French TV channels scramble to apologize after airing Albanian protests as Paris and Lyon

Marine Le Pen, France's far-right candidate for the presidency, began her campaign on Sunday after nationwide protests erupted across the country. Le Pen is projected to benefit from the turmoil as she is favored by recent surveys. Over 400,000 people demonstrated in major cities on Saturday, protesting the soaring cost of living, with masked individuals breaking away to confront police, leading to tear gas and water cannon use. Police arrested more than 1,000 individuals during the protests.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez reported that ultra-left extremists caused significant violence during the demonstrations. A week prior, similar nationwide protests against rising inflation also turned violent, with public buildings targeted and shops looted. Student protests, fueling the unrest, have persisted for four weeks, with unions and Yellow Vest protesters planning to continue their demonstrations in the coming weeks.

Le Pen plans to address the National Rally (RN) party in Orleans, where she has criticized Macron's government for being lenient towards violent protesters and lacking authority. She has promised to address the cost of living through energy bill caps, reduced taxes, and a reduction in France's EU contribution. Le Pen also opposes NATO and France's support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia.

If elected, Le Pen has vowed to tackle France's public debt and budget deficit, which have surpassed EU limits. However, limited funds are available to address the diverse demands of various interest groups. The French electorate, frustrated by Macron's perceived detachment and recent protest curtailments, is increasingly drawn towards more extremist political options.

According to an Ipsos survey, Le Pen is projected to secure 32%-34% of the vote in the first round of the election, while far-left rival Jean-Luc Melenchon is expected to garner 17%. The majority of respondents (58%) expressed anger, and 81% believed the government was responsible for the unrest, with 79% attributing it to radical political groups, and 62% blaming the police.