He had bought himself some time to figure out how to deal with the rabble at the gates. But how much time?

Not much at all, it turns out. As of press time, the yellow jackets have announced their intention to proceed with "Act 4" of their protests this weekend, and the government has responded by announcing its decision to close the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and other tourism landmarks on Saturday. Meanwhile, Paris, for its part, is bracing for another weekend of violence and street battles.

For those living under a rock who might not have heard, France has been subject to a series of protests in recent weeks over widespread dissatisfaction with the Macron government and its insistence on pushing through a series of deeply unpopular tax increases and economic reforms. The protesters have adopted the "gilets jaunes," or yellow vests that all French drivers are required to store as a safety measure in the event of a roadside breakdown. It is the perfect symbol for the movement in many ways: it is a standard item that everyone has to hand, it is a visible sign of distress, and it is connected to the fuel tax that was the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back and sent the people spilling out onto the streets.