All posts tagged: Emmanuel Macron

The Macron method: How to deal with Putin’s Russia? – The Debate

The Macron method: How to deal with Putin’s Russia? – The Debate

Published by Sam Flores

Here’s one for free speech absolutists to chew on: What should the French government do when the former head of Russian state television’s French-language channel is offered a place of rank on an all-news station with a free-to-air broadcast license and she touts Kremlin propaganda lines with little or no pushback or fact-checking? Introducing Xenia Fedorova, who’s just had her 10-year residency permit approved and who’s become the darling of far-right shipping magnate-turned-media mogul Vincent Bolloré, the same Bolloré who’s swooped for French TV, radio, print and publishing outlets. Source link

France and allies intercept uncompliant Russian shadow fleet tanker, Kremlin calls it ‘piracy’

France and allies intercept uncompliant Russian shadow fleet tanker, Kremlin calls it ‘piracy’

Published by Sam Flores

France and its allies detained a sanctioned Russian oil tanker in the Atlantic over the weekend, President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday. According to a prosecutor, the Russian captain of the seized tanker refused to comply with the French navy’s orders, and “taking control of the vessel proved necessary”. The Brest prosecutor’s office said that a criminal investigation had been opened over failure to prove a vessel’s nationality, absence of a flag and refusal to comply. The Tagor was detained on Sunday morning in international waters with the help of the United Kingdom and other partners, he said in a social media post. “It is unacceptable for ships to circumvent international sanctions, violate the law of the sea, and fund the war that Russia has been waging against Ukraine for more than four years,” he said. In response, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov challenged the seizure by France and other navies, calling it “illegal” and comparing the move to “piracy”. Since September, France has boarded three other ships believed to belong to Russia’s so-called shadow fleet. …

Le sommet Choose France a-t-il un avenir après Macron ?

Le sommet Choose France a-t-il un avenir après Macron ?

Published by Sam Flores

PARIS — Comme chaque année depuis 2018, quelques centaines de dirigeants d’entreprise triés sur le volet défileront, lundi, entre la galerie des Glaces, la galerie des Batailles et les jardins du château de Versailles. Au programme, avant un grand dîner mitonné par un chef étoilé : des milliards d’investissements pour un montant record, des “speed-datings” entre PDG et membres du gouvernement, une keynote de Thomas Pesquet et, probablement pour la dernière fois de cette présidence, la traditionnelle allocution d’Emmanuel Macron. Sauf surprise, le président ne pourra pas organiser de dernier sommet au printemps 2027, quelques semaines avant de quitter l’Elysée — interrogé sur cette éventualité, le Palais ne se risque pas à répondre franchement et se contente d’affirmer que “la marque Choose France a encore de beaux jours devant elle”. C’est dire si le chef de l’Etat est attaché à cet événement, symbole d’une présidence qui se veut “pro-business”, ouverte aux capitaux étrangers, capable d’attirer Elon Musk, Carlos Slim, Lakshmi Mittal, Satya Nadella ou encore Jamie Dimon dans les salons de Versailles, comme Louis XIV …

Hundreds arrested in Paris after football revelry turns ugly – POLITICO

Hundreds arrested in Paris after football revelry turns ugly – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said seven officers were injured in clashes across the country. He called the disorder “absolutely unacceptable.” Far-right leader Marine Le Pen wrote on X: “Only in France does a football club’s victory spark riots. Only in France does everyone feel compelled to lock themselves in their homes on the evening of a victory to avoid being confronted with violence,” she said. Valérie Pécresse, leader of the Île-de-France region, which includes Paris, called for sanctions against those causing violence. “The brainless thugs who think they can smash everything are tarnishing the image of Paris and France!” Pécresse wrote in a post on X. “We must be able to celebrate on victory nights peacefully in Paris and the Île-de-France region!” Similar riots took place in Paris last May after Paris Saint-Germain’s victory at the previous Champions League final, resulting in more than 500 arrests and two deaths and drawing widespread political condemnation. Paris Saint-Germain defeated Arsenal in a dramatic final in Budapest after a 4-3 shoot-out following a 1-1 draw after extra …

Right-wing mogul ignites culture war in French cinema – POLITICO

Right-wing mogul ignites culture war in French cinema – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

“After literature, the censor Bolloré now wants to control filmmaking. It is unacceptable to allow a billionaire to threaten artists in this way,” said hard-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon, threatening to dismantle Bolloré’s empire. Socialist leader Olivier Faure slammed the move by Canal+ as a sign that “the far right has never liked freedom, creativity, or public service.” More diplomatically, Culture Minister Catherine Pégard regretted Canal+’s “disproportionate, to say the least” reaction to “the very real concerns that were raised.” The conservative mayor of Cannes, David Lisnard, slammed the artists as masochists for “biting the hand that feeds them.” Canal+ declined POLITICO’s request for comment, but Bolloré’s son, Cyrille, president of the Bolloré group, brushed off fears on Wednesday that Canal+ would choose projects based on political orientation. “No, there is no political project,” he said. France’s Citizen Kane The uproar has illustrated how deeply connected French cinema is to Canal+, which financed seven of the nine movies that won awards at Cannes this year, including the prestigious Palme d’Or. Source link

