The key facts

  • Le Pen: 'crisis of trust' and 'threat to democracy', blame placed on the far left and Macron
  • Bardella: 'order in France no longer exists', 'France was humiliated' on Saturday
  • Riots resumed in Paris on Sunday; CRS-8 deployed for the second day in a row; in Marseille on Saturday, according to the prefecture, more than 30,000 looters

Statements by the leaders of the National Rally

Presidential candidate Marine Le Pen stated that France is experiencing a 'crisis of trust', which she characterized as a 'threat to democracy'. The leader of the National Rally placed responsibility on far-left forces and on Emmanuel Macron, calling the president 'devoid of trust and authority'. She also criticized the 'exhausted Macronist government'. Her speech took place less than two hours before Macron's address to the nation, scheduled for 8:00 PM.

Bardella: 'order no longer exists'

President of the National Rally Jordan Bardella stated that 'order in France today no longer exists'. According to him, 'France was humiliated' on Saturday evening. He made the statement during a visit to one of the Paris police stations.

New riots in Paris

The politicians' statements came amid renewed looting in Paris — less than 24 hours after Saturday's day of chaos, which, according to Euronews, left France in shock. On Sunday afternoon, scenes of violence flared up again in the capital. The CRS-8 unit, the republican security company specializing in rapid response to urban riots, was deployed to the streets for the second day in a row. Tension was again concentrated in central Paris, especially around the Place de la République, where several hundred rioters clashed with law enforcement forces.

Social media call and looting

According to the Paris police prefecture, 'an unannounced call to gather today at 2:00 PM at the Place de la République was circulated on social media'. Groups of young people in balaclavas attacked shops and looted them completely.

More than 30,000 looters in Marseille

According to the Bouches-du-Rhône prefecture, more than 30,000 looters were counted in Marseille on Saturday alone. According to Euronews, this figure left experts dealing with police and justice issues speechless.