Page 12 - Emmanuel Macron

With French Parliament shifting to 'Left', risk of policy paralysis looms

The result delivered a stinging blow to President Emmanuel Macron and leaves the euro zone's second largest economy in limbo, heralding a period of political instability

Violence breaks out in France as left-wing coalition leads snap election

French election night turned turbulent as results showed a left-wing coalition poised to claim the majority of parliamentary seats

French voters deliver political deadlock as left falls short of majority

The awkward leftist alliance, which the hard left, Greens and Socialists hastily put together before the vote, was far from having an absolute majority of 289 seats in the 577-seat assembly

French PM Attal resigns as leftist coalition defeats Macron's ruling party

The election results marked a significant shift in French politics, with the National Rally, led by Jordan Bardella, claiming substantial gains

French turn out in force for parliamentary election, far right seeks power

In the outgoing parliament, French President Macron's alliance had only 250 seats and he required support from other parties to pass laws

How Macron went from successful political newcomer to a weakened leader

French President Emmanuel Macron's expected political failure in decisive parliamentary elections Sunday may paralyse the country, weaken him abroad and overshadow his legacy, just as France prepares to step into the global spotlight as host of the Paris Olympics. France's youngest-ever president is known on the international stage for his tireless diplomatic efforts and pro-European initiatives. Now, many wonder how he will manage to keep the reins of the country with likely no majority in parliament and a confrontational government. Constitutionally barred from running for a third consecutive term in 2027, Macron, 46, is facing a struggle not to become a lame duck. Whatever the outcome of Sunday's runoff, it's not expected to be good news for Macron. French media have recently described an end of reign atmosphere at the Elysee presidential palace. Polls show Macron's centrist alliance is headed for defeat in Sunday's runoff, after coming in third in the first round. It looks a

Europe holds breath for France polls; Macron's role in EU to get diluted

The big fear for the EU's traditional political mainstream is an outright RN victory, forcing Macron to 'co-habit' with a government hostile to his vision of European sovereignty

Far-right majority can be avoided in polls, says French PM Gabriel Attal

Asked about calls for the creation of a temporary cross-party government if no grouping achieved a majority, Attal said he would not impose on voters "a coalition they did not choose"

Historic win for far right in 1st round of French parliament elections

RN and allies had 33 per cent of the vote, followed by a leftwing bloc with 28 per cent and President Emmanuel Macron's centrists with just 20 per cent

Jordan Bardella could become youngest French PM at helm of far-right party

At just 28 years old, Jordan Bardella has helped make the far-right National Rally the strongest political force in France. And now he could become the country's youngest prime minister. After voters propelled Marine Le Pen's National Rally to a strong lead in Sunday's first round of snap legislative elections, Bardella turned to rallying supporters to hand their party an absolute majority in the decisive round on July 7. That would allow the anti-immigration, nationalist party to run the government, with Bardella at the helm. Who is the National Rally president? When Bardella replaced his mentor, Marine Le Pen, in 2022 at the helm of France's leading far-right party, he became the first person without the Le Pen name to lead it since its founding a half-century ago. His selection marked a symbolic changing of the guard. It was part of Le Pen's decade-long effort to rebrand her party, with its history of racism, and remove the stigma of antisemitism that clung to it in order to ..

French polls: France may see its first Far-Right govt since World War II

Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally party and its allies secured about one-third of France's national vote on Sunday, according to projections by French polling agencies

France election: Macron on the defensive as National Rally gains ground

If no clear majority is established, France could face prolonged political deadlock and weaken the government's ability to implement policies effectively

Euro rises after first-round of France's snap elections, yen struggles

The euro, which has fallen some 0.8% since Prez Emmanuel Macron called the election on June 9, was last 0.24% higher at $1.0737

