The die isn’t cast: France is pessimistic, but not doomed to far-right rule (opens in new tab)

Apocalyptic forecasts are a national sport. But while polls point to a National Rally president in 2027, it’s still all to play forOne reassuring thing about France is its consistency down the years: trains still run mostly on time, coffee in the land of cafes remains undrinkable, and, whatever the season, the intellectual class continues to supply elegant variations on the same theme: France is always about to collapse.The present mood feels familiar – and fatalism, of course, is a habit in ...