- French President Emmanuel Macron has faced intense criticism for travelling to the Gulf as France suffered widespread violent protests over the cost-of-living crisis.
- Over 500,000 people demonstrated across the country over the weekend, leading to clashes with police, damaged property, and more than 2,400 arrests.
- Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu instructed local authorities to enforce partial curfews and blamed far-left groups for inciting disorder ahead of the presidential election.
- Analysts suggest France's severe public debt prevents Macron from resolving the crisis through public spending, unlike his response to the 2018 Yellow Vest protests.
- Opposition leaders Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon are seeking to capitalise on the mounting political unrest to strengthen their positions for the upcoming election.
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