THE GLOBAL STAKES OF FRANCE’S POLITICAL AND FISCAL CRISIS - Join the Atlantic Council’s Europe Center and Atlantic Council GeoEconomics Center for a conversation on France’s crisis and what it may mean for Paris, Europe, Ukraine, and the United States.

What began as student demonstrations over school conditions has grown into a nationwide movement against the rising cost of living, energy inflation, cuts to public services, and the Macron government. The unrest comes at a precarious moment: France’s borrowing costs have climbed to their highest level since 2002, a divided parliament is battling over an austerity budget, and the country is heading into a pivotal presidential election, where the extremes are polling high.

This conversation will address what the protests mean for French politics and the upcoming elections, as well as what lies ahead for France’s standing as Europe’s leading destination for foreign investment. It will also explore what France’s preoccupation at home means for European defense, military support for Ukraine, and the transatlantic relationship.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE - 10/29/2026