France's riots expose state failure and deepen political divisions

France is reeling from a weekend of violent riots and looting, exposing a state failure to maintain public order and deepening political divisions. President Macron's government is weakened and facing intense criticism from both the left and the right. The far-right, led by Marine Le Pen, argues the government was too lenient, while the left blames police brutality and a repressive strategy for provoking the violence. Nearly 1,800 people were arrested, and the government is struggling to respond to a crisis that has left the nation angry and polarized. Macron's calls for calm have failed to unite the country, and with a new union action day planned for November 5th, the political crisis is far from over. The damage from the riots is estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of euros.