Social rift rocks France

The "yellow vest" protests in France have posed a formidable challenge to President Emmanuel Macron.

More than 100,000 French people took to the streets on Saturday, and as of Sunday night a total of 263 people were injured and more than 412 people arrested in what has been described as the worst street violence in France since 1968. French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said the government was considering imposing a state of emergency to ensure public order and people's safety.

France is known for its "protest culture", but why has a riot triggered by an unexceptional rise in fuel taxes turned into a nationwide unrest in just two weeks and become the biggest political crisis for Macron since he came to power?