France to impose new curfews where necessary, says PM

Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced that France will implement new curfews in areas deemed necessary on Tuesday, following a series of violent riots that rocked the nation six months before the upcoming presidential election. The government had previously introduced partial curfews in several cities, including Paris, Bordeaux, and Nice, in an attempt to quell the unrest that erupted over poor learning conditions and the high cost of living.

Lecornu acknowledged that targeted curfews had helped maintain calm overnight and stated that further curfews would be decided on the ground by prefects and mayors as the situation warranted.

The unrest, which began with student demonstrations, led to a series of violent incidents, resulting in the burning of city halls and the shooting of police officers in at least three thousand businesses. Despite an initial ban on demonstrations, large crowds gathered in Lyon to support local businesses, spelling out the word "LYON" in candlelight.

Government officials pledged to provide support measures for shopkeepers and craftspeople, with Finance Minister Roland Lescure committing to assisting those affected by the riots.

The situation has prompted the government to schedule emergency meetings on Tuesday to discuss the matter further. Patrick Martin, head of France's Medef business lobby group, accused the state of "failing" to prevent the urban unrest that targeted numerous businesses.