France, the land of fine wine, flaky croissants, and now, apparently, a government teetering on the brink of chaos. According to recent reports, France risks losing foreign investment due to mounting political instability. Shocking, right? Who wouldn’t want to sink their hard-earned money into a country where labor strikes are a national pastime and budgets are written in disappearing ink?

But let’s be fair: France’s problems didn’t appear overnight. For years, the country has been walking a political tightrope, and now it’s wobbling. With reforms stalled, spending out of control, and protests in the streets, investors are doing the only logical thing—they’re packing up and looking elsewhere. So, what went wrong, and what does this mean for the rest of the world?

At the heart of France’s instability is a simple truth: you can’t spend money you don’t have forever. France has one of the highest public debt levels in Europe, and instead of tightening the belt, its leaders have been doubling down on costly social programs and public-sector perks. Add to that a deeply entrenched bureaucracy, and you’ve got a system that’s less about solving problems and more about kicking the can down the road.

Take President Emmanuel Macron’s attempts at pension reform, for example. His government tried to raise the retirement age—a move most economists agree is necessary to keep the system solvent. But the moment the word “reform” hit the airwaves, French unions turned the streets into a scene from Les Misérables. Trash piled up, transportation ground to a halt, and investors took note.

When a country can’t even tweak its retirement age without sparking nationwide chaos, you can bet that foreign investors are thinking twice before committing.

Speaking of unions, let’s talk about the French love affair with strikes. In most countries, strikes are a last resort. In France, they’re practically a sport. Transportation strikes, teacher strikes, garbage worker strikes—you name it, they’ve got it. These disruptions don’t just frustrate locals; they send a clear message to foreign businesses: your operations here could grind to a halt at any moment.

And it’s not just labor strikes. Political protests have become a regular feature of French life. Whether it’s the Yellow Vests movement or demonstrations over climate policies, the streets of Paris often look like a scene out of a disaster movie. Investors aren’t just worried about the present—they’re asking themselves, “If it’s this bad now, what will it look like in five years?”

As if strikes and protests weren’t enough, France has a tax system that could make even the most generous investor think twice. Corporate taxes, personal income taxes, and social security contributions are sky-high. Sure, the French government claims these taxes fund a robust social safety net, but at what cost? Businesses are fleeing to countries with lower tax burdens and more predictable policies. In today’s global economy, capital doesn’t stick around where it’s punished—it moves to where it’s welcomed.

So, why should Americans care if France is scaring off investors? For starters, France is one of the largest economies in the European Union. If it falters, the ripple effects will be felt worldwide. And let’s not forget that a weak France makes the EU even more reliant on Germany—a country that isn’t exactly winning popularity contests these days.

For conservatives, France’s troubles are a cautionary tale. This is what happens when you let big government run unchecked. High taxes, out-of-control spending, and a refusal to make tough reforms eventually lead to instability. Sound familiar? It’s a warning the U.S. would do well to heed.

France is at a crossroads. It can continue down the path of political paralysis and watch as foreign investors flee, or it can make the tough choices needed to stabilize its economy. So far, the signs aren’t promising. Macron’s government is struggling to balance reform with appeasement, and the French public shows no appetite for compromise.

For now, the world watches as one of Europe’s most iconic nations stumbles through yet another political crisis. Will France pull itself together, or will it cement its reputation as the land of endless strikes and unkept promises? One thing’s for sure: investors are voting with their feet—and they’re not walking toward Paris.