French political class pans Macron's post-protest address as 'lamentable'

French political leaders reacted negatively to President Emmanuel Macron's Sunday address following October 17 protests and looting, with critics calling it "lamentable," "irresponsible," and saying he "spoke to say nothing." Macron promised an "intractable" response to rioters and authorized prefects to ban certain gatherings. Left-wing figures like Fabien Roussel and Mathilde Panot criticized the lack of concrete measures on living costs and social demands, while Marine Tondelier noted Macron distinguished protesters from rioters but ignored two seriously injured people. Right-wing leaders including Bruno Retailleau and Éric Ciotti demanded a state of emergency and stronger security measures. Jordan Bardella of the National Rally called the speech "lamentable," and Éric Zemmour criticized judicial leniency. The reactions highlight a divide between those seeking more social responses and those demanding tougher security measures, six months before the presidential election.