Part 3/6:
In this moment of anticipated pride and celebration, however, the atmosphere is clouded by the upheaval in French politics. As the nation prepared to honor one of its most cherished monuments, the government finds itself marred by instability, with no Prime Minister, legislative majority, or approved budget heading into the next year. This series of governmental failures has led to rising discontent among the populace regarding President Emmanuel Macron’s leadership.
Criticism is brewing, particularly after the forced resignation of Prime Minister Michel Barnier, who became a casualty of a vote of no confidence—the first such defeat since the 1960s. With sentiments echoing from the streets, one observer lamented, “It’s a bloody mess. It’s quite sad.”