In the heart of Paris, the cathedral people here called
the Soul of France is ready for its grand debut.
Five years ago, the world watched in horror as a
raging fire consumed Notre Dame's roof, collapsing its iconic Spire
and plummeting debris into a monument full of national treasures.
I feel like Paris is old.
Paris is crying now, Not just me.
Nearly a billion dollars later and years of careful work
from Craftsman and women, the country's national symbol is reborn.
Artisans from around the world, including Hank Silver from New
England, jumping in to help.
Being on site and seeing all the different groups of
craftspeople gathered together, working together for the same goal, that
was really an incredible thing to see.
But the anticipated moment of pride overshadowed by months of
political turmoil.
As of tonight, the French government has no Prime Minister,
no legislative majority and no budget approved ahead of next
year.
Critics pointing to the country's president Emmanuel Macron, who's Prime
Minister Michel Barnier was forced to resign following a vote
of no confidence that collapsed his fragile government.
The event shocking the French people.
Barnier's was the first government to fall apart since the
1960s.
It's a bloody mess.
It's quite sad.
I know that the Krone's not very popular right now
but our concern is if we're Francophiles, which we are,
that the option to Macron could be more right wing.
With Marie Le Pen now calls for Macron to step
down are growing and breathing new energy into pre planned
protests.
One nurse saying the fight is in the street and
we need to mobilize all together otherwise we will never
win anything.
President Macron pushing back in an address to the nation,
refusing to step down and saying he will serve out
his term through to the 1027.
Now with everything on the line, Notre Dame reopening a
critical moment for Macron to seize.
This weekend, he prepares to host a who's who of
dignitaries and world leaders at the reopening, from Prince William
to first lady Jill Biden and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky.
But all eyes on incoming President Trump, who announced he
would attend as well.
One Parisian saying it's a bit early for him to
conduct presidential visits.
He's not even sworn in yet.
Kelly Cobiella joins us tonight from Paris.
And Kelly, I want to pick up on that last
point there, right?
president-elect Trump and Mccrone have had somewhat of an interesting
relationship over the years.
We're hearing reports they will be meeting over the weekend
ahead of the opening ceremony.
Yeah, that's right.
And, you know, if you flashback to 2017, the very
beginning of then President Trump's first term, President Macron really
tried to woo then President Trump, inviting him here to
Paris for the Bastille Day celebrations in the summer of
2017.
There was a real, it seemed, friendship developing between the
two.
You might remember that very long handshake on Bastille Day
between the two.
But in the months that followed, the tone shifted quite
a bit.
President Trump at the time attacked President Macron for his
idea to create a European army also attacked him for
Francis push to place taxes on a big tech giants
like Google.
But this year we're seeing a shift yet again.
President Macron was among the first to congratulate president-elect Trump
after the election in November.
And now this invitation as well as back-to-back meetings with
president-elect Trump and Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky.
Tom.
No, it's not clear yet.
There's been no announcement that president-elect Trump and the Ukrainian
president might meet.
Tom OK.
Kelly Cobier with a lot of there as well.
Kelly, we appreciate that.