Part 6/11:
The path to this crisis was paved by years of accumulated missteps. Macron’s decision to dissolve the National Assembly was a desperate attempt to break political deadlock, but it instead resulted in a fragmented and ineffective parliament. Meanwhile, France’s robust social welfare systems, which consume nearly 30% of its GDP, have become a double-edged sword. Generous pensions, subsidies, and extensive social benefits—funded by high taxes, around 45.6% of GDP—limit policymakers’ flexibility.