There was a time when France symbolized European strength and social balance. Today, that image is cracking.

Behind the headlines of trillion-dollar debts and political resignations are ordinary French citizens — workers, students, and pensioners — who feel their country has stopped working for them.

President Emmanuel Macron’s leadership, once seen as a force of renewal, now faces distrust from every direction. His government has cycled through five prime ministers in two years, as protests erupt at the faintest sign of reform.

France spends more on welfare than almost any other European nation, yet hospitals struggle, wages stagnate, and young people see fewer opportunities.

This is not just an economic failure; it’s an emotional one. The French social contract — the belief that the state will protect its people — is breaking. Macron’s challenge is not only to balance budgets but to restore belief.

Because when a country stops believing in its future, no amount of reforms can save it.