Attal highlights break with Macron in first rally in French presidential bid – POLITICO

Attal highlights break with Macron in first rally in French presidential bid – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

His campaign mirrors the very successful campaign of centrist liberal Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten in October 2025, which focused on optimism about the future and prioritizing the young generations, while exalting a sense of national pride. “My first promise is that we will once again become Europe’s leading power within six years. That is our rank, our place, our destiny,” he said, also vowing to make France the leading European country in artificial intelligence. Attal is following incumbent French President Emmanuel Macron as the presidential candidate of the centrist liberal Renaissance party, which he heads. After almost 10 years of Macron governments and dwindling popularity, Attal is seeking to distance himself from Macron to frame his candidacy as one of change and reform. The 37-year-old politician served as prime minister under Macron from January-September 2024. He was the youngest prime minister in French history and the first openly gay. The latest polls put Attal in fourth place at 13 percent of popular vote, preceded by far-right French Rally candidate Jordan Bardella, center-right Édouard Philippe, …

France mourns intellectual ‘grandfather’, sociologist and philosopher Edgar Morin

France mourns intellectual ‘grandfather’, sociologist and philosopher Edgar Morin

Published by Sam Flores

France is mourning the loss of Edgar Morin. The country’s favorite intellectual has passed away at the age of 104. President Emmanuel Macron paid him tribute – calling Morin “humanism personified” – and offered his loved ones the condolences of the nation. FRANCE 24’s Caroline Baum takes a look back at his life.  Keywords for this article Source link

“Choose France” summit to kick off as factory closures multiply

“Choose France” summit to kick off as factory closures multiply

Published by Sam Flores

In France, Emmanuel Macron toured the French factory of German-owned Thermomix kitchen appliances on Friday… one of over 100 industrial and business sites opening to the public this weekend in the leadup to the French President’s annual “Choose France” summit on Monday. Macron will be hosting some 200 foreign business leaders at Versailles palace, hoping to set a new record for foreign investment. But this comes as France’s economy is struggling, with factory closures outnumbering openings, a soaring national debt, rising unemployment, and global economic setbacks due to the Iran war. Analysis by Renaud Foucart, senior lecturer in economics at Lancaster University Management School. Keywords for this article Source link

the ‘abusive’ partner the EU just can’t quit? – POLITICO

the ‘abusive’ partner the EU just can’t quit? – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Is the EU finally ready to get serious about China? That’s the question increasingly dominating conversations in Brussels as fears grow that Europe is being squeezed by Beijing’s industrial machine. Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by Sander Tordoir from the Centre for European Reform, Grzegorz Stec from MERICS and POLITICO’s Jordyn Dahl to discuss the European Commission’s attempts to forge a common stance on China. With deindustrialization already visible across parts of the continent, social tensions are spiking and fueling support for radical political forces. As China floods the bloc with cheap imports, strategic industries are struggling to respond. But Europeans genuinely like many of the Chinese products flooding into the continent — from electric cars to solar panels and electronics. So how far is Brussels actually willing to go to protect European industry? Can the EU stay united once the economic costs start biting? And has Europe finally reached its China shock moment? If you have questions or comments, send us a message — or even better, a voice note on our WhatsApp here or at …

Norway joins France’s nuclear deterrence club – POLITICO

Norway joins France’s nuclear deterrence club – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

“Russia’s largest nuclear arsenal is located in the High North, just a few kilometers from Norway,” he said, adding that Norway would continue to primarily rely on NATO for its security. On March 2, the French president announced that Germany, Poland, Greece, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark and Sweden had agreed to discuss nuclear cooperation with Paris. That could include joint nuclear drills, information sharing and, ultimately, the potential temporary deployment of French nuclear-capable Rafale fighter jets in allied countries — a concept the French called “forward nuclear deterrence.” Since then, highly classified talks about exactly what the cooperation will entail have already begun with some nations, two officials told POLITICO. On Wednesday, Paris and Oslo also signed a wide-ranging bilateral defense and security deal — dubbed the Narvik agreement — that includes a mutual assistance clause, more dialogue between their armed forces and cooperation on air defense, space and Arctic security, Macron said. In the past few years, the French president has sought to increase his country’s defense ties with Nordic countries, including Denmark, Finland …