France’s Political Fragmentation Deepens Its Debt and Security Challenges

Former French ambassador Philippe Étienne argues that France’s political fragmentation is making it harder to address mounting debt and competing demands for public spending, while raising the prospect of a 2027 presidential run-off between the populist right and left. In a discussion with H.R. McMaster, he warns that deeper polarization could weaken social cohesion and complicate France’s response to European security challenges, including Russia’s efforts to divide Western democracies and the need to sustain support for Ukraine.