France faces economic crisis as investor unease meets violent protests

France faces an economic crisis as investor unease over its budget and political instability coincides with violent protests, leaving President Emmanuel Macron unable to offer costly concessions to restore calm. Macron's minority government is caught between market demands for fiscal discipline and public pressure for spending, with bond yields at their highest since 2002. The widening gap with German debt signals investors demand a higher premium to hold French bonds. Experts warn of a "doom loop" where market turmoil and political extremism reinforce each other, affecting other wealthy nations too. France's debt interest payments are projected to exceed defence and education spending next year, ahead of a presidential election.