- French citizens are protesting against pension reform and the all-powerful presidency of Emmanuel Macron.
- The French constitution, written for and partly by Charles de Gaulle, created a strong executive with a powerful presidency.
- France has been governed by the Fifth Republic since 1958, but now there is a call for a less autocratic Sixth Republic.
- The French technocrats in power are seen as a self-perpetuating caste, who treat the rest of France as a colony.
- There is a generalised, long-term rage against the state and its embodiment, the president, and this could lead to a populist vote in 2027.
Is France on the road to a Sixth Republic?
As rage over pension reform spills out on to the streets, it may be time for the country to rethink its all-powerful presidency
Simon Kuper
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