Bruno Retailleau, a candidate for the French presidency representing the center-right party Les Républicains (LR), said during an interview with BFMTV-RMC on October 1st that the possibility of banning the left-wing political party La France Insoumise (LFI) should be considered. He accused LFI of being "fascinated by violence" and "trying to organize an insurrection." Retailleau linked the recent student protests—now affecting around 400 high schools across France—to a hypothetical scenario in which Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally party, might win the 2027 presidential election. He also called for the return of a law known as the "anti-casseurs" law, which would hold students financially responsible for damages caused during protests instead of taxpayers. Retailleau admitted that banning LFI would be a "very difficult" legal process but said it could be possible under certain provisions of the Internal Security Code. Nicolas Hervieu, a law professor at Sciences Po, explained that while the French legal system allows for the dissolution of political parties, it would require proving a direct link between the party's actions and violent acts. Additionally, political parties in France are protected by constitutional law, making such a ban legally complex. The student protests, which initially focused on demands for better resources and teaching conditions in schools, have turned increasingly violent. According to the Ministry of the Interior, 356 high schools were affected on Wednesday, up from 338 the previous day. A total of 625 people were arrested, including 119 students and school staff, as well as 83 gendarmes and police officers. The protests have drawn criticism from various political figures, who accuse LFI of using the movement to further its political goals. Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the leader of LFI, dismissed Retailleau's comments as "ridiculous" and denied that LFI was orchestrating the protests. He emphasized that the party supports non-violent methods and criticized the government for neglecting the needs of high schools. Mélenchon also accused Marine Le Pen of trying to shift blame for the violence onto LFI. Other politicians, including Gabriel Attal, Édouard Philippe, and Christian Estrosi, have similarly criticized LFI for exploiting the protests, with Attal calling the situation "scandalous" and urging an end to the "exploitation of young people as cannon fodder." Marine Le Pen accused LFI of being responsible for the violence and suggested that the costs of damage should be borne by the families of those involved and the party itself. The government has also condemned LFI's support for the protests, with Interior Minister Sébastien Lecornu calling the situation an "irresponsible escalation." The controversy was further fueled by Bally Bagayoko, the mayor of Saint-Denis and a member of LFI, who visited a high school during the protests and suggested that some violence could be "understandable" in response to police actions. However, he later clarified that he believed such violence should be avoided whenever possible.