France, at the end of an extraordinary week, is stranded between the (loss of) power - and the glory it loves to project to the outside world. On Saturday, President Emmanuel Macron attends the reopening of the magnificently restored Notre Dame cathedral after the disastrous fire of 2019 reduced its medieval grandeur to soot and ashes.
The re-opening reflects the “Jupiter” trait of Mr Macron: assiduously weaving his political journey into the national story. The event was also intended as a mid-term boost to his popularity – his term runs until 2027. A visit by President-elect Donald Trump, his first to Europe since being voted back into the White House, should also have been confirmation of Mr Macron’s elder-statesman role in Europe, as a leader in office since 2017 (which these days, is quite a feat).
