66 h. ago Family of British commentator Sami Hamdi accuse US of ‘abducting’ him over criticism of Israel

The family of British commentator Sami Hamdi claim his detention is a politically motivated attempt to silence his support for Palestinian rights

Politics

7 d. ago Brigitte Macron ‘given male name on her tax file by hackers’ as 10 people face trial over cruel claims she’s not a woman

BRIGITTE Macron was given a male name on the official French tax portal by a team of cruel hackers, according to a top governmental official. The glamorous French First Lady, 72, is locked in a bitter yet bizarre legal battle to prove she is a biological woman as 10 people now face trial for "sexist cyberbullying". ...

Politics

9 d. ago French Socialists threaten to topple government over wealth tax

Olivier Faure gives prime minister ultimatum to increase taxes on country’s wealthiest or face no-confidence vote

Politics

1 week ago Louvre heist puts pressure on French government over museum security

Justice minister says ‘we have failed’ after thieves take seven minutes to steal priceless jewels from museumThe French government is under increasing pressure over museum security as police continue to search for thieves who took seven minutes to steal priceless jewels from the Louvre, the world’s most-visited museum.“What is certain is that we have failed, since people were able to park a furniture hoist in the middle of Paris, get people up it in several minutes to grab priceless jewels, and give France a terrible image,” the justice minister, Gérald Darmanin, told France Inter radio on Monday. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Prince Andrew's attempt to 'dig up dirt on Virginia Giuffre' claim branded 'deeply concerning'

A Cabinet minister has said reports that Prince Andrew tried to get the Metropolitan Police to dig up dirt on his sexual assault accuser Virginia Giuffre are 'deeply concerning'

Politics

2 w. ago French theme park firm won UK government support despite far

Tory trade minister promised to ‘assist’ plans to open £600m Puy du Fou site in Oxfordshire, emails showsA French business that is planning to build a vast £600m historical theme park in rural Oxfordshire won help for its plans from the previous government despite its founding family’s ties to the far right and past praise of Vladimir Putin.Correspondence obtained under freedom of information (FoI) laws showed the Conservative peer Dominic Johnson, a business and trade minister in Rishi Sunak’s government, promised to “assist” Puy du Fou – one of France’s most popular theme parks – in finding a UK site. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Ministers locked in talks over ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans at Aston Villa tie

No 10 says discussions happening ‘at pace’ to resolve issue after decision by West Midlands police to issue banUK politics live – latest updatesMinisters have been locked in talks in an attempt to persuade West Midlands police to reverse a ban on fans of the Israeli football team Maccabi Tel Aviv attending a match at Villa Park next month.After a political outcry about the decision, Downing Street said on Friday that discussions were happening “at pace, across government” to resolve the issue. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Broken promises and political crises: how Emmanuel Macron fell from French favour

The president is seen to have accelerated the financial crisis, social inequalities and the rise of the far rightEurope live – latest updatesThree French governments have collapsed in less than a year, and the political crisis looks likely to continue, overshadowing Emmanuel Macron’s last 18 months in power and his domestic legacy.This week, the latest minority government narrowly survived its first vote of no confidence. But it remains the weakest cabinet in decades and could be toppled at any moment if opposition parties join together to oust it. France faces a brutal two-month battle in parliament to achieve what once seemed the most basic element of governance: passing a budget. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Number of Channel crossing arrivals ‘frustrating’, says border security chief

Border Security Commander Martin Hewitt said he finds the numbers very challenging but that work to stop crossings was always going to take time.

