On October 17, 2026, large-scale nationwide protests took place in France against the rising cost of living, increasing fuel prices, and cuts in funding for public services. According to the country’s Ministry of the Interior, approximately 550,000 people took part in the demonstrations, while organizers estimate the number of participants at 800,000, Reuters and the French newspaper Le Monde report.
A total of 110 demonstrations took place across the country. In Paris alone, according to Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, approximately 110,000 people took to the streets. The protests also spread to Marseille, Lyon, Lille, Bordeaux, Toulouse, and other major cities.
The participants’ main demands included higher wages and pensions, measures to curb food and energy prices, increased funding for education and healthcare, and the preservation of social guarantees.
Trade unions, student organizations, representatives of farmers’ associations, transport sector workers, and activists from the “yellow vests” movement, which emerged in France in 2018 due to rising fuel prices, joined the demonstrations.
The current wave of protests began in September with student demonstrations against teacher shortages, the poor condition of educational institutions, and insufficient government funding for education. Subsequently, the demands expanded to include issues of purchasing power, social inequality, and the government’s economic policy.
Despite the predominantly peaceful nature of the demonstrations, clashes with police, vehicle arson, vandalism and looting of shops, and attacks on administrative buildings occurred in several cities.
In Paris, the most tense situation was observed near Place de la République, where some groups of rioters threw stones and pyrotechnic devices at police officers. Law enforcement officers used tear gas and water cannons. There were also reports of shops being looted and bank branches being damaged.
In Marseille, a group of protesters entered the city council building; in Lyon, a tourist office was set on fire; and in Limoges, a fire damaged the town hall building. Incidents involving damage to administrative buildings were also recorded in other cities.
According to preliminary data from the French Ministry of the Interior, police detained approximately 400 people. Authorities reported injuries among law enforcement officers and civilians. A separate investigation was launched following the serious injury of a minor participating in a protest in Saint-Étienne.
French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the violence and stated the need to hold those responsible accountable. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu emphasized that the government would not allow the unrest to be used to exert pressure on state institutions.
At the same time, protest organizers emphasize that the overwhelming majority of participants demonstrated peacefully and demanded a revision of the state’s socioeconomic policy.
The mass demonstrations are taking place against the backdrop of a difficult situation in France’s public finances. According to the draft state budget for 2027 presented on October 1, the government plans to reduce the deficit from a projected 5.4% of GDP in 2026 to 5% of GDP in 2027.
To achieve this goal, overall fiscal consolidation measures totaling €54 billion are envisaged, including €43 billion within the framework of the draft laws on the state budget and the financing of the social security system.
At the same time, the government forecasts a slowdown in France’s economic growth to 0.5% in 2026, with a possible acceleration to 1% in 2027. Public debt servicing costs could rise from €79.2 billion in 2026 to €91.2 billion the following year.
Trade unions fear that measures to limit public spending will increase the burden on households, primarily those with low and middle incomes.
The protests have already caused disruptions to urban public transport, the temporary closure of certain Paris Metro stations, and damage to commercial properties. A final assessment of the economic damage caused by the unrest has not yet been released.
The new wave of social discontent is increasing political tensions in France ahead of the 2027 presidential election and complicating discussions on fiscal policy. Further developments will depend, among other things, on negotiations between the government, trade unions, and representatives of the student movement.
France is the second-largest economy in the eurozone after Germany and one of Ukraine’s largest trade and economic partners in the European Union.
According to Experts Club, France continues to enjoy one of the highest levels of positive perception among Ukrainians: in August 2026, 72.8% of respondents viewed the country positively, while only 3.7% viewed it negatively. Compared to March, the share of positive assessments has decreased slightly, but at the same time, the share of negative responses has also decreased, reports the Experts Club Information and Analytical Center.
According to the results of the August survey, 28% of Ukrainians view France entirely positively, and 44.8% view it mostly positively. 22.5% of respondents hold a neutral position. 3.5% view the country mostly negatively, only 0.2% view it entirely negatively, and another 1% were undecided.
The balance of positive and negative assessments stands at plus 69.1 percentage points. Thus, positive attitudes toward France outnumber negative ones by nearly 20 to 1. Based on this balance, the country remains among the leaders in the overall ranking of Ukraine’s trading partners.
