‘France, truly, is on the brink’ and just days away from a make-or-break moment in its debt crisis, analyst warns, as protests turn into riots

Nationwide protests over the high cost of living roiled France on Saturday, adding to turmoil over public spending and debt ahead of a critical vote in the National Assembly. Rioting broke out in some cities as luxury boutiques and supermarkets were looted while public buildings were defaced and even set on fire. That followed mass demonstrations earlier this month, with students decrying run-down classrooms, missing teachers, and buildings that aren’t equipped for rising temperatures. Protestors blamed years of underinvestment in public education. At the…