Political tension grips the country after rioting marred the demonstrations, according to Katya Adler. There had been rumors in France that President Emmanuel Macron might introduce a temporary curfew in parts of the country or impose a state of emergency to help calm the febrile atmosphere.
Over half a million mainly peaceful protesters demonstrated in France on Saturday against rising living costs and dwindling access to decent public services, including a good state education.
Instead, President Emmanuel Macron used a televised address to the nation on Sunday to call for national unity and to try to assure the French public that the perpetrators of the violence would be punished.
Macron has asked for an examination of how to make France's streets safer and to bring the perpetrators of the weekend violence to justice, especially since new mass demonstrations have been announced in a couple of weeks' time.