lose (your) grip

to lose your ability to control or deal with a situation.

He was losing his grip at work and knew it was time to retire.

It suggests that the ruling party is losing its grip on the middle classes in some of the bigger cities. (often + on)

• at a disadvantage
• at a glance
• at all
• at all costs
• at all hours
• at all hours of the day and night
• at all hours of the night
• a tall story
• a tall tale
• at a loss
• at a loss for words
• at a low ebb
• at a moment's notice
• a tangled web
• at any cost
• at any price
• at any rate
• at a pinch
• at a premium
• at a price
• at a push
• at a rate of knots
• at a snail's pace
• at a stretch
• at a time