Curfew imposed in parts of central Paris and other cities after rioting across France

Are the riots in France a warning of an intense election to come?

French authorities have imposed overnight curfews in parts of central Paris and other cities after a weekend of riots and looting across the country.

Police in Paris said a curfew would be in force between 23:00 local time (21:00 GMT) and 06:00 in Place de la République, where protesters had gathered over the weekend, and the Les Halles shopping area.

A ban on unauthorised gatherings has also been imposed in several other parts of the city centre.

Partial curfews variously restricting the movement of young people and gatherings were announced for cities including Marseille, Bordeaux, Nice and Lyon in the south as well as Lille and other towns in the north.

The protests began last month with students demanding better school conditions, but they have since escalated to take in a broader range of concerns, with numbers at demonstrations this weekend bolstered by trade unions and various protest groups.

Source: BBC News World RSS (Open Press / Full Text)