French riots reshape 2027 race for Le Pen, Mélenchon, Philippe, Glucksmann

Riots and looting across France over the weekend are reshaping the 2027 presidential race, with far-right leader Marine Le Pen seizing on the crisis as a law-and-order candidate while far-left rival Jean-Luc Mélenchon faces accusations of fueling unrest. Centrist candidates see an opportunity to gain traction. Le Pen has cast herself as the candidate of a "pacified France," but prolonged chaos could backfire on her anti-establishment party. Mélenchon is walking a tightrope between supporting protesters and distancing himself from violence, as rivals accuse him of encouraging the pillaging. Centrist Édouard Philippe is trying to break from President Emmanuel Macron, who is criticized for a weak response. Raphaël Glucksmann, the center-left candidate, is attacking Mélenchon as a "springboard" for Le Pen. Macron's failure to announce concrete measures in his Sunday address has drawn sharp criticism, with officials calling his response "out of touch" as he departed for the Middle East.