Europe
Macron convenes security council at the Élysée ahead of Saturday’s “Act II” protests; police presence up 20%
Authorities admit intelligence services underestimated the Oct. 17 protests, when 550,000 to 800,000 people took to the streets instead of the expected 200,000.
By ANN Newsroom · Newsroom
October 22, 2026, 11:10 · Updated 12:23 · 2 min read
In brief
- President Macron chaired an emergency security council at 10 a.m. with the prime minister, ministers and all the intelligence services.
- For the new protest on Oct. 24, the number of security forces will rise by 20%, with Operation Sentinelle soldiers and elite units.
- Prime Minister Lecornu meets parliamentary parties in the afternoon; the mayors of Paris, Lyon and Marseille are calling for an independent commission.
French President Emmanuel Macron convened an emergency security council at the Élysée Palace at 10 a.m. Thursday, attended by the prime minister, the relevant ministers and “all the intelligence services.” The meeting aims to review preparations for the coming weeks and the failures that led to last weekend’s violence and looting. Macron was expected to speak at the end of the meeting.
France is bracing for a new wave of mobilization, dubbed “Act II,” on Saturday, Oct. 24. Several city centers have been under curfew for three nights in a row, and new rallies have been banned.
An intelligence failure
Authorities have acknowledged that the intelligence services badly underestimated turnout at the Oct. 17 protests against the high cost of living. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez had expected about 200,000 protesters, while between 550,000 and 800,000 were counted. Nearly 60,000 security personnel deployed across the country failed to prevent the vandalism.
Deputy Interior Minister Jean-Didier Berger announced that the number of security forces on Saturday will be 20 percent higher than on Oct. 17, with reinforcements from Operation Sentinelle soldiers and the elite RAID, GIGN and BRI units.
Political consultations and the mayors’ demands
In the afternoon, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is meeting the parliamentary parties to discuss, among other things, a possible change in public order policing doctrine. Marine Le Pen, Jordan Bardella and Édouard Philippe will not attend, while Jean-Luc Mélenchon warned that La France insoumise will go in order to “disrupt” the meeting. The left-wing mayors of Paris, Lyon and Marseille called in a joint op-ed for an independent commission on public order strategy and a national solidarity fund to repair the damage. Unions, meanwhile, have called for action on Nov. 5.
