Page 2 - Emmanuel Macron

Who is France's new prime minister, Michel Barnier?

Macron names EU's Brexit negotiator Barnier as France's new prime minister

President Emmanuel Macron named Michel Barnier as France's new prime minister on Thursday, hoping the Brexit negotiator and veteran conservative can work with the country's bitterly divided legislature to end political turmoil that has roiled Macron's presidency. Barnier, 73, is the oldest of the 26 prime ministers that have served modern France's Fifth Republic. He replaces the youngest, Gabriel Attal, who was 34 when he was appointed just eight months ago. Attal was also France's first openly gay prime minister. French media and some of Macron's political opponents, who immediately criticized Barnier's appointment, quickly dug up that, when serving in parliament in 1981, the new prime minister had been among 155 lawmakers who voted against a law that decriminalized homosexuality. Barnier's appointment ends more than 50 days of a caretaker government in France, but offers no guarantee of a return to political calm. Barnier faces the tough task of having to work with the acrimonious

World leaders express shock as six Israeli hostages found dead in Gaza

The deceased hostages have been identified as Hersh Goldberg-Polin (23), Eden Yerushalmi (24), Ori Danino (25), Alex Lobanov (32), Carmel Gat (40), and Almog Sarusi (27)

Giving Telegram CEO French citizenship was good thing: Emmanuel Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron has defended his decision to give special fast-track citizenship to Telegram messaging app CEO Pavel Durov, who is now under preliminary charges in France over alleged criminal activity on his popular platform. Macron on Thursday also said he was unaware that Durov was coming to France before his surprise weekend arrest, and had no plans to meet with him. Free-speech advocates, far-right figures and authoritarian governments around the world have spoken out in Durov's defence and criticised French authorities over the case. Durov was freed on 5 million euro bail but barred from leaving France and ordered to report to a police station twice a week pending further investigation. French prosecutors accuse Durov of complicity in allowing drug trafficking and sharing of sexual images of children on Telegram, and of refusing to cooperate with authorities investigating illegal activity on the app. Durov's lawyer David-Olivier Kaminski told French media, It

French authorities issue preliminary charges against Telegram CEO Durov

French authorities handed Telegram CEO Pavel Durov preliminary charges Wednesday for allowing alleged criminal activity on his messaging app, and barred him from leaving France pending further investigation. Durov was detained on Saturday at Le Bourget airport outside Paris as part of a sweeping judicial inquiry opened last month, and released earlier Wednesday after four days of questioning. Investigative judges filed the preliminary charges Wednsday night and ordered him to pay 5 million euros bail and to report to a police station twice a week. Allegations against the Russia-born Durov, who is a French citizen, include that his platform is being used for child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking, and that Telegram refused to share information or documents with investigators when required by law. Durov's arrest in France has caused outrage in Russia, with some government officials calling it politically motivated and proof of the West's double standard on freedom of speech.

Russia-France ties hit new low after Telegram boss' arrest, says Moscow

Macron denies Russian charge of political motives

France's Marcon rejects left-wing govt fearing 'institutional stability'

However, Macron's party, along with the conservatives and the far right, have promised to vote no confidence in a left-wing government

Alleged child protection failures on app led to Telegram CEO's detention

The 39-year-old Russian-born billionaire was stopped on Saturday at Le Bourget airport north of Paris, according to a statement from Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau

Arrest of Telegram's head not a political decision: France President Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that the arrest in France of the CEO of the popular messaging app Telegram, Pavel Durov, wasn't a political move but part of an independent investigation. In France's first public comment on the arrest, Macron posted on the social media platform X that his country is deeply committed to freedom of expression but freedoms are upheld within a legal framework, both on social media and in real life, to protect citizens and respect their fundamental rights. He said the arrest is in no way a political decision. It is up to the judges to rule on the matter. French media reported that Durov was detained at a Paris airport on Saturday on an arrest warrant alleging his platform has been used for money laundering, drug trafficking and other offenses.

French President to hold talks with key players in bid to form new govt

French President Emmanuel Macron will hold talks with key political players in a bid to form a new government, after surprise legislative elections last month resulted in no party winning the majority at the National Assembly, France's powerful lower house of parliament. Macron's office said meetings with leaders of France's main political parties will be held on Friday and Monday at the Elysee presidential palace in order to keep moving towards the broadest and most stable majority possible. The appointment of a prime minister will follow on from these consultations and their conclusions, the statement said. A leftist coalition, the New Popular Front, won about one-third of the seats at the National Assembly, more than any other group, in last month's legislative elections. Macron's centrist alliance came out second and the far-right National Rally emerged in third position. The absence of any dominant political bloc -- and the prospect of a hung parliament and political paralysis

PM Modi to travel to Ukraine on armoured 'Train Force One'; check features

Train Force One has previously been used by world leaders such as US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron for their trips to Kyiv

