Page 3 - France

French PM Lecornu to suspend pension reform to avoid govt collapse

French Prime Minister Sbastien Lecornu on Tuesday announced he would suspend a much-debated plan to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64, in a move aimed at preventing his fragile minority government from being toppled. After a week of political turmoil, the newly reappointed Lecornu said in a policy speech at the National Assembly that the law, a flagship initiative of President Emmanuel Macron, would be put on hold until after the next presidential election, to be held in 2027. The Socialist Party, which is not part of the governing coalition, had demanded the law be repealed, and Lecornu's offer to suspend it was seen as a prerequisite for the Socialists' potential support. On Thursday, Lecornu will face two no-confidence motions, one from the hard-left France Unbowed and the other from the far-right National Rally. The two parties do not hold enough seats to topple Lecornu's government on their own, but the prime minister could quickly be undone if the Socialists and others on

Army Chiefs of India and France discuss strengthening defence ties

The ongoing military engagement between the two nations builds on General Dwivedi's visit to France earlier this year

Sarkozy set to become France's first former president to serve jail term

Nicolas Sarkozy was told by prosecutors that he will be incarcerated on Oct 21, according to BFM TV, which added that the former president would be held in the Paris prison of La Sante

France's re-appointed PM names new Cabinet in bid to quell political crisis

France's newly reappointed Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu named a new government Sunday, as he faces pressure to urgently produce a budget and quell political turmoil that is scaring businesses and investors and staining the country's image. The Cabinet includes several familiar faces from previous governments who hail from French President Emmanuel Macron's centrist camp, as well as allied conservatives, and some people from outside the political sphere. It is unclear how long this new team will last. Macron, whose term ends in 2027, lacks a majority in the deeply fractured parliament and is losing support from his own ranks. Meanwhile, Marine Le Pen's ascendant far-right National Rally party is calling for new elections, while far-left France Unbowed wants the president to resign. Immediately after the president's office announced the new Cabinet, the conservative Republicans party announced it was expelling the six party members who agreed to join the government. Lecornu, a ..

French PM Sebastien Lecornu races against the clock to form government

Just two days after being reappointed, Lecornu must present a draft budget bill to cabinet and parliament on Monday

France's re-appointed PM Lecornu calls for calm amid political chaos

France's newly re-appointed prime minister acknowledged Saturday that there weren't a lot of candidates for his job and that he might not last long in the post given the country's deep political divides. Sebastien Lecornu, renamed by President Emmanuel Macron late Friday after a week of political chaos, called for calm and for the support of political parties to produce a budget for the European Union's No. 2 economy before looming deadlines. His appointment is seen as Macron's last chance to reinvigorate his second term, which runs until 2027. His centrist camp lacks a majority in the National Assembly and he is facing increasing criticism even within its ranks. But rivals from far right to far left slammed Macron's decision to rename Lecornu, France's fourth prime minister in barely a year. France is struggling with mounting economic challenges and ballooning debt, and the political crisis is aggravating its troubles and raising alarm across the European Union. I don't think the

'We must end this crisis': Macron reappoints Lecornu as prime minister

French President Emmanuel Macron reappointed Sebastien Lecornu days after his resignation, tasking him with forming a new government and delivering a budget to end France's political stalemate

Macron set to appoint new French PM in last-ditch move to tackle turmoil

After a week of intense political turmoil, French President Emmanuel Macron is set to appoint a new prime minister on Friday in his latest bid to break the political deadlock that has gripped the country for more than a year, as France struggles with mounting economic challenges and ballooning debt. The appointment is widely seen as the president's last chance to revive his second term, which runs until 2027. With no majority in the National Assembly to push through his agenda, Macron faces increasingly fierce criticism, even from within his own camp, and has little room to manoeuvre. Outgoing Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu abruptly resigned on Monday, only hours after unveiling a new Cabinet. The shock resignation prompted calls for Macron to step down or dissolve parliament again. But they remained unanswered, with the president instead announcing on Wednesday that he would name a successor within 48 hours. Over the past year, Macron's successive minority governments have ...

