Macron wants to ban non-union demonstrations on Saturday “wherever we can”; only union marches, with modifiable routes
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On the evening of 22 October, Emmanuel Macron announced tougher rules for the demonstrations of Saturday 24 October: only marches declared and organised by unions will be authorised. Local measures and criticism.

In this article
The essentials
On 22 October, after a security council, the president announced tougher rules for Saturday’s (24th) demonstrations. Only marches declared and organised by unions may be authorised, and their route may be changed in order to protect shops.
Non-union demonstrations
For demonstrations not organised by unions, the president said bans would be issued “wherever we can”, to guarantee calm and protect shops and public buildings. The context is the violence and looting during the 17 October mobilisation.
Local decisions
In Le Havre, Lyon and Marseille, demonstrations are banned across the whole city or in the city centre. In Paris, the route proposed by the Gilets jaunes between Bastille and Opéra was banned; that of the inter-union group between Bastille and Nation, judged safer, was accepted. The article does not mention Bordeaux.
Criticism and reactions
Benjamin Ball, a Gilets jaunes representative, disputes the decision. In Lyon, a student demonstration was banned at the last minute and participants gathered inside the Bourse du Travail to voice their anger. In Paris, the courts overturned the ban on a student demonstration, and several hundred people gathered peacefully. An appeal was lodged with the Conseil d’État and the LDH is considering appeals. Olivier Faure (PS) denounces an approach that is purely about security; Guilhem Carayon (UDR) approves the measure.
In Bordeaux
The treatment of the 24 October gatherings in Bordeaux was not confirmed at the date of this article. Bordeaux Métropole said places and routes were not final. Check the latest announcements from the prefecture and Bordeaux Métropole.
To keep in mind
This article is based on franceinfo’s report from the evening of 22 October (updated at 9:30 pm). The situation is changing: court decisions and prefectural orders may alter it.
Learn the grammar
French grammar
Learn sentence patterns and usage from the article’s own sentences.
01The present indicative
est / sont + attribute (noun, adjective, prepositional phrase)
Le contexte est celui des violences et pillages lors de la mobilisation du 17 octobre.Key pointsÊtre in the present is est for a singular subject and sont for a plural one. It describes nature, state or place (“is”, “is located”). If what follows (the attribute) is a noun, adjective or prepositional phrase, it is not a passive. If a past participle follows, it is a passive (est annoncé). Headlines and summaries often use the present to describe the current situation.
02The passé composé
present of avoir + past participle
Le 22 octobre, après un conseil de sécurité, le président a annoncé un durcissement des règles pour les manifestations de samedi (24).Key pointsThe passé composé is the most common past tense, used for “did” and “has done” — actions completed in the past. It is formed with the auxiliary avoir (a / ont…) in the present + a past participle. Past participles of -er verbs end in -é (annoncer → annoncé); learn the irregular ones (faire → fait, prendre → pris, voir → vu). In the negative, ne … pas wraps the auxiliary (n’a pas annoncé). In the news it reports facts that have already happened, such as “announced” or “voted”.
03The passé composé of pronominal verbs
se + present of être + past participle
À Lyon, une manifestation étudiante a été interdite à la dernière minute et les participants se sont rassemblés à l’intérieur de la Bourse du Travail pour exprimer leur colère.Key pointsThe passé composé of a pronominal verb (se + verb) always uses être as auxiliary (il s’est diffusé / elles se sont réunies). Se changes with the subject: me, te, se, nous, vous. The past participle usually agrees with the subject in gender and number.
04The imparfait
stem (nous form of the present) + -ais / -ait / -ions / -iez / -aient
Bordeaux Métropole indiquait que lieux et parcours n’étaient pas définitifs.Key pointsThe imparfait describes states, background, habits and actions in progress in the past (il était, elle avait, ils pensaient). Take the nous form of the present, drop -ons, and add -ais / -ais / -ait / -ions / -iez / -aient. If the passé composé gives “the event itself”, the imparfait paints “the situation at the time”.
05The futur simple
stem (infinitive) + -ai / -as / -a / -ons / -ez / -ont
Seuls les cortèges déclarés et organisés par des syndicats pourront être autorisés, et leur parcours pourra être modifié afin de protéger les commerces.Key pointsThe futur simple means “will do” or “is planned to”. Add -ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont to the infinitive (participer → il participera). Watch the irregular stems: être → ser-, avoir → aur-, aller → ir-, faire → fer-, pouvoir → pourr-, voir → verr-. In the news it is used for fixed plans and outlooks.
06The present conditional
stem (infinitive) + -ais / -ait / -ions / -iez / -aient
Pour les manifestations non organisées par les syndicats, le président a dit que les interdictions seraient prononcées « partout où on le peut », pour garantir le calme et protéger commerces et bâtiments publics.Key pointsThe conditional expresses possibility, supposition, unconfirmed information and polite requests (“would”, “might”). It uses the same stem as the future and the same endings as the imparfait (-ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient): pouvoir → il pourrait. In the news it is used to avoid asserting, as in “is reported to…” or “there is a possibility…”.
