French protests boost Le Pen's 2027 election chances

Violent student protests in France have caused billions in damages, with monuments burned, police injured, and shops looted. Analysts say the chaos now benefits far-right leader Marine Le Pen ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Initially, the demonstrations favored the far-left, but escalating violence has shifted momentum toward Le Pen's National Rally, which promises control and authority. She has implicitly linked migration to the riots, a message analysts say resonates broadly. Le Pen leads all polls, and recent events have weakened Macron's government amid fires and debt crisis. A runoff may pit Le Pen against far-left Jean-Luc Mélenchon, though her ability to fund schools if elected remains uncertain.