Has France become ungovernable?

The Briefing Room · Oct 22, 2026 · 28m

Will the French accept that changes need to be made to fix their ailing economy? Political paralysis and a debt crisis has led to 5 prime ministers in the last two years. Every attempt at fixing the economic problems is met with outrage and protest. Saturday 17th October 2026 saw some of the worst protests in years, with peaceful demonstrations over the cost of living and school funding descending into an 'apocalyptic hell'. 500 police officers were injured in the violence, 1,500 shops were damaged and an historic 19th century city hall was burnt to the ground in the mass disorder that…