Compared to the previous survey wave, the changes are relatively minor. In March 2026, 30.3% of respondents had a completely positive attitude toward France, and 44.3% had a mostly positive attitude—meaning the overall positive rating stood at 74.6%. At that time, 20.3% held a neutral position, while 4.7% of respondents expressed a negative attitude.
Thus, over the course of five months, the share of positive assessments decreased by 1.8 percentage points—from 74.6% to 72.8%—but the share of negative assessments also fell—from 4.7% to 3.7%. At the same time, the share of neutral responses increased by 2.2 percentage points—to 22.5%. The balance between positive and negative attitudes changed only slightly—from plus 69.9 to plus 69.1 percentage points.
The internal structure of positive responses is also revealing. The share of those who view France entirely positively decreased from 30.3% to 28%, while the share of mostly positive responses remained virtually unchanged—44.3% in March and 44.8% in August. This indicates that a stable, positive core of public opinion regarding France remains intact.
Oleksandr Pozniy, director of the research firm Active Group, previously attributed France’s high ratings to its established image among the Ukrainian public.
“For many Ukrainians, France is a symbol of support in difficult times, as well as a cultural and political reference point in Europe. These figures demonstrate a high level of trust and respect, which is largely explained by Paris’s active role in European policy toward Ukraine,” Pozniy noted.
According to him, when analyzing these results, it is important to consider more than just current emotional assessments: attitudes toward other countries are shaped by experiences of interaction, the informational context, and Ukrainians’ expectations regarding the future role of a partner country.
The latest wave of the survey shows that attitudes toward France remain consistently positive: a slight decrease in the overall share of favorable assessments is accompanied by a reduction in the negative segment and an increase in the share of neutral responses. In other words, there has been no noticeable shift from a positive to a negative perception.
The survey was conducted in August 2026 using self-administered online questionnaires in the SunFlowerSociology panel among 800 Ukrainian citizens aged 18 and older. In the previous survey wave in March, 800 respondents were also surveyed; the sample was representative by age, gender, and region, with a maximum theoretical margin of error of ±3.5 percentage points for indicators at the 50% confidence level.
ACTIVE GROUP, EUROPEAN UNION, EXPERTS CLUB, FRANCE, international relations, PUBLIC OPINION, SOCIOLOGY, UKRAINE
According to Experts Club, France and the Netherlands have the highest share of positive attitudes among Ukrainians among the Western European countries included in the study — 72.8% and 71.2%, respectively. Germany is viewed positively by 69.9% of respondents, and Switzerland by 66.9%. These findings come from the third wave of the study “Ukrainians’ Attitudes Toward Countries Around the World,” conducted by Active Group in collaboration with Experts Club, reports the Experts Club Information and Analytical Center.
According to the results of the August survey, 22.5% of respondents have a neutral attitude toward France, 3.7% have a negative attitude, and another 1% were undecided. The balance of positive and negative assessments stands at 69.1 percentage points, compared to 69.9 percentage points in March 2026 and 71 percentage points in August 2025.
For the Netherlands, the balance of positive and negative attitudes stands at 69.6 percentage points. Specifically, 71.2% of respondents view the country positively, 26.4% neutrally, and only 1.6% negatively. In March 2026, the balance was slightly higher—71.5 percentage points—while in August 2025 it stood at 61 percentage points.
69.9% of Ukrainians view Germany positively, 23.5% neutrally, and 5.5% negatively. Its net balance fell to 64.4 percentage points, compared to 73.9 percentage points in March and 72.7 percentage points in August of last year. Thus, among the six Western European countries surveyed, Germany showed the most significant decline in this indicator between March and August 2026.
Switzerland is viewed positively by 66.9% of respondents, negatively by only 1.4%, and 29.7% hold a neutral view. The balance stands at 65.5 percentage points, compared to 67.1 percentage points in March.
Belgium is the only country in this group where the balance increased in August compared to March—from 56.4 to 58.5 percentage points. 59.9% of respondents view the country positively, 36% neutrally, and 1.4% negatively. In August 2025, the balance stood at 54.4 percentage points
Austria received the lowest share of positive responses among the Western European countries surveyed—52.6%. At the same time, only 2.7% of Ukrainians view it negatively, while 41.7% chose a neutral response. The balance stands at 49.9 percentage points, compared to 53.3 percentage points in March 2026 and 44 percentage points in August 2025. Overall, the data indicate that the lower levels of positive attitudes toward Belgium and Austria are primarily due to a higher proportion of neutral, rather than negative, assessments.
