France's riots echo 1968. But Macron is no de Gaulle
- Rioters are channeling 1968 vibes, but President Macron has about as much spine as a wet baguette compared to Charles de Gaulle's wartime steel.
- Trade unions are sitting this one out, proving that even the French working class can't be bothered to riot for a pay raise anymore.
- New, improved 2025 edition of French unrest features a 'red-green alliance' of communists and Islamic demonstrators, because apparently one revolutionary ideology wasn't enough.
- History shows street chaos in France is a reliable political career ladder—it made de Gaulle, but it's currently making Marine Le Pen look like a shoo-in for the Élysée Palace.
Brief Summary
This piece drags out the dusty playbook of French history to remind us that while 1968's upheaval nearly gave de Gaulle a heart attack (figuratively; the actual one came later), today's riots are making Macron look like a confused extra in his own biopic. The author points out that unlike the omnipotent '68 protests, today's version sees trade unions yawning in the background, leaving the streets to a coalition of the usual suspects: Marxists and flag-waving Islamic demonstrators who have apparently formed the 'red-green alliance' to maximize chaos. The hero of this historical farce is Charles de Gaulle, a man who bravely fled to Germany, got a pep talk from a general, and returned to boss the nation into submission. Macron is no de Gaulle; he's more of a managerial intern flailing at a sinkhole of debt and disorder. The grand finale predicts that this mess will hand the presidency to Marine Le Pen on a silver platter, ready to deport her way to salvation, much to the horror of the 'far-right' label she despises.
Why This Matters
Look, the Eiffel Tower isn't going to collapse into the Seine tomorrow, but this story is a nasty reality check for anyone who thought the globalist liberal order was having a nice, peaceful afternoon. It whispers that the streets are still the only political language France (and by extension, Europe) truly understands, and the 'populist wave' is less a wave and more a tsunami that's about to crash ashore. This matters to you because the economic fallout of a Le Pen victory—or even just prolonged rioting—will ripple through global markets, from energy prices to defense spending, and could rewrite the EU's rulebook before your latte gets cold. It's a stark reminder that when the kids in the banlieues decide they've had enough, the old 'elites' get tossed under the bus, and the guy holding the wheel might not be someone who has your interests at heart—or who reads the same newspapers you do.