Page 8 - France

France faces more political upheaval as PM Bayrou's fate hangs in balance

France risks losing its third prime minister in 12 months on Monday, with incumbent Francois Bayrou facing a parliamentary confidence vote that he called but is widely expected to lose, heralding more instability for the European Union's second-largest economy. The 74-year-old centrist prime minister, appointed by President Emmanuel Macron just under nine months ago, is gambling that the vote will unite lawmakers in the sharply divided National Assembly behind proposed public spending cuts that Bayrou argues are needed to rein in France's spiralling state deficit and debts. But opposition lawmakers are vowing to instead use the opportunity to topple Bayrou and his minority government of centrist and right-wing ministers, an upheaval that would force Macron to begin what could be another arduous hunt for a replacement. A key vote The National Assembly of 577 lawmakers is interrupting its summer recess for the extraordinary session that Bayrou requested, starting at 3 pm (1300 GMT; 0

Why France's financial woes are pushing its govt to the brink

On Monday, President Emmanuel Macron's government is expected to fall for the second time in just nine months after a confidence vote in Parliament

European leaders face tough choices as UK, France host meeting on Ukraine

European countries are stuck between a rock and a hard place as a coalition of countries meets in Paris on Thursday to discuss security guarantees for a postwar Ukraine. The war is raging unabated, with no ceasefire in sight and the crucial question of American involvement in ensuring Ukraine's future security remains unresolved. For months, the so-called coalition of the willing has been meeting to discuss aid for Ukraine, including sketching out plans for military support in the event of a ceasefire to deter future Russian aggression. The coalition leaders French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer have insisted that any European reassurance force in Ukraine needs the backing of the United States. But while US President Donald Trump has hinted his country will be involved, he has moved away from calling for a ceasefire in Ukraine and refrained from implementing tough additional economic measures to punish Moscow. Although Trump said he is disappointed

France, Saudi to co-chair conference on two-state solution for Palestine

Macron also set priorities for the conference that include permanent ceasefire, hostage release, large-scale aid to Gaza, and a stabilisation mission in the Gaza Strip

US envoys spark diplomatic tensions, White House not doing much about it

Do not antagonise one's opponents unnecessarily, a basic principle of diplomacy says. But as the United States faces a trade war with China and various tensions overseas, President Donald Trump's emissaries are increasingly ticking off allied countries and being called to account. Just this week, no fewer than three US envoys scrambled to extricate themselves from diplomatic hot water. Denmark's foreign minister summoned the top US diplomat in the country to answer for reports that at least three people with connections to Trump have been carrying out covert influence operations in Greenland, a Danish territory. France summoned the US ambassador, Trump in-law Charles Kushner, over his letter to President Emmanuel Macron alleging the country has not done enough to fight antisemitism. And the American ambassador to Turkiye, longtime Trump friend Tom Barrack, apologised Thursday for using the word animalistic while calling for a gaggle of reporters to quiet down during a press confere

Fight against antisemitism must not be weaponised: Macron tells Netanyahu

The tensions come after Netanyahu, in mid-August, accused Macron of fuelling antisemitism in France by announcing that the country would recognise a Palestinian state during a UN meeting in September

All you need to know about Charles Kushner, US diplomat summoned to Paris

Paris' summoning of US Ambassador to France Charles Kushner, following his allegations that the country had not done enough to combat antisemitism, indicates its formal displeasure with the diplomat. But Kushner the father of Jared Kushner, son-in-law to President Donald Trump did not respond to a summons Monday and sent his No. 2 instead, according to a French diplomatic official. Charles Kushner was summoned after writing a letter to French President Emmanuel Macron alleging the country did not do enough to combat antisemitism. The foreign ministry called his allegations "unacceptable." French-US relations have faced tensions this year amid Trump's trade war and a split over the future of UN peacekeepers in Lebanon. France and the U.S. also have been divided on support for Ukraine in its war with Russia, but the split has eased with Trump expressing support for security guarantees and a warm meeting with Macron and other European leaders at the White House last week. Here's wha

PM Modi receives call from 'friend' Macron, talks bilateral ties, Ukraine

PM Modi reiterated India's consistent support for peaceful resolution of the conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia and early restoration of peace and stability

Statehood for Palestine? The legal test, the war, and the global shift

Global calls for Palestinian statehood rise, but legal, political, and diplomatic roadblocks remain complex and contested

French court upholds some of Assad's protections, allows future warrants

France's highest court on Friday upheld some of Syrian ex-leader Bashar Assad's personal immunity as a head of state while green-lighting possible future war crime warrants, drawing criticism from human rights lawyers and Syrian activists. The Cour de Cassation upheld Assad's head-of-state immunity, but added that since he is no longer in office, new arrest warrants may have been or may be issued against him for acts that may constitute war crimes or crimes against humanity. The decision is a blow to activists who had hoped the court would set aside the immunity, a decision that could have had far-reaching consequences for other leaders accused of atrocities. From our side as a victim, this is a huge mistake. This will support another dictatorship to keep doing this kind of crime they know they will enjoy immunity, said Mazen Darwish, president of the Syrian Centre for Media, which collected evidence of war crimes. It is a sad day for us, Darwish said. Missed opportunity for ...

