French prime minister Sebastien Lecornu has said new, targeted curfews will be decided “where the situation requires it” in France tonight.

“Targeted curfews have contributed to the calm of this night,” the Mr Lecornu said on X.

“I thank the police officers and gendarmes who ensured their enforcement, as well as the prefects for their mobilization.”

He added: “Tonight, new curfews will be decided where the situation requires it. These decisions will be made on the ground, by the prefects, in coordination with the mayors.”

European shares extended losses on Tuesday as investors weighed the impact of political instability in France, which has dampened risk appetite across regional markets.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index was down 0.27% at 637.84 points shortly after 8am BST, after slipping 0.8% in the previous session. France’s benchmark CAC 40 index edged 0.2% lower.

Late on Monday, French authorities set curfews in parts of several cities including Paris, Lille and Nice a weekend of riots and looting stemming from nationwide anti-government protests.

The protests have intensified pressure on the euro zone’s second-largest economy, which is grappling with soft economic growth and ballooning government debt.

The unrest also underscores the challenges the government faces in reducing its large deficit.

Violent protests have broken out across Europe amid growing frustration over the cost of living crisis, a lack of affordable housing, and deteriorating school conditions.

As many as 550,000 people turned out across France on Saturday, according to authorities, to demonstrate against declining public services. Protests turned violent in Paris as shops were looted and cars set on fire in some of the city’s worst violence in years.

Young people waved Italian flags and let off flares in Milan as they rallied against the rising cost of living in scenes that were condemned by prime minister Giorgia Meloni.

France’s Yellow Vest movement has called for a fresh round of demonstrations on Saturday, after protests over the cost of living descended into violence and looting in several cities over the weekend.

The organisers have dubbed the next mobilisation “Act II” and published a map showing dozens of actions planned across the country. They have also called for demonstrations on 31 October, ahead of a nationwide day of strikes and protests planned by trade unions for 5 November.

Benjamin Ball, editor of the website 17octobregiletjaune.net, which has helped coordinate the protests, told AFP there had been “an enormous push” for another round of demonstrations.

“We’re maintaining momentum for 5 November, but we’ll build step by step,” he said.

The 5 November call is backed by five major unions and is expected to focus on wages, jobs, public services, and industry.

Prices in France have risen by 23.4 per cent since Emmanuel Macron became president in 2017, while median salaries have grown by 22.8 per cent, according to an analysis by Le Monde.

The rising cost of living has fuelled public anger, with hundreds of thousands of people taking to the streets over the weekend to demand change. The demonstrations, which began amid anger over school conditions, also reflected wider frustration over living costs and public services.

Oil and gas prices have climbed since the conflict in the Middle East began, pushing inflation up again, according to France’s national statistics office INSEE. Heatwaves and drought have also made fresh food more expensive, while grocery bills could rise further as farmers pass on higher costs to consumers.

Lower-income households have cut back on food spending, buying less, or switching to cheaper products. Inequality is also growing, with the wealthiest 20 per cent of households accounting for 38.8 per cent of the country’s total standard of living.

Donald Trump has blamed the unrest in France on immigration, claiming Paris will soon become a “Muslim city” and urged president Emmanuel Macron to close the country’s borders.

Speaking to reporters outside the White House on Monday, Trump said he had warned Macron about his immigration policies when they first met, around eight or nine years ago.

“He’s a friend of mine. I told him a long time ago, you’re making a big mistake in France. You’re letting everybody from the world come in,” Trump said. “The whole world was coming in. And as you know, Paris is going to be a Muslim city very soon, and that wasn’t the deal.”

Trump dismissed the suggestion that the unrest was driven by domestic grievances, saying: “What’s happening in France has to do with immigration, not schools, not anything.”

Earlier on Monday, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that migrants had “taken over France” and they should “close the borders, fast”.

French prime minister Sébastien Lecornu said targeted curfews in parts of Paris and other cities helped maintain “the calm of this night” after protests that descended into rioting and looting.

“I thank the police officers and gendarmes who ensured their enforcement, as well as the prefects for their mobilisation. Tonight, new curfews will be decided where the situation requires it. These decisions will be made on the ground, by the prefects, in coordination with the mayors,” he wrote in a post on X.

The curfews were introduced on Monday after violent groups targeted shops and public buildings across France over the weekend. In Paris, restrictions covered areas around Place de la République and Les Halles, while several northern cities imposed overnight curfews for minors.