The National Rally, already ahead in the polls, presented itself as the party best placed to restore law and order.

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After anti-government protests devolved into chaos, leaders from across the political spectrum blamed one another for the unrest, even as it largely subsided on Sunday.

© Benoit Tessier/Reuters

Far-left leaders are cheering on the students. Government officials accuse them of stirring up the unrest for political gain.

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The rallies are a test of the strength of the student-led protest movement that has escalated at French high schools since late September.