Vincent Sizaire, Université Paris Nanterre – Université Paris Lumières Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been found guilty of criminal conspiracy in a case related to the Libyan funding of his 2007 presidential campaign. Sentenced to five years in prison, he is due to appear in court on 13 October to learn the
Luc Rouban, Sciences Po Marine Le Pen, the figurehead of France’s far-right National Rally (RN) party and a three-time presidential candidate, has been found guilty of misappropriating public funds and sentenced to four years’ imprisonment and five years of ineligibility for public office, with immediate effect. Despite her decision to appeal, the March 31
Benoît Grémare, Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3 In February 2020, French President Emmanuel Macron said it was time to reflect on the European dimension of French nuclear deterrence. He proposed a strategic dialogue as well as joint nuclear exercises between European partners. Five years later, Germany’s likely next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, responded to this
Simon Toubeau, University of Nottingham France’s shortest-lived government has fallen in a vote of no confidence triggered by a dispute over now-departing prime minister Michel Barnier’s budget. The vote was led by the leftwing populists La France Insoumise and was supported by vote from the far-right Rassemblement National (RN) in an act that
Neanderthal remains found in France reveals there were not one, but at least two lineages of late Neanderthals in Europe, our research shows
Magdalena Frennhoff Larsén, University of Westminster The recent landmark decision in France to inscribe the right to abortion in the constitution serves to protect the law that first legalised abortion in the country in 1975. This law – the so-called Veil law – was championed by Simone Veil, one of France’s most admired
Arnaud Mercier, Université Paris-Panthéon-Assas For the last six years, President Emmanuel Macron of France has taken full advantage of institutional mechanisms to impose his hyper-presidential approach on executive power. But the absence of an absolute parliamentary majority has disrupted the smooth running of his system. A fourth prime minister in six years is
Michael Kelly, University of Southampton Those who watched the coronation of King Charles III in May 2023 would be forgiven for thinking that the United Kingdom is the very opposite of a secular country. In Westminster Abbey the new head of state received his mandate from the Archbishop of Canterbury and thus became
Colin Manning, Newcastle University and Hayley J. Fowler, Newcastle University Storm Ciarán made landfall in south-west England and northern France overnight on November 1, with heavy rain and winds blowing up to 180 kilometers per hour (108 mph). The UK Met Office names storms each winter season, which starts in early September, and
Virginie Martin, Kedge Business School The events that have shaken France since the June 27 death of young Nahel M., shot by the police during a traffic stop, come during the “100 days” of appeasement announced on April 17 by President Emmanual Macron after his government forced through his controversial pension-reform law. In