Dismay abounds in France after recent national and European elections. A tough road lies ahead, but there is great promise.  France is in a pickle, but there is potential for good.  Recent elections have seen a growing number of citizens voting for extremist candidates across the political spectrum. Although there is room for concern, the clamor of hostile rhetoric is drowning out all of the good that's going on in France.  Since a lot of the new support for unconventional parties and candidates is coming from citizens with genuine economic concerns, and since economics is an area in which I have some experience, I would like to highlight a few positive trends that demonstrate that France is in a better position than most think. However, how the country's politicians act on these trends will make all the difference.  RECENT LOWS IN UNEMPLOYMENT Unemployment was reported at 7.5% in May. This is after dropping to as low as 7.1% at the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023, which