The protest on 18th September 2025 took place in dozens of French cities gathering almon 1 million people, to demand Macron to respect the 2024 election results and step down. The situation is exacerbated by planned cuts to various benefits that many poor French families rely on to survive. The protest also called for the approval of the Zucman tax, proposed by the French Socialists, which would tax anyone with assets worth more than €100 million. France is in a period of great uncertainty and political polarisation, with the Macron government trying to stay the course amid domestic economic challenges and an increasingly complex international landscape involving Gaza, the US and Ukraine. In 2024, President Macron unexpectedly dissolved the National Assembly and called early legislative elections, a decision that plunged the country into uncertainty and, with Melenchon’s victory, led to a forced “cohabitation” between a government of a different political colour and the incumbent president, making governance extremely complex. On the other side of the political spectrum, left-wing forces are trying to regroup to counter the advance of Le Pen’s right wing, which is not currently present on the scene, but internal divisions and difficulties in finding a common front remain a significant obstacle. The coming weeks will be crucial in defining the country’s political future, with the risk of institutional deadlock and further instability at a time when France needs strong and cohesive responses to the challenges ahead. Social tension is palpable, fuelled by controversial reforms such as the pension reform (2023), which has generated widespread protests and left a deep mark on the social fabric, making any attempt at national reconciliation difficult.
