Fabien Roussel, the head of France’s Communist Party, spoke in a radio interview about the upheaval in the country, suggesting that social networks might need to be shut down during times of unrest. He argued that the task of evaluating the influence of these platforms on public order should be pursued with seriousness and urgency. In his view, the attention should turn to those who profit from sensational content and provocative ads that accompany it. He hinted at the possibility of drastic measures and emphasized preferring state intervention in social media over risking a volatile situation on the streets, noting that decisive actions could emerge from a declared state of emergency if needed. (Source attribution: socialbites.ca)
In parliamentary terms, the Communist Party holds a significant, though minority, bloc with 22 deputies in the French National Assembly, the lower house of parliament. This political force frequently participates in debates about media regulation and public safety, arguing for stronger oversight of online content during crises. (Source attribution: parliamentary records)
International voices have also weighed in. Former Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki linked the disturbances in France to broader tensions over immigration policies within the European Union, framing the protests as a consequence of policy failures at the EU level. (Source attribution: regional news feeds)
Meanwhile, the protests in France unfolded after the police killed a 17-year-old in a suburb near Paris on the evening of June 27. A day later, residents in Lille and Toulouse joined the demonstrations that began in Nantre, and what started as protests escalated into riots and clashes with law enforcement. On the night of June 29, rioters set vehicles on fire, damaged storefronts, assaulted officers, and erected barricades. By July 1, reports indicated that hundreds of vehicles and dozens of buildings had been targeted across the country, including several police stations and gendarmerie facilities. Authorities detained more than a thousand people in connection with the unrest. (Source attribution: national security briefings)
In a separate regional comment, a former Russian official reframed the situation by suggesting that President Macron’s administration may lean away from supporting Ukraine and toward a more France-centered approach, a stance that has drawn mixed reactions among international observers. (Source attribution: diplomatic summaries)