Events

2 w. ago French political crisis continues as Lecornu unveils new government – Europe live

Marine Le Pen says she will seek to call a no-confidence motion as she urges Macron to dissolve the National AssemblySpeaking from Egypt, French president Emmanuel Macron dismissed opposition calls for his resignation, insisting he would remain in office to safeguard the country’s stability.“Never forget that the mandate given by the French people is to serve, to serve and serve, and to provide answers to the questions of everyday French people, and to do everything possible for the independence of France,” Macron told reporters in Sharm el-Sheikh. “That is the only thing that matters. The rest is the government’s business I will continue to ensure stability,” he added. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Inside Macron’s political crisis as French government descends into farce: ‘An extraordinary tragicomedy’

The resignation of prime minister Sebastien Lecornu , and his subsequent reappointment, is the latest chapter in France’s ongoing political turmoil. Analysts tell James C. Reynolds that the rot may be too deep for President Emmanuel Macron to fix

Politics

3 w. ago How domestic deadlock brought Jupiterian Macron back to earth

Only the spectre of the far right in government might save the embattled French president and his ambitions for Europe

Politics

3 w. ago Macron summons parties for crunch meeting in frantic effort to appoint PM

All parties except National Rally and La France Insoumise called on by president to show ‘collective responsibility’Europe live – latest updatesEmmanuel Macron has summoned the leaders of several political parties to his office to demand they show “collective responsibility” as he attempts to appoint a new prime minister amid a deepening political crisis.All political parties except Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally, which is the biggest single opposition party, and Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s leftwing La France Insoumise were called to the meeting at the presidential palace before Macron’s self-imposed deadline to name a new prime minister by Friday night. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Outgoing French PM says ‘path still exists’ to avoid snap elections

Sébastien Lecornu says majority of MPs willing to seek agreement on budget and avoid further instabilityFrance’s caretaker prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu, has said a majority of MPs “rejects the idea” of snap elections and that “a path still exists” that should allow Emmanuel Macron to appoint a new premier within 48 hours.“Several groups are willing to seek agreement on a budget” for 2026, Lecornu told France 2 public television on Wednesday, and were making clear their “conditions”. Talks would be difficult, he said, but “the prospect of a dissolution [of parliament] is fading”. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Outgoing French PM says ‘there is desire’ to agree budget and talks down prospect of snap election – Europe live

Sébastien Lecornu speaks at the Matignon Palace and expresses optimism that parliament will not need to be dissolvedLecornu clarified on Wednesday that outgoing ministers from his government would not be entitled to compensation, according to Le Monde.The resigning prime minister noted in his speech that the topic of compensation for such ministers had upset “a certain number of French people”.It turns out that members of the government, when they leave office, are entitled to three months of compensation when they have no other income.It is obvious that ministers who were ministers for only a few hours will not be entitled to these compensations. I have decided to suspend them.This willingness creates a momentum and a convergence, obviously, which make the possibilities of a dissolution more remote. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago The Guardian view on political chaos in France: the gift that keeps on giving to Marine Le Pen and the far right | Editorial

Influential abroad, Emmanuel Macron’s strategic errors at home are bringing mainstream French politics into disrepute at a crucial momentIn Jean-Paul Sartre’s 1944 play No Exit, hell is portrayed as a locked room in which characters are condemned to fall out and squabble for all eternity. Ever since foolishly calling a snap election which delivered a deadlocked and divided national assembly, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, has found himself trapped in a modern political version of the same plot.On Monday morning, the third prime minister Mr Macron has appointed in just over a year became the latest to throw in the towel, after only 27 days in the job. Hours after unveiling his ministerial team, Sébastien Lecornu stood down following a backlash from centre-right allies, who objected to the number of carryovers from François Bayrou’s previous administration. By Monday evening, Mr Macron had persuaded Mr Lecornu to conduct a round of last-ditch negotiations to try to resolv...

Politics

3 w. ago What happened on a chaotic day in French politics – and what next?

Sébastien Lecornu agreed two days’ extension to his 27-day premiership in last-ditch effort to form governmentMacron makes last-ditch effort to retain French PM after rapid resignationEurope live – latest updatesEven by recent standards, Monday was a day of high drama in France’s corridors of power.In the morning, hours after his new cabinet was announced and less than a month after his appointment, the prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu, resigned along with his government. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. 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

3 w. 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

4 w. 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