Maksym Urakin, founder of the Experts Club Information and Analytical Center, deputy director of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency, and candidate of economic sciences, emphasized the importance of systematic communication between foreign partners and Ukrainian society.
“The first recommendation is to regularly showcase concrete achievements and specific actions. The second is to be open to questions and inquiries from the media and the public,” Urakin noted.
Oleksandr Pozniy, director of the research company Active Group, for his part, drew attention to the link between public awareness and the practical development of bilateral cooperation.
“We should focus not only on raising general awareness. We need to expand cooperation with countries where we can achieve a positive balance,” Pozniy noted.
The survey was conducted in August 2026 using self-administered online questionnaires in the SunFlowerSociology panel among 800 Ukrainian citizens aged 18 and older. According to the organizers, the sample is representative in terms of age, gender, and region; the maximum theoretical statistical margin of error at a 95% confidence level is 3.5%. This is the third wave of the study, following surveys conducted in August 2025 and March 2026.
ACTIVE GROUP, AUSTRIA, BELGIUM, EXPERTS CLUB, FRANCE, GERMANY, SOCIOLOGY, SWITZERLAND, THE NETHERLANDS, UKRAINE, WESTERN EUROPE
Ukrainian students have been selected as recipients of the HEC Imagine program, which provides young people from countries affected by war and crises with the opportunity to study at HEC Paris, one of France’s leading business schools.
This was reported by the Embassy of Ukraine in the French Republic following the “Imagine pour la Paix” event, dedicated to supporting the program’s participants.
The event took place at UNESCO headquarters in Paris and brought together representatives from HEC Paris, the French business community, program partners and donors, diplomats, and students.
Among those attending were Jean-Noël Barro, France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs—an HEC Paris alumnus—as well as Gaël Veissier, former French Ambassador to Ukraine, who currently heads the Crisis Response and Support Center at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.
HEC Imagine fellows shared their personal experiences and insights about studying in France.
The HEC Imagine program was created to support talented students whose education and career prospects have been threatened by wars and other crises. Ukrainian students were among the program’s first participants.
According to HEC Paris, the HEC Imagine Fellows project began in 2022. From the very beginning, the scholarships enabled students from Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Syria to study at HEC.
The program provides not only financial support for tuition but also facilitates the students’ integration into the academic and professional environment at HEC Paris.
The Ukrainian Embassy in France emphasized that supporting the education of Ukrainians takes on special significance amid the war and the destruction of Ukraine’s educational and scientific infrastructure.
“The reconstruction of Ukraine is not just about rebuilding buildings and infrastructure. Above all, it is an investment in people: future entrepreneurs, economists, engineers, and managers who will create jobs, attract investment, and build a modern, European Ukraine,” the Ukrainian Embassy noted.
The diplomatic mission also thanked HEC Paris for its support of Ukrainian students and the Association des étudiants ukrainiens en France for helping to organize Ukraine’s participation in the event.
HEC Paris is one of Europe’s most renowned business schools. The institution specializes in training professionals in the fields of management, finance, entrepreneurship, and business administration, and its graduates work in international companies, financial institutions, the public sector, and their own businesses.
The HEC Imagine program is part of a broader initiative that combines support for students from conflict-affected countries with a discussion on the role of business and education in rebuilding and securing peace.
Sources: Embassy of Ukraine in the French Republic, HEC Paris, UNESCO.
French actress, singer, and writer Marina Vlady died on September 24, 2026, at the age of 88. Her family informed AFP of her death. According to the actress’s children, she died at her home surrounded by her loved ones.
Marina Vlady, whose real name was Katerina Marina Vladimirovna Polyakova-Baidarova, was born on May 10, 1938, in Clichy, near Paris, to a family of immigrants from the Russian Empire. Her father, Vladimir Polyakov-Baidarov, was an opera singer, and her mother, Militsa Enwald, was a ballerina. All four daughters of the family pursued careers in the arts. The actress chose the stage name “Vlady” in honor of her father, Vladimir.
