Who was behind France's riots? President Macron pins blame on children of single parents

French President Emmanuel Macron cited parental failure as one of the reasons that triggered riots across France last month, a controversial remark that places the blame for the country's worst bout of violence in recent years on children raised by single parents. 

In a conversation with the weekly magazine Le Figaro, the president revealed that three quarters of the children detained over the riots either belonged to single-parent families or were in social care. He said that the proportion largely indicated a breakdown of authority and dwindling faith in parents, teachers, and institutions at large. 

French President speaks out on police killing of minor that led to riots

Macron described the protests, which were sparked by the police killing of 17-year-old Nahel Merzouk, as a “crisis of civilisation” and the “deregulation” of Western societies. “Almost 75 per cent of the minors [sent for trial] were either in social care or from single-parent families. This is an immense challenge because [the child rioters] are the society of tomorrow,” he continued. 

The 45-year-old leader called for authorities to formulate ways to help single parents provide quality education to their children in order to make them responsible. “We must accompany these families, give far more means, prepare them better, and at the same time make them more responsible,” Macron explained. 

Moreover, he stressed that parents of children who had committed crimes must be held accountable, however, the welfare benefits must stay in place as an absence of it would only “make the problem worse." During the interview, he vowed that he will restore “democratic authority”, “authority in school” and “parental authority” which will help curb the “unravelling of families”. “We can’t be a nation if we don’t have confidence in . . . the authorities, in one’s parents, in one’s teachers,” he avered. 

Macron's remarks come about a month after his government scrambled to contain the widespread riots that ensued after Merzouk's death. Over 45,000 police officers were deployed to subdue angry demonstrators, who took the streets and burned down everything in their sight in a protest against police brutality.