Willingness to listen and engage in dialogue does not mean weakness: Macron addresses the nation

Emmanuel Macron, President of France, has demanded that the government take measures to prevent a repeat of the unrest. He said this in his address to the nation on October 18.

“I have demanded that the government draw all the necessary lessons on intelligence gathering and forecasting of such events, and take measures to ensure that this does not happen again,” BFMTV quotes him as saying.

The French president condemned the looting of shops, attacks on government buildings and town halls, and arson in several French cities and overseas territories.

At the same time, Macron stressed that participants in peaceful demonstrations must not be equated with rioters: people took to the streets in part because of the rising cost of living and fuel prices amid the conflict in the Persian Gulf. He said the authorities intend to work on securing fuel and gas supplies, and to hear the demands of young people who are worried about their future.

“We must not confuse legitimate demands with violence, but we must also not allow violence to drown out those demands. That is why this evening I want to set out a clear plan of action. <…> The country needs order and calm, not further escalation. In the coming days, the prime minister will bring together representatives of these organizations to obtain a clear and public position from them,” he said, adding that a readiness to listen and engage in dialogue does not mean weakness or impunity.