Vlady began acting in films as a child. One of her first notable roles was in André Cayatta’s film *Avant le déluge* (1954), after which the 16-year-old actress received the French Suzanne Bianchetti Award as a promising young performer.
During the same period, she starred alongside Marcello Mastroianni in Giuseppe De Santis’s film *Days of Love* (*Giorni d’amore*, 1954). Her leading role in the Franco-Swedish film *The Witch* (*La Sorcière*, 1956) brought her widespread popularity in Europe.
One of Vlada’s most famous works was the film adaptation of Madame de La Fayette’s novel *The Princess of Clèves* (*La Princesse de Clèves*, 1961), directed by Jean Delannoy. It was her portrayal of the Princess of Clèves that became one of the actress’s most recognizable roles in French cinema.
International professional recognition came in 1963. For her role in Marco Ferreri’s film *L’ape regina* (*Le Lit conjugal*), Marina Vladi received the Cannes Film Festival award for Best Actress.
In the 1960s and 1970s, the actress worked with a number of leading European directors. She appeared in Orson Welles’ *Chimes at Midnight* (1965), Jean-Luc Godard’s *Two or Three Things I Know About Her* (1967), Bertrand Tavernier’s *Que la fête commence* (1975), and Jacques Ruffio’s drama *Sept morts sur ordonnance* (1975). According to various estimates, Vlady appeared in more than 80 feature films during her career, and when television work is included, her on-screen legacy was even greater.
A special place in Marina Vlady’s biography is occupied by her relationship with the poet, actor, and singer-songwriter Vladimir Vysotsky. They met in Moscow in 1967 and married in 1970. Their marriage lasted until Vysotsky’s death in July 1980.
Because Vladi lived primarily in France and Vysotsky in the USSR, they spent a significant portion of their married life apart. The actress regularly visited him in the Soviet Union.
After Vysotsky’s death, Vladi did a great deal to preserve his memory. In 1987, she published an autobiographical book titled *Vladimir, or The Interrupted Flight*, dedicated to their relationship, their life together, and the poet’s final years. The book was later adapted for the stage.
Vladi was involved in more than just film. She acted in theater, performed as a singer—including recording songs with her sisters—and was also actively engaged in literary pursuits. In total, she wrote 13 books—novels, memoirs, and autobiographical works. In 2005, her memoir *24 Images Second* was published.
Marina Vlady remains one of the most prominent figures in French and European cinema of the second half of the 20th century, having combined popular cinema, art-house films, theater, music, and literature throughout her career.
French diplomat Gaël Vésier, who served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic to Ukraine from 2023 to 2026, has been awarded an international prize in the field of diplomacy as part of the 30th anniversary nationwide “Person of the Year 2025” program.
Gaël Vésier was born in 1972. He graduated from ESSEC Business School and Sciences Po, the Paris Institute of Political Studies, and also holds a degree in history. He began his diplomatic career at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1997.
Throughout his career, Vésier has served twice at the Permanent Mission of France to the European Union in Brussels, where, among other roles, he served as spokesperson and headed the press office. He also worked at the Permanent Mission of France to the United Nations in New York and held a number of positions at the headquarters of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
From 2004 to 2005, Vésier served as a technical advisor in the office of French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin and was responsible for relations with EU countries, the Balkans, and Eastern Europe. From 2017 to 2019, he headed the offices of the ministers and state secretaries for European affairs Marielle de Sarnez, Nathalie Loiseau, and Amélie de Montchalin.
Prior to his appointment to Kyiv, Vésière served as France’s ambassador to Croatia from 2019 to 2023. On August 20, 2023, he officially took office as France’s ambassador to Ukraine.
His diplomatic mission in Ukraine concluded in July 2026. During a farewell meeting, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga highlighted Vesier’s contribution to strengthening the Ukrainian-French strategic partnership, deepening political dialogue, defense cooperation, and coordination between the two countries on the international stage.
Effective July 17, 2026, Vesier was appointed director of the Crisis Response and Support Center at the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs. The corresponding decree by French President Emmanuel Macron was signed on July 9.
Brice Rocfay has become the new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to Ukraine; on July 30, 2026, he presented his credentials to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Gaël Vésier is a recipient of French state honors, including the National Order of Merit. Throughout his diplomatic career, he has specialized primarily in European politics, international security, and France’s relations with Central and Eastern European countries.
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