[Bug]: fluent-link and fluent-anchor-button don't show the destination URL on hover (regression from inert proxy anchor) #37063

Component

Link (also affects fluent-anchor-button)

Package version

3.0.0-rc.16 and later (verified on 3.0.0-rc.16 and the live Storybook at 3.1.x)

@microsoft/fast-element version

^3.0.0

Environment

Chromium, Firefox and WebKit (Playwright); Chrome / Edge / Firefox / Safari desktop

Current Behavior

fluent-link and fluent-anchor-button don't behave like native links for pointer users:

• Hovering doesn't show the destination URL in the browser status bar, so users can't see where the link goes before they activate it.
• Middle-click doesn't open the link in a new tab.
• Right-click shows the generic page context menu instead of the link menu ("Open link in new tab", "Copy link address", …).

Hit-testing at the center of the component returns the host element instead of an <a href>:

Root cause

BaseAnchor (src/anchor-button/anchor-button.base.ts, shared by Link and AnchorButton) puts a proxy <a> over the component (position: absolute; inset: 0). The browser uses this anchor for native link behavior. #36085 (fix for #36066, duplicate click events) changed the proxy from aria-hidden="true" + tabindex="-1" to inert = true. Inert elements are excluded from hit-testing, so the pointer never reaches the anchor and the browser doesn't see a link.

React v9 Link renders a native <a> and isn't affected.

Expected Behavior

Pointer interaction behaves like a native <a href>: the destination URL shows on hover, middle-click and Ctrl/Cmd-click open a new tab, and the link context menu is available. The double click event fixed in #36066 must not come back.

Reproduction

https://storybooks.fluentui.dev/web-components/?path=/docs/components-link--docs

Steps to reproduce

1. Open https://storybooks.fluentui.dev/web-components/?path=/docs/components-link--docs (or components-button-anchor--docs).
2. Hover any link: the browser status bar doesn't show the URL.
3. Middle-click or right-click the link: no new tab / no link context menu.
4. Compare with https://storybooks.fluentui.dev/react/?path=/docs/components-link--docs, where all of the above work.

Are you reporting an Accessibility issue?

no

Suggested severity

High - No workaround

Products/sites affected

No response

Are you willing to submit a PR to fix?

yes

Validations

• Check that there isn't already an issue that reports the same bug to avoid creating a duplicate.
• The provided reproduction is a minimal reproducible example of the bug.