Far-Right Activist's Death Spurs Election-Driven Tensions in France

The death of Quentin Deranque, a 23-year-old far-right activist who died after a Lyon street brawl, has deepened political polarization in France ahead of local and presidential elections; two people have been charged with murder and 11 arrested, including a parliamentary assistant for the far-left France Unbowed. Macron urged calm as far-right rallies unfold and tensions rise with anti-left incidents. The Trump administration has attributed the death to left-wing militants, reflecting a broader US stance on political violence, while Italy’s Meloni pushed back on left-wing extremism; analysts say the turmoil could reshape the political landscape in favor of the National Rally amid France’s fragmentation.