a televised address but did not outline concrete measures. Prime Minister Lecornu said the rioters were tightly organized far-left groups seeking to influence next spring’s vote. Far-left leader and presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon accused the government’s policing strategy of “opening the door to chaos,” while far-right frontrunner Marine Le Pen called Macron “powerless,” blaming an alliance of political radicals and what she termed suburban lawbreakers.