Any slight mention of France is likely to be tied to riots, despite the many things that go on in the country on a daily basis.
The riots that happened across cities in the European country have seen almost 1,000 people arrested.
It all started when a video leaked of a police officer allegedly shooting a teenager who disobeyed traffic orders to stop.
17-year-old Nahel M. was shot in the Paris suburb of Nanterre after he had refused to comply with police orders.
This is just but one instant that sparked protests in the country.
In January 2023, President Emmanuel Macron-led country was filled with unrest again because of a proposal to introduce pension reforms.
The reforms would revise the retirement age from 62 years to 64 years.
This sparked protests across France.
The protests lasted weeks. The reforms would also see the number of years required for someone to work before receiving a full pension go to 43.
So, why are French protests grabbing the attention of the world?
While these protests were largely peaceful, in some instances the people involved found themselves engaged in heated exchanges with the police.
The protests according to local media houses also saw millions of French citizens turn out across different cities to stand up against the president's unpopular move.
The protests brought many services to a halt across the affected cities and towns.
Delayed trains and closed businesses formed part of it.
The riots called by union workers saw theft and destruction of proper become the order of the day.
Their dissatisfaction was further fuelled by the push by Macron to use Article 49.3 to pass the reforms.
This, experts say, was because he sensed the unpopularity of the reforms and passing it through parliament would have seen it fail.
The article gives the president special powers that allow him to skip parliament in passing the reforms.
Another issue that gets the world interested is the use of force by the police when engaging the protesters.
Human rights groups condemn the use of force and in some instances, the police admitting that some of their officers are under investigation further fuels the riots.
Some publications say while Macron campaigned on the promise to prosper the French, there is a general feeling that he is a president for the Rich.
Bookings put it as “Macron’s policies are requiring the most vulnerable to make the sacrifices”.
These policies are seen as weakening the country's social protection and ideals of equity.
