France sets fire to Macronism
The president's second term, disconnected from society, still has six long months ahead in which the country must approve a budget and seek answers to the unstoppable rise of the far right.
France took to the streets on October 17, 2026, with protests, fires, and looting marking the demise of Macronism. The violent demonstrations saw destruction of businesses, town halls, and police stations. Over nine years, public services were depleted, debt rose from 98% to 119% of GDP, and the ideological divide in Parliament dominated public debate. Today, leftist La Francia Insumisa (LFI) and far-right Reagrupamiento Nacional (RN) are the two leading forces likely to reach the second round of next spring's elections.
Written by urgent.news from El Pais's report — not a translation of it. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
