Unrest and protests: where is France heading?

France must tackle the problem at its root, entrepreneur and essayist Alexis Karklins-Marchay argues in Les Echos:

“Whether it was the Yellow Vests movement in 2018 or the demonstrations against the pension reform in 2023, the scenario is always the same: bewilderment, lofty declarations, a few cheques, then it’s all forgotten. … Yet the root causes have never been addressed: public spending that yields no results, a state authority that is challenged, an education system that no longer guarantees social mobility, and a middle class that feels caught in a vice. … The 2027 election will be truly decisive. Either France will finally take the decisions that are necessary to put its public finances in order, restore the authority of the state, put an end to the sense of impunity and rebuild trust – or it ventures into uncharted territory.”