France was hit by a wave of major demonstrations that escalated into riots on Saturday (17/10/2026).
According to the European media network, Euronews, these riots were triggered by local residents' protests against the high cost of living.
"The yellow vest movement in France-which consists of trade union groups and citizens-organized a large-scale national protest on Saturday to voice their objections to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and rising fuel prices," reported Euronews on Saturday (17/10/2026).
"The large-scale protest that took place across France on Saturday resulted in violence in a number of regions, where demonstrators clashed with the police. The authorities stated that about 550,000 people participated in the protest across the country," they said.
These riots occurred amid rising inflation rates.
According to data from the European statistics office, Eurostat, from the beginning of 2023 to the beginning of 2026, the inflation rate in France fluctuated with a downward trend, from a range of 7% (year-on-year/yoy) to 0.4% (yoy).
However, since February 2026, the inflation rate has continued to rise, reaching 3.4% (yoy) in September 2026. This figure is the highest since the beginning of 2024, as shown in the graph.
According to Le Monde, a French media outlet, inflation in their country was affected by a surge in fuel costs.
"Inflation in France exceeded 3% in September, mainly driven by a surge in energy and fuel costs," reported Le Monde on Wednesday (30/9/2026).
"In recent weeks, the price of diesel has reached record highs in France and several other Eurozone countries. This is due to the war in the Middle East, which has disrupted the delivery of crude and refined oil from the Gulf region," they said.