BTN News: France is now feeling a period of uncertainty and anxiety. Citizens feel a mix of anxiety, resignation, and curiosity as the country faces the possibility of the far-right party coming to power.
Far-Right Party Poised to Win the Upcoming Elections
Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party is leading in the legislative elections this Sunday and the next. In France, known as the land of human rights and the Enlightenment, old certainties are shaking, and no one is sure what will happen next.
Long-Brewing Tensions Coming to a Critical Point
The nation’s long-standing issues—discontent and pessimism, the divide between the elite and the common people, the city and the countryside, and a government disconnected from societal undercurrents—seem to be reaching a critical point.
Voices from People Across Different Parts of France
A retiree playing pétanque in a village in the Central Massif, part of France’s rural heartland, expressed his concern: “I see France disfigured: it’s no longer recognizable.” Similarly, a former rugby player in Châteaudun, a town southwest of Paris, noted, “I see it disturbed, without reference points.”
Concerns Over the Nation’s Future from Various Citizens
A restaurateur in Colombey-les-Deux-Églises, the village where Charles de Gaulle retired and is buried, voiced his fears: “I worry the country will break its neck. There’s a void. We don’t know where we’re going.”
Journey Through a Nation Feeling Unease and Turmoil
Over five days, EL PAÍS traveled from Colombey-les-Deux-Églises to Châteaudun, visiting towns and cities, and gathering opinions from French citizens of different political leanings. The dominant sentiment is one of unease.
