Tag: French politics
WTF is Christine Lagarde up to? – POLITICO
Deep in the Wyoming wilderness last month, Christine Lagarde, president of the European Central Bank, stood before a large audience of elite central bankers and casually predicted the collapse of the international financial order. Resplendent in red and black, she resembled a humanoid Lindor chocolate truffle — and though her warning was diluted by the usual impenetrable jargon, the subtext was sufficiently clear and dramatic.
“There are plausible scenarios where we could see a fundamental change in the nature of
Pressure grows on Niger coup leaders as deadline looms – POLITICO
Pressure is mounting on Niger’s putschists hours ahead of a deadline later Sunday set by a group of West African countries for the military to step down or face a possible military intervention.
ECOWAS, a bloc of 15 Western African countries, issued its ultimatum after Niger’s top military officers announced on July 27 that they had overthrown the country’s President Mohamed Bazoum, who was democratically elected in 2021. According to France 24, the deadline expires on Sunday evening; Reuters reported
Niger junta revokes military pacts with France – POLITICO
Niger putschists said Thursday they will end military cooperation deals with France, dealing a major blow to French efforts to combat terrorism in the Sahel region.
Junta representative Amadou Abdramane late on Thursday read on national television a decision to revoke five military deals with France dating between 1977 and 2020, Reuters reported.
France’s foreign affairs ministry on Friday said that the revocation of military pacts by the junta will have no effect on existing military deals as it does
French newspaper staff ends strike against new far-right editor – POLITICO
Journalists at France’s iconic Sunday newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche (JDD) on Tuesday abandoned a 40-day long strike against the appointment of a right-wing editor at the helm.
The JDD newsroom had been on strike since June to oppose the naming of controversial right-wing journalist Geoffroy Lejeune as the newspaper’s top editor — a move seen as a consequence of the publication being bought by conservative media tycoon Vincent Bolloré.
Politicians, including from Macron’s ruling majority, as well as intellectuals
France to evacuate nationals from Niger following coup – POLITICO
France is planning to evacuate its citizens from Niger, where a military junta ousted the Nigerien president last week in a coup.
“An evacuation is being organized” and “will happen rapidly,” France’s foreign ministry said Tuesday.
The announcement comes after Niger’s top military brass announced last week on national television that they had overthrown the country’s president Mohamed Bazoum.
Bazoum, who was democratically elected in 2021, is currently under detention.
A change in regime in Niger is seen as a
Macron condemns ‘new imperialism’ in the Indo-Pacific amid growing Chinese influence – POLITICO
PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron denounced “new imperialism” in the Indo-Pacific on Thursday as he pledged France would boost its presence in the region to defend the sovereignty of smaller states.
“In the Indo-Pacific, and particularly in Oceania, a new imperialism is appearing, and a power logic that is threatening the sovereignty of several states, the smallest, often the most fragile,” Macron said in a speech in Vanuatu. The French president is on a five-day visit to the South
All the French president’s men (and one woman) – POLITICO
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Illustrations by Antony Hare for POLITICO
PARIS — Call them Emmanuel Macron’s praetorian guard.
As the French president prepares to seek reelection in April, he has turned to a select group of close advisers to help him in the battles ahead.
While Macron likes to hold court and seek input from a wide variety of sources, when it comes to strategic decisions, he relies on a small number of longtime loyalists, eschewing professional