Introduction

France has often been labelled as exceptional. In many ways, the contemporary French political and cultural landscape remains exceptional. The era of president Emmanuel Macron has, to date, witnessed a swathe of political innovations, not least the development of a brand-new political party, while a mass protest movement has brought the country to a standstill in late 2018 and early 2019. As the manuscript of this book is submitted, the gilets jaunes – yellow vests – movement continues to mobilise, most notably in the Paris region, against the perceived aloofness of the incumbent president.