‘Like we had a war’: France counts cost of violent protests

France is currently engulfed in widespread protests, marking some of the worst unrest in years. Over half a million individuals have participated in marches across the nation, while violent clashes with police, looting, and arson have taken place. Around 1,800 arrests have been made in connection with the unrest, which has placed President Emmanuel Macron's government under increased scrutiny, especially as the 2027 presidential election approaches.

The crisis stems from two intertwined issues: political fragmentation and economic strain. French politics is polarized between far-right factions advocating for stricter immigration controls, national identity, and welfare limits, and left-leaning groups supporting stronger public services, wealth redistribution, and workers' rights. These divisions have been exacerbated by debates over immigration, secularism, and the role of minorities.

Macron's centrist political coalition has lost its parliamentary majority, making it difficult for governments to pass budgets and implement reforms, leading to a stalemate on who should bear the cost of national issues and what should be preserved or cut. France operates on an extensive welfare system funded primarily through taxes and social contributions, but the core problem lies in persistent expenditure exceeding revenue, even without extraordinary emergencies like war.

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), France's budget deficit was 5.1% of its gross domestic product (GDP) in 2025, with public debt at 115.5% of GDP. GDP represents the value of goods and services produced in a country, while the deficit is the annual shortfall between government revenue and spending.

The debt, accumulated through borrowing, incurs interest, further compounding the financial burden. Despite modest economic growth averaging around 1.4% since 2023, slower growth hampers tax revenue growth, exacerbating the debt situation.

France's economic troubles are intertwined with its political challenges. Weak growth, high public debt, and rising living costs are feeding political polarization and social unrest. Meanwhile, political instability further fuels economic uncertainty, discouraging business investment and complicating efforts to address fiscal problems.

A significant factor in France's economic distress is its generous pension system. The country's ageing population and longer life expectancy strain public finances, as the state must support retirement benefits for longer periods while the proportion of working-age taxpayers remains relatively stable. Efforts to raise the retirement age have been met with resistance from both far-right and far-left factions, highlighting the difficulty of addressing this issue politically.

Furthermore, raising taxes, cutting expenditures, reforming pensions, or stimulating economic growth each present their own sets of challenges and opposition. The key dilemma is balancing the need for better services and protection from rising costs against the opposition to politically contentious measures. France's membership in the euro complicates matters further, as it cannot independently create currency to manage its debt, unlike countries with their own currencies.

Ultimately, the solution to France's economic and political crisis requires a combination of strong policy measures and political consensus, a combination that has proven elusive in the current climate of fragmentation and unrest.