French President Emmanuel Macron tried to explain why so many people are angry in a televised address on Sunday, October 18, 2026, and he pointed straight at the price of fuel. He said the protestersโ€™ worries about the cost of living and fuel prices come from the conflict in the Persian Gulf, a war France took no part in but whose consequences the French are now paying for. Reports note that Macron did not name Donald Trump or the United States in the speech, even though many outlets described the Gulf conflict as the U.S.-Iran war. He told the country that he fully understands the concern, promised relief on fuel prices, a dialogue with angry students and aid for shopkeepers hit by looting, and announced he would fly to Gulf states on Monday morning to help secure fuel and gas supplies. At the same time, he drew a hard line between peaceful marchers and rioters, saying nothing justifies the violence.

The speech came after protests on October 17 drew several hundred thousand people angry about high prices, school conditions and public services, before the day spiraled into looting, arson and clashes with police. Macron listed some of the damage himself, including the fire at the town hall in Limoges, a blaze at a tourist office in Lyon, a breach of the town hall in Marseille and the looting of the prefecture in Bordeaux. Nearly 2,400 people were arrested in a single day and close to 1,000 police and gendarmes were injured, according to the interior ministry. President Trump publicly blamed immigration for the chaos in France, but French authorities have not linked immigration to the rioting, and Macron did not directly answer the claim. With the presidential election only about six months away, Macron also warned against anyone exploiting the unrest for political gain, leaving France to wonder whether cheaper fuel can calm a country this angry.