07The passive voice in the present
être (est / sont) + past participle (+ par / de)
Le soir du 22 octobre, Emmanuel Macron a annoncé un durcissement des règles pour les manifestations du samedi 24 octobre : seuls les cortèges déclarés et organisés par les syndicats seront autorisés.Key pointsThe passive means “is done” or “is being done”. It is formed with être + past participle, which agrees with the subject in gender and number (la mesure est adoptée / les mesures sont adoptées). The agent is introduced by par (or de). In the news it is common when the event, rather than the actor, is the focus (est prévu / est annoncé / est connu).
08The passive in the passé composé
a / ont été + past participle
À Paris, l’itinéraire proposé par les Gilets jaunes entre Bastille et Opéra a été interdit ; celui de l’intersyndicale entre Bastille et Nation, jugé plus sûr, a été accepté.Key pointsThe past passive means “was done”. Its form is present of avoir + été (past participle of être) + past participle. Été does not change, but the last participle agrees with the subject in gender and number (la loi a été votée / les textes ont été votés). It is frequent in news reporting results such as votes, decisions and announcements.
09The imperative
present vous form (-ez) / nous (-ons) / tu
Consultez les dernières annonces de la préfecture et de Bordeaux Métropole.Key pointsThe imperative expresses commands, requests and advice. It has no subject: the sentence starts with the verb (Consultez les informations.). The vous form ends in -ez, nous in -ons (Restons prudents.), and tu in -e for -er verbs (Consulte). It is very common in notices and warnings (Vérifiez, Consultez, Restez informé).
10Negation and its scope
ne / n’ … pas · ne … plus
L’article ne mentionne pas Bordeaux.Key pointsNormally ne and pas wrap the verb. Before a vowel, ne becomes n’. Check which part of the sentence the negation covers. Ne … plus means “no longer”.
11Pouvoir: ability and possibility
peut / peuvent / pourrait + infinitive
Pour les manifestations non organisées par les syndicats, le président a dit que les interdictions seraient prononcées « partout où on le peut », pour garantir le calme et protéger commerces et bâtiments publics.Key pointsPut a base-form verb after pouvoir. Peut means “can” or “may”; the conditional pourrait gives a more reserved possibility, “might”. It does not necessarily mean implementation is settled.
12Purpose with pour
pour + infinitive
À Lyon, une manifestation étudiante a été interdite à la dernière minute et les participants se sont rassemblés à l’intérieur de la Bourse du Travail pour exprimer leur colère.Key pointsThis is the purpose, “in order to…”. Put the base form of a verb after pour. The purpose stated here is separate from whether the effect was actually achieved.
13The subject relative pronoun qui
noun + qui + verb
Une « manifestation » (demo) est un rassemblement qui défile pour exprimer une opinion.Key pointsQui continues a description of the person or thing just mentioned (“the one that does…”). Because qui is itself the subject of the next verb, do not repeat the subject. The verb agrees with the noun qui refers to.
Japanese grammar
Understand the structure and usage from the text.
01Expressing a possibility
〜可能性がある / 〜かもしれない
裁判所の判断や、各県の決定で、変わる可能性があります。Key pointsThese forms say something may happen. Even when “possibility” is written, it does not mean it will certainly happen. Check whose forecast it is, plus the time and conditions.
02Indicating the subject: について
noun + について
22日夜、マクロン大統領は、24日(土)のデモについて、規則を厳しくすると発表しました。Key pointsAs in “予算について”, it shows the topic to be talked about or explained. In the form “〜についての報道”, の is added so that the group qualifies the following noun.
03Cause or purpose with ため
〜ため / 〜ために
コースは、商店を守るために、変えられることがあります。Key pointsため is used for both reason and purpose. “成立ではないため” is a reason and “運転手を守るため” a purpose. Decide from the whole sentence whether what precedes is a cause or a goal.
04Giving examples with など
noun / expression + など
集合場所やルートは、まだ確定していないと、メトロポールなどが説明していました。Key points“暴言など” gives “abusive language” as one example. It is not necessarily a closed list of only the things named. It also helps when reading the scope of a news story.
05The polite past ました
verb stem (連用形) + ました
22日、安全保障会議のあと、マクロン大統領は、土曜(24日)のデモについて、規則を厳しくすると発表しました。Key pointsIn “発表しました”, ました makes a verb polite past. The negative is “ませんでした”. Read the actual date together with the date and time in the text.
06Quoting with と: content and report
plain-form sentence + と + verbe de parole (報じる, 説明する…)
22日夜、マクロン大統領は、24日(土)のデモについて、規則を厳しくすると発表しました。Key pointsと takes the content that is reported or explained. In “改定する方針だと報じました”, “改定する方針だ” is what the report said. Separating the content from who said it and how makes long sentences easier to read.