France, social turmoil and political chaos has led many to question its long-term survival. Reasons for optimism Emmanuel Macron has just 18 months remaining in his second term. At the same time, the country is further squeezed by strong political fragmentation nation-wide, adding perilous complications for governing and managing the economy. Never in French parliament’s history has there been such a rapid change in leadership. So far in less than two years, they’ve seen five different prime ministers take office. This instability has made it impossible for the parliament to generate a governing majority able to pass emergency budgets.
The country’s economic outlook remains equally precarious. By the end of the decade, national debt is expected to reach €100 billion per year. This growing debt raises concern as the French economy faces the threat of needing a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Macron, at least, understands the urgent necessity for such stability. He’s been very hands on trying to broker a deal with the left, particularly — and importantly — with the Socialist Party (PS) on collaboration.
Unemployment has been a long-standing problem for France, historically higher than that of the UK, steeping public anger. Unions have threatened general strikes in response to these proposed budget reforms. This astounding move is a testament to the depth of opposition to the government’s disastrous austerity measures. Recently, mass demonstrations organized by the group Bloquons Tout (Let’s Block Everything) further illustrated the depth of public frustration with the government’s direction.
Against this fraught political landscape, of course, the media landscape hasn’t hesitated to weigh in on France’s situation. Giornalisti! Newspapers in Italy, particularly in Rome and Turin, are all enjoying France’s nightmare at the moment. Others recount the way their reporting revealed a deep sense of “gioia maligna” — that is, malicious joy. What’s been lost in France’s internal debate is the regional implications of these struggles.
France’s pension reform of 2023 has already angered millions of citizens by raising the retirement age to 64. This move has prompted nationwide protests and widespread teacher strikes, sounding an alarm on the increasing disconnect between his administration and the people. France’s municipal elections this upcoming March and presidential elections in May 2027 will be pivotal for the government. They offer a critical opportunity to restore public trust amid these trying times.
In fact, experts have been warning about France’s direction for months. Nicolas Baverez lamented, “At this critical moment, when the very sovereignty and freedom of France and Europe are at stake, France finds itself paralysed by chaos, impotence and debt.” This feeling speaks to a larger concern that France’s domestic turmoil might pose broader implications for European stability.
Others have offered a more tempered view. Aghion stated, “We are not about to go under, Greece-style,” suggesting that while France faces serious challenges, it is not on the verge of an economic collapse akin to that experienced by Greece. Philippe Dessertine’s metaphor poignantly describes the precarious situation: “It is like we are on a dyke. It seems solid enough. Everybody’s standing on it, and they won’t stop insisting that it’s firm. Yet, below the surface, the ocean is eroding, until one day everything surprisingly gives way.
This unconsolidated and illiberal coup has been recently compared to the historic pattern of using public expenditure as a strategy for quelling social discontent. Françoise Fressoz remarked, “We have all become totally addicted to public spending. It’s been the method used by every government for half a century – of left and right – to put out the fires of discontent and buy social peace.” This dependency begs the question of how sustainable France’s fiscal plans are going to be in the medium term.
As the country stands at a crossroads between economic necessity and political reality, the role of Macron comes under scrutiny. Baverez suggested that “Emmanuel Macron is the real target of the people’s defiance, and he bears entire responsibility for this shipwreck.” These critiques are indicative of a much larger public sentiment that believes Macron is responsible for the current crisis.
Jerome Fourquet captured the surreal nature of the situation by stating, “It is like an incomprehensible play being acted out in front of an empty theatre.” Yet this observation reflects the current chasm between government actions and the way it is perceived by the public.