Lecornu and Mélenchon clash over blame for October 17 protest violence

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu and far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon traded blame on Saturday over violence during October 17 protests, including clashes, vandalism, and looting in Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Lille, Nice, and Limoges. Lecornu accused Mélenchon of political responsibility for the unrest, saying it was a "dangerous and cynical inversion" to blame police chiefs, and demanded he choose between "the camp of the Republic" or "the camp of rioters." Mélenchon countered that Lecornu "played with fire" and provoked a "regime crisis," while also criticizing the government's crowd-control strategy. Mélenchon, who marched in Paris, urged calm, stating that those sharing his cause "have nothing to do with looting and destruction." The exchange comes six months before the presidential election, with Mélenchon relying on youth mobilization to gain support.