French court to rule on Assad immunity over Syria chemical attack charges

France's highest court is ruling Friday on whether it can strip the head of state immunity of Bashar Assad, the former leader of Syria now in exile in Russia, because of the brutality of the evidence in accusations against him collected by Syrian activists and European prosecutors. If the judges at the Cour de Cassation lift Assad's immunity, it could pave the way for his trial in absentia over the use of chemical weapons in Ghouta in 2013 and Douma in 2018, and set a precedent to allow the prosecution of other government leaders linked to atrocities, human rights activists and lawyers say. Assad has retained no lawyers for these charges and has denied he was behind the chemical attacks. Ruling could open door for prosecutions in other countries A ruling against Assad would be a huge victory for the victims, said Mazen Darwish, president of the Syrian Center for Media which collected evidence of war crimes. It's not only about Syrians, this will open the door for the victims from

US slams French Prez Macron's decision to recognise Palestinian state at UN

Macron shared a letter to Mahmoud Abbas on X, confirming France's plan to recognise Palestine at the UNGA and rally support from other nations for the move

We want to provide trade stability and have lowest tariffs possible: Macron

Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday he would coordinate with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and their other European counterparts

Iran, European nations to hold first nuclear talks since Israel ceasefire

Iran said Monday it would hold renewed talks this week with European nations over the country's nuclear program, with discussions to be hosted by Turkey. The talks, to be held in Istanbul on Friday, will be the first since a ceasefire was reached after a 12-day war waged by Israel against Iran in June, which also saw the United States strike nuclear-related facilities in the Islamic Republic. A similar meeting had been held in the Turkish city in May. The discussions will bring Iranian officials together with officials from Britain, France and Germany known as the E3 nations and will include the European Union's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas. The topic of the talks is clear, lifting sanctions and issues related to the peaceful nuclear programme of Iran," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said in his weekly briefing. He said the meeting will be held at the deputy ministerial level. Under a 2015 deal designed to cap Iran's nuclear activities, Iran agreed to toug

Iran may hold nuclear talks with UK, France, Germany next week: Report

The three European countries, along with China and Russia, are the remaining parties to a 2015 nuclear deal reached with Iran - from which the United States withdrew in 2018

India, France to collaborate on ₹61,000 cr deal for fighter engines

The ₹61,000 crore initiative seeks to develop a 120 kilonewton engine for future platforms, with French company Safran offering full technology transfer as part of the collaboration

France, UK, Germany likely to restore UN sanctions on Iran next month

The United Kingdom, France and Germany have agreed to restore tough UN sanctions on Iran by the end of August if there has been no concrete progress on a nuclear deal, two European diplomats said on Tuesday. The three countries' ambassadors to the United Nations met Tuesday at Germany's UN Mission to discuss a possible Iranian deal and reimposing the sanctions. The matter also came up in a phone call on Monday between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the foreign ministers of the three countries, according to two US officials. The State Department said after the call that the four had spoken about ensuring Iran does not develop or obtain a nuclear weapon. The officials and diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. The UK, France and Germany are part of an agreement reached with Iran in 2015 to rein in its nuclear programme, from which President Donald Trump withdrew the US during his first term, insisting it wasn't tough enough. Under the acco

Fireworks, warplanes, axes: Here's how France celebrates Bastille Day

Swooping warplanes, axe-carrying warriors, a drone light show over the Eiffel Tower and fireworks in nearly every French town it must be Bastille Day. France is celebrating its biggest holiday Monday with 7,000 people marching, on horseback or riding armoured vehicles along the cobblestones of the Champs-Elysees, the most iconic avenue in Paris. And there are plans for partying and pageantry around the country. Why Bastille Day is a big deal Parisians stormed the Bastille fortress and prison on July 14, 1789, a spark for the French Revolution that overthrew the monarchy. In the ensuing two centuries, France saw Napoleon's empire rise and fall, more uprisings and two world wars before settling into today's Fifth Republic, established in 1958. Bastille Day has become a central moment for modern France, celebrating democratic freedoms and national pride, a melange of revolutionary spirit and military prowess. The Paris parade beneath the Arc de Triomphe so impressed visiting US ...

French President announces 6.5 bn euros in extra military spending in 2 yrs

French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday announced 6.5 billion euros in extra military spending in the next two years because of new and unprecedented threats, from Russia to terrorists to online attacks. He laid out the spending plans in a sweeping speech calling for intensified efforts to protect Europe. He said France will aim to spend 64 billion euros in annual defence spending in 2027, the last year of his second term. "To be free in this world we must be feared. To be feared we must be powerful," he said. "Since 1945, freedom has never been so threatened, and never so seriously.

France's agriculture-food sector worst impacted by Trump tariffs

Officials from the European Commission, the EU's executive arm, are also trying to win concessions for particular sectors as part of a possible agreement