France woos Indian students with affordable courses, 2-yr post-study visas

As the US and Europe tighten visa rules, France invites more Indian students with affordable education, English courses, and post-study visas

Macron to name new French PM within 48 hrs amid deepening political crisis

French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday that he will name a new prime minister in the next 48 hours, for now rejecting other options in the face of a political storm. The naming of a replacement for outgoing Prime Minister Sbastien Lecornu, who abruptly resigned on Monday, will at least for now move France away from the likelihood of snap legislative elections, another possibility that is available to the French leader but which could plunge the European Union's second-largest economy into even greater uncertainty. The announcement from Macron's office of a prime ministerial appointment before the weekend came after Lecornu at the president's request spent the two days after his resignation taking the temperature in Parliament, to see whether there was enough support in the powerful but fractured lower house to form a new government. Lecornu concluded that there was, even though Macron's camp and its allies don't have a majority in the National Assembly and the French ..

France sees 17% rise in Indian students, nears 2030 target of 30,000

France has recorded a 17% rise in Indian student enrolments for 2024-25, bringing it closer to its goal of hosting 30,000 Indian students by 2030, the Embassy of France said

India's UPI expansion continues: Qatar latest to adopt, check full list

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal attended the launch of UPI in Doha, Qatar, marking another step in India's growing digital payments expansion abroad

Gold nears $4,000 an ounce for first time ever: What's driving the rally?

According to the goldprice website, the current gold price, at the time of publishing this report, was recorded at $3965.63

Yen tumbles on likely new leader, euro slides after French PM resigns

The dollar rose 1.8 per cent to 150.1 yen, its highest since August. If sustained, that would be its biggest daily gain since May 12

French PM Sebastien Lecornu resigns after under a month in office

France Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu resigned just hours after unveiling his cabinet, ending his brief 26-day tenure amid political criticism

Emmanuel Macron ally Roland Lescure named France's new finance minister

An initial salvo of 18 ministers was announced on Sunday evening by Emmanuel Moulin, Secretary General of the Élysee Palace

French PM Lecornu rejects forced Budget law, seeks cross-party support

France's new prime minister announced Friday he would not use a special constitutional power to force a budget through parliament without a vote and will instead seek a compromise with lawmakers from the left and the right. Sbastien Lecornu, a 39 year-old centrist, was appointed last month by President Emmanuel Macron after political turmoil over planned spending cuts that led to the fall of his predecessor. Friday's move seek to prevent a no-confidence motion from being voted at parliament, where Lecornu lacks a majority. Each lawmaker must be able to have power, must be able to have responsibility, Lecornu said. I decided to renounce using the article 49.3 of the Constitution. The government will need to change its method, build compromises during the parliamentary debate, he added. The so-called 49.3 article provides says the government can pass a bill without a vote at the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament. Lecornu's predecessor, Franois Bayrou, used it to pass

Shein's first permanent stores in France spark backlash: What it means

The opening of permanent stores represents a major milestone for the company, which until now has relied primarily on temporary pop-up shops worldwide as a marketing strategy

Macron links tanker seized off French coast to Russia's shadow oil fleet

French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday that an oil tanker immobilised off the French Atlantic coast had committed very serious wrongdoings and linked it to Russia's shadow fleet, which is avoiding Western sanctions over Moscow's war in Ukraine. The tanker was sailing last week off the coast of Denmark and was cited by European naval experts as possibly being involved in drone flights over the country. French naval forces forcibly boarded the ship a few days ago at the request of prosecutors who suspected wrongdoing, a military official said Wednesday. The prosecutor's office in the western French city of Brest said a judicial investigation has been opened into the crew's refusal to cooperate and failure to justify the nationality of the vessel. The ship was ordered to stay in place pending further investigation, the military official said. French naval forces boarded the ship again Wednesday to provide food and fuel to the crew aboard, according to the official, who was no