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France in permanent stress mode Paris — The yellow vests have been joined by train drivers, teachers and hospital staff — and President Emmanuel Macron is still banking on the same cocktail of rhetoric, concessions and police power to hold everything together. The protests have been more than a month underway, and the unrest shows no signs of abating. Each time the government makes concessions, new groups declare their grievances; each time the police crack down, indignation spreads further. The movement began in mid-November as a protest against rising fuel taxes, but it has long since grown into a broad expression of social and political discontent. Demonstrators criticize not only the cost of living but also a perceived democratic deficit: They blame lawmakers and the political elite for being out of touch. The yellow vest jackets — a compulsory item in every French car — have become a symbol of popular resistance. Macron initially tried to play down the protests. He called them a “crisis of anger” and insisted on the need for order. When the movement did not subside, he announced a package of concessions: suspending the fuel tax increase, raising the minimum wage and promising further tax reliefs for pensioners. But critics say these measures are piecemeal and insufficient. They point out that while Macron speaks of “national unity,” his policies still favor the better-off. The police response has also been controversial. Officers used tear gas, water cannons and mass arrests to disperse crowds. Images of burned cars and smashed storefronts shocked many. At the same time, accounts of police violence fueled outrage and drew international attention. Human rights organizations called for investigations into the use of force. The unrest is testing the resilience of French institutions. Town halls and prefectures remain in session, but the smell of tear gas hangs over public life. Strikes have piled up, disrupting schools and transport. The economy feels the strain: retail sales decline and tourism suffers. For Macron, the crisis poses a dilemma. He must appear strong enough to maintain order, but flexible enough to respond to social demands. His political base has narrowed since his election in 2017, and opponents on the left and right smell opportunity. The parliamentary arithmetic is not in his favor for major reforms. The yellow vests are not a traditional political movement: they lack formal leadership and a clear program. That makes negotiations difficult. But it also makes them diffuse and resilient: when one local group loses steam, another pops up. The movement thrives on social media and local networks, and its spontaneity frustrates authorities. What lies ahead is uncertain. A return to normal would require both effective dialogue and tangible improvements in people’s daily lives. Otherwise, France could remain in a permanent state of stress — a country bracing itself each weekend for fresh clashes that show how deep the fractures run.
The French press on 22 May 2026 paints the picture of a country that feels simultaneously under military, economic, technological and social…