France's beautiful dream fades as Paris Games give way to political crisis

Talks over government jobs and budget cuts loom, with voter anger sure to follow

Will keep centrist caretaker govt on through Paris Olympics, says Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday he will maintain the country's centrist caretaker government through the end of the Olympic Games in mid-August to avoid disorder. His announcement in a TV interview came shortly after the leftist coalition that won the most votes in this month's parliamentary elections selected little-known civil servant Lucie Castets as their choice for prime minister. Macron said the current caretaker government will handle current affairs during the Olympics," which run through Aug. 11. Until mid-August, we're not in a position to be able to change things because it would prompt disorder, he said. There is no firm timeline for when Macron must name a new prime minister. The parliamentary elections left the National Assembly with no dominant political bloc in power for the first time in France's modern Republic. Macron, who has a presidential mandate until 2027, has the ultimate say in who is to be appointed as prime minister. However, the prime ...

France's new lawmakers set to pick a speaker as political turmoil persists

France's influential lower house of parliament, the National Assembly, will elect its speaker on Thursday evening after a chaotic early election called by President Emmanuel Macron produced a hung legislature. Two figures emerged as favorites after two nonconclusive rounds of vote: outgoing Speaker Yal Braun-Pivet of Macron's centrist party, and the candidate of the leftist coalition, communist lawmaker Andr Chassaigne. The parliamentary election earlier this month resulted in a split between three major political blocs: the New Popular Front leftist coalition, Macron's centrist allies and the far-right National Rally party. None of them won an outright majority. Thursday's opening session of the National Assembly comes two days after Macron accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and other ministers, but asked them to handle affairs in a caretaker capacity until a new government is appointed, as France prepares to host the Paris Olympics at the end of the ...

French President Macron accepts formal resignation of PM Gabriel Attal

The development comes ahead of the Olympics that is due to start in France from next week

French Prez accepts PM's resignation, keeps him as head of caretaker govt

French President Emmanuel Macron accepted the prime minister's resignation on Tuesday but kept him on as head of a caretaker government. Macron's office said in a statement that Macron accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and other ministers on Tuesday. Attal and other government members are to handle current affairs until a new government is being appointed, the statement said. There is no firm timeline for when Macron must name a new prime minister. France is about to host the Paris Olympic Games at the end of the month. Attal offered his resignation last week after a chaotic election result left the government in limbo. Macron asked him to remain temporarily as the head of the government pending a further decision, with France about to be under an international spotlight as it hosts the Paris Olympics. French media said the prime minister's resignation is expected to be formally accepted by Macron by Tuesday evening. The move would allow Attal to take up h

Macron refuses resignation of France PM for 'stability of country'

President Emmanuel Macron refused the resignation of France's prime minister, asking him on Monday to remain temporarily as the head of the government after a chaotic election result left the government in limbo. Voters split the legislature on the left, centre and far right, leaving no faction even close to the majority needed to form a government. The results from Sunday's vote raised the risk of paralysis for the European Union's second-largest economy. Macron gambled that his decision to call an early election would give France a moment of clarification, but the outcome showed the opposite, less than three weeks before the start of the Paris Olympics, when the country will be under an international spotlight. The French stock market fell upon opening before quickly recovering, possibly because markets had feared an outright victory for the far right or the leftist coalition. Prime Minister Gabriel Attal had said he would remain in office if needed, but offered his resignation .

Far-right groups from France, Hungary to be new political force in EU Parl

Far-right parties from 12 countries, including France's National Rally and Hungary's ruling Fidesz, announced on Monday that they have joined together to form a new bloc in the European Parliament and plan to become a major political force. The European Parliament moved perceptibly to the right following Europe-wide elections a month ago as many voters abandoned the business-friendly liberals and environmentalist Greens. Mainstream centre-right and centre-left groups still hold the majority though. The new bloc, dubbed Patriots for Europe, is made up of 84 EU lawmakers and will be led by Jordan Bardella, the 28-year-old protg of Marine Le Pen. Kinga Gl, from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbn's Fidesz party, will be first vice president. Right-wing parties from Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain are also involved. Forming a group brings parties more influence, money and the possibility of coveted posts on ...

French revolution

Hung Parliament points to turmoil ahead

Macron refuses French PM's resignation after chaotic election results

French President Emmanual Macron refused the resignation Monday of the country's prime minister, asking him on Monday to remain temporarily as the head of the government after chaotic election results left the government in limbo. French voters split the legislature on the left, center and far-right, leaving no faction even close to the majority needed to form a government. The results from Sunday's vote raised the risk of paralysis for the European Union's second-largest economy. President Emmanuel Macron gambled that his decision to call snap elections would give France a moment of clarification, but the outcome showed the opposite, less than three weeks before the start of the Paris Olympics thrusts the country on the international stage. France's main share index opened with a dip, but quickly recovered, possibly because markets had feared an outright victory for the far right or the leftist coalition. Prime Minister Gabriel Attal had said he would remain in office if needed bu