Part 7/15:
Some political analysts compare France’s current crisis to the 1958 upheaval that led to Charles de Gaulle’s rise and the establishment of the Fifth Republic. Unlike de Gaulle, who was a towering figure with a clear vision, Macron faces a leadership void with no obvious strongman to rally around. Macron’s approval ratings have cratered to around 15%, with only about 18 months remaining in his term. While he has been preoccupied internationally—positioning himself as a mediator in conflicts like Ukraine and Gaza—domestic issues have been largely neglected, leading to perceptions of distraction as the country unravels economically.