Exceptionally high-stakes elections begin in France, far-right leads polls

French voters around the world are casting ballots Sunday in the first round of an exceptional parliamentary election that could put France's government in the hands of nationalist, far-right forces for the first time since the Nazi era. The outcome of the two-round election, which will wrap up July 7, could impact European financial markets, Western support for Ukraine and how France's nuclear arsenal and global military force are managed. Many French voters are frustrated about inflation and economic concerns, as well as President Emmanuel Macron's leadership, which they see as arrogant and out-of-touch with their lives. Marine Le Pen's anti-immigration National Rally party has tapped and fueled that discontent, notably via online platforms like TikTok, and dominated all preelection opinion polls. A new coalition on the left, the New Popular Front, is also posing a challenge to the pro-business Macron and his centrist alliance Together for the Republic. After a blitz campaign mar

France at crossroads: Macron's gamble with snap polls amid far-right surge

As Macron calls for early legislative elections, France faces a pivotal moment with the far-right poised for unprecedented gains, challenging the nation's political future and EU relationships

Macron warns of civil war threat if far left or right wins snap election

Macron criticised the far-right's approach to insecurity, arguing that it reduces people to their religion or their origin

Costly election pledges in France may push country deeper into debt

The promises are appealing - and expensive. Vying to oust the centrist government of President Emmanuel Macron in an upcoming two-round parliamentary election June 30 and July 7, French political parties of both the far right and far left are vowing to cut gasoline taxes, let workers retire earlier and raise wages. Their campaign pledges threaten to bust an already-swollen government budget, push up French interest rates and strain France's relations with the European Union. The snap election could well replace Macron's limping centrist government with one led by parties whose campaigns have abandoned any pretence of fiscal discipline,' economist Brigitte Granville of Queen Mary University of London wrote Thursday on the Project Syndicate website. The turbulence began June 9 when voters handed Macron a defeat at the hands of Marine Le Pen's hard right National Rally party in EU parliamentary elections. Macron promptly and surprisingly called a snap parliamentary election, convince

Macron, African leaders push for vaccines after Covid exposes inequalities

French President Emmanuel Macron joined several African leaders on Thursday to kick off a planned $1 billion project to accelerate the rollout of vaccines in Africa, after the coronavirus pandemic exposed gaping inequalities in access to them. The launch of the African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator, which will provide financial incentives to vaccine manufacturers, offered a momentary break for Macron from domestic political concerns as a legislative election looms on June 30 and July 7. Many African leaders and advocacy groups say Africa was unfairly locked out of access to COVID-19 treatment tools, vaccines and testing equipment that many richer countries bought up in huge quantities after the pandemic was declared in 2020. WHO, advocacy groups, the European Union and others want to help Africa get better prepared for the next pandemic, which many health experts say is inevitable. When the coronavirus pandemic began, South Africa was the only country in Africa with any abilit

Macron, African leaders push for vaccines after Covid exposed inequalities

French President Emmanuel Macron is joining several African leaders on Thursday to kick off a planned $1 billion project to accelerate the rollout of vaccines in Africa, after the coronavirus pandemic exposed gaping inequalities in access to them. The launch of the African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator, which will provide financial incentives to vaccine manufacturers, offered a momentary break for Macron from domestic political concerns as legislative elections loom on June 30 and July 7. Many African leaders and advocacy groups say Africa was unfairly locked out of access to COVID-19 treatment tools, vaccines and testing equipment that many richer countries bought up in huge quantities after the pandemic swept the world starting in 2020. WHO, advocacy groups and others want to help Africa get better prepared for the next pandemic, which many health experts say is inevitable. When the coronavirus pandemic began, South Africa was the only country in Africa with any ability to .

French protesters standing up to far right ahead of snap elections

Anti-racism groups were joining French unions and a brand-new left-wing coalition in protests in Paris and across France on Saturday against the surging nationalist far right as frenzied campaigning is underway ahead of snap parliamentary elections. In Paris, those who fear that the elections will produce France's first far-right government since World War II will gather at Place de la Republique before marching through eastern Paris. The French Interior Ministry said 21,000 police and gendarmes would be deployed at protests across the country, with authorities expecting between 300,000 and 500,000 protesters nationwide. In the French Riviera city of Nice, protesters marched down Jean Mdecin Avenue, the city's main shopping street. An Associated Press journalist at the scene said she heard chants against the National Rally, its leader Jordan Bardella as well as against President Emmanuel Macron. Protest organisers said 3,000 took part, while the police put the number at 2,500. Nic