President Donald Trump on Tuesday framed the mass student protests sweeping France as evidence of the country’s “out of control mass migration” and Islam, neither of which are consistent with protesters’ demands for better school conditions.

Students' blockades and marches spring from real grievances – and from France's habit of settling policy on the street.

Fox News' Jeff Paul reports on escalating riots in France. Heritage Foundation senior fellow Mike Gonzalez and New York Post columnist Miranda Devine discuss factors driving the unrest.

Not only does it now cost France more to borrow than it does Italy and Greece; a rising number of big French companies enjoy lower market interest rates than does the French state. Of all the G7 nations, it has suffered most from the debt sell-off triggered by the Iran war.

Students are taking to the streets over underfunding in education as the government seeks to find budget cuts to appease bond markets.

Nationwide protests across France continued for a third week as demonstrators rallied against poor school conditions.

Chaos in schools, on the streets and in the markets is rooted in France’s struggles to fund its social welfare state, with a presidential election approaching.

With the Rugby World Cup less than a year away, France appear to be the Northern Hemisphere team best placed to challenge the Springboks and the All Blacks.