Macron accuses foreign leaders of exploiting France’s riots for electoral gain

French President Emmanuel Macron accused foreign leaders of exploiting France’s recent riots for electoral advantage and rejected claims that immigration and Islamist groups drove the unrest.

Speaking Wednesday in Doha, Macron referred to leaders campaigning “at France’s expense” on both sides of the Atlantic. He did not initially name them, but later confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump was among those he meant. His remarks were also widely interpreted as targeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Trump blamed the violence on “migrants, jihadists, and Communists” and urged France to close its borders. Netanyahu described the unrest as an “invasion of extremist Islam.” Macron called such characterizations “unacceptable” and “stupid,” saying there was no visible foreign interference in the events themselves but that foreign disinformation had spread afterward, including AI-generated fake videos.

The riots erupted on the fringes of demonstrations over living costs and public services, following weeks of student protests. Masked rioters clashed with police, looted stores and damaged public buildings in Paris and other cities. The French government acknowledged that police had lost control during the worst violence. Nearly 150 people have been jailed and more than 800 brought before courts, according to the BBC.

Further demonstrations were planned for the weekend. Authorities imposed localized nighttime curfews, while Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu promised a large police deployment and Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said some military forces would help maintain order.