Curfews have already started in 25 boroughs from 6 PM to 6 AM. In the other 77 provinces, the French were allowed to leave the house until 8 pm.

The harsh measure, according to the leader of the largest government party (La République en marche), Stanislas Guerini, is important to counteract an “appetizing effect”. It refers to social gatherings in which drinks are held before dinner.

According to the government, the virus is spreading less in departments that already have a 12-hour curfew and where residents have to stay all evening.

Conditions of war

Modern France is now using, for the first time, curfews to fight disease. It was previously used mainly in wars, such as that used by the German occupiers (1940-1944) and in the Algerian War of Independence. The most famous curfew was in 1961 by the governor of Paris, who issued a curfew on “French Muslims from Algeria”.

Fifteen years ago, there was a brief curfew on the unaccompanied mansion during riots in the suburbs and in 2018 there was a curfew on the French island of Reunion due to the riots.

In the Netherlands, opinions are divided on the curfew.