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... Even former allies are now openly scathing, tracing the country's current impasse to Macron's decision to call a snap parliamentary election in 2024 that weakened his authority.

"The end of this term is a slow agony," said Loc Kervran, a former lawmaker from Macron's camp, on X. "The president paralysed the country with his absurd decision to dissolve parliament in 2024. Arguably the worst decision in the history of the Fifth Republic."

LE PEN'S 'HIGHWAY' TO THE PRESIDENCY

The turmoil may benefit far-right National Rally leader Marine Le Pen, who is already the frontrunner in the 2027 presidential race and stands to gain from both the anger over declining living standards and the fears over law and order unleashed by the weekend's violence.

"Le Pen no longer needs to spend any money to campaign," Jean-Baptiste Moreau, another former Macron lawmaker, told Reuters. "It's not just a clear path ahead of her " it's a six-lane highway."

Le Pen delivered her own message to the nation in a video statement on Sunday, portraying Macron's administration as a crumbling power and casting herself as the figure capable of restoring order. ...

... and Pres Macron's attendance to a Celine Dion concert while his country seemed to be in turmoil was not the best of PR looks.