France's government faces crisis after weekend violence

France is under intense political pressure after a weekend of widespread violence, with Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu holding a crisis cabinet meeting on Monday to address the worst public disorder in modern French history. Over half a million peaceful protesters demonstrated against rising living costs and public service cuts on Saturday, but violence erupted when masked activists looted and destroyed an estimated 1,500 shops and businesses. Riot police responded with tear gas and water cannon, leaving about 1,000 officers injured, while President Emmanuel Macron's Sunday televised address calling for national unity was criticized for lacking concrete details. The violence has intensified political tensions ahead of a presidential election in six months, with rival candidates blaming each other for the chaos. France faces a paralyzed parliament, financial pressure over public debt, and new mass protests announced for November 5, leaving the nation uncertain about its future.