84 m. ago France is plunged into fresh chaos as another PM QUITS weeks after his appointment in new humiliation for Emmanuel Macron

President Emmanuel Macron on Monday accepted Lecornu's resignation, the Elysee Palace said, plunging the European nation further into political deadlock.

Politics

6 h. ago Macron appoints new French government in attempt to end political deadlock

Rivals say president’s latest cabinet represents unwelcome continuity and hard-left party vows to file no-confidence motion amid fraught budget talksFrench president Emmanuel Macron has named a new government as he struggles to pull the country out of a political crisis, while rivals threatened to topple the lineup quickly if it failed to break with Macron’s past policies.The new cabinet was unveiled nearly a month after the appointment of prime minister Sebastien Lecornu, who sought to obtain cross-party support in a deeply divided parliament. Continue reading...

Politics

58 h. ago Attempted assassin of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh sentenced to more than eight years in prison

Sophie Roske pleaded guilty to the assassination attempt in April

Events

2 w. ago UK, Canada and Australia announce formal recognition of Palestine, with wave of Israel’s allies to follow

Partly symbolic move by up to 10 states comes amid fears Israel could respond by annexing parts of West BankA wave of Israel’s allies are announcing their recognition of the state of Palestine, as part of a wider manoeuvre designed to ostracise Hamas and challenge attempts by the Israeli government to erase the chance of a Palestinian homeland.But the delicate and partly symbolic move by as many 10 states, pioneered largely by the French government, has the potential to lead to a negative spiral of further confrontation amid fears Israel will respond by annexing parts of the West Bank, leading in turn to European trade sanctions and further political isolation for Israel, including an ultimate possible suspension from the UN. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago French mayors to fly Palestinian flags despite government orders

Several French mayors plan to fly Palestinian flags on town halls, defying government orders

Politics

2 w. ago France should have recognised Palestinian statehood years ago. The cynic in me asks: why now? | Rokhaya Diallo

Weakened domestically, Emmanuel Macron wants an international legacy. Yet still, he does nothing to sanction IsraelWhen Emmanuel Macron announced that France intended to recognise Palestinian statehood, he drew a furious rebuke from Israel – and caused a diplomatic storm with the US. Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, wrote a letter accusing the French government of failing to “confront the alarming rise of antisemitism” in France, adding the harsh and unequivocal assessment: “Your call for a Palestinian state pours fuel on this antisemitic fire.”In the same letter, he praised Donald Trump’s action to “protect the civil rights of American Jews”.Rokhaya Diallo is a Guardian Europe columnist Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Sally Rooney and Annie Ernaux among authors urging Macron to reinstate Gaza writers programme

20 authors, including Viet Thanh Nguyen and Abdulrazak Gurnah, call on the French president to restart scheme to help creatives evacuateSally Rooney, Deborah Levy, Nobel laureate Annie Ernaux and Pulitzer winner Viet Thanh Nguyen are among 20 authors urging French president Emmanuel Macron to resume a “lifeline” programme for evacuating Palestinian writers, scholars and artists from Gaza.The Pause programme for writers and artists in emergency situations, as well as a student evacuation programme, were abruptly suspended by the French government at the beginning of August over a Palestinian student’s allegedly antisemitic online remarks, a decision that the letter-writing authors said amounted to a “collective punishment”. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Eritrean man wins High Court bid to block removal in latest blow to Government's ‘one in, one out’ drive

Ministers agreed the pilot scheme with the French government in July as part of efforts to deter the number of arrivals by small boat crossings

Politics

2 w. ago Man wins High Court bid to block removal to France under ‘one in, one out’ drive

Ministers agreed the pilot scheme with the French government in July as part of efforts to deter the number of arrivals by small boat crossings.

Events

3 w. ago French companies’ borrowing costs fall below government’s as debt fears intensify

Lower yields for groups including L’Oréal, Airbus and Axa upend typical order and signal Paris’s loss of ‘risk-free’ status

Politics

3 w. ago Brazil's Bolsonaro faces final votes by Supreme Court's justices in his attempted coup trial

Brazil’s Supreme Court is to deliver the final two votes by its justices on former President Jair Bolsonaro alleged coup attempt — votes that could send the far-right politician to prison within weeks and deeply impact the nation’s politics

Politics

3 w. ago Major travel warning as biggest French ATC strike in years to impact over 36,000 Brits

On September 18, the SNCTA union, which represents 80% of French controllers, will stage a 24-hour walkout in protest against government budget cuts and stalled wage talks

Events

3 w. ago ‘My first barricade’: French protests unite teachers, gilets jaunes and students

Thousands join Block Everything rallies across France to express anger at government and austerityAt 7am on the eastern edge of the busy Paris ring road at Montreuil, Jess, a 35-year-old hospital neurologist, had joined protesters attempting to stop traffic in order to show her anger at the French government.“Inequality is rife in France and this is the only way to be heard,” she said. Pushed back with teargas by riot police, Jess, who asked for her real name not to be published, said she was scared by police tactics but felt it was crucial to be on the streets. Continue reading...

Society

3 w. ago ‘My first barricade’: latest French protests unite people from variety of backgrounds

Students, health workers and the children of gilets jaunes protesters among those at ‘Block Everything’ ralliesAt 7am on the eastern edge of the busy Paris ring road at Montreuil, Jess, a 35-year-old hospital neurologist, had joined protesters attempting to stop traffic in order to show her anger at the French government.“Inequality is rife in France and this is the only way to be heard,” she said. Pushed back with teargas by riot police, Jess, who asked for her real name not to be published, said she was scared by police tactics but felt it was crucial to be on the streets. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago New French PM takes office as ‘Block Everything’ protests rock country – Europe live

Sebastien Lecornu appointment comes amid protests across France including 1,000 demonstrators trying to enter Gare du Nord station in ParisEmmanuel Macron appoints his third prime minister in a yearA teacher taking part in the protests in Paris said he was against the ousted government’s planned budget cuts. “[François]Bayrou was ousted, [now] his policies must be eliminated,” Christophe Lalande told Reuters, calling for more funding for schools and hospitals.At another protest in the city, unionist Amar Lagha told the news agency:This day is a message to all the workers of this country: that there is no resignation, the fight continues, and a message to this government that we won’t back down, and if we have to die, we’ll die standing. Continue reading...

Society

3 w. ago Macron appoints new Prime Minister just 24 hours after François Bayrou lost confidence vote: Defence minister, 39, becomes country's fourth PM in a year

French President Macron late Tuesday appointed Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu as France's new prime minister, the country's fourth in about a year.

Politics

3 w. ago Macron appoints ally Sébastien Lecornu as France’s prime minister

New premier will have the tricky task of trying to secure parliamentary approval for a budget

Politics

3 w. ago Macron appoints new Prime Minister just 24 hours after François Bayrou lost confidence vote: Defence minister, 39, country's fourth PM in a year

French President Macron late Tuesday appointed Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu as France's new prime minister, the country's fourth in about a year.

Politics

3 w. ago Macron appoints Sébastien Lecornu as France’s new prime minister

Defence minister has served in all of the president’s governments

Politics

3 w. ago France to get third PM in a year as Bayrou resigns after confidence vote

Prime minister hands in resignation after thousands of protesters gather to celebrate ousting and plan day of actionThe French prime minister, François Bayrou, has handed in his resignation after losing a confidence vote that has plunged France into government collapse and political crisis.Emmanuel Macron has said he will appoint a new prime minister in the coming days, who would then have to form a new government. This will be the third French prime minister in a year, whose first task will be the major challenge of agreeing a budget among a divided parliament. Continue reading...

Politics