FRANCE IN CRISIS: What Is Happening Right Now? October 19, 2026 – Detailed Report By Real World News | Updated: Monday, October 19, 2026 France woke up this Monday morning to a country divided, burned and angry. What started as student protests in September has exploded into the worst civil unrest in years, shaking the economy, politics and the streets just 6 months before the 2027 Presidential Election. 1. BREAKING: THE WEEKEND THAT SHOOK FRANCE On Saturday, October 18, about 550,000 people demonstrated across France according to the Ministry of Interior, while organizers claim 800,000. Protesters included students, trade unions and yellow vest supporters. Peaceful marches turned violent: • One demonstrator dead from heart attack, hundreds of police injured and nearly 1,800 arrested initially, later rising to over 2,400 arrests • Historic Limoges Town Hall, a 19th-century building, badly damaged by fire • Lyon Tourism Office set ablaze, shops looted in Paris, Mars...