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French president in favour of singer opening the Games amid racist backlash from far-right politiciansEmmanuel Macron has said the French pop superstar Aya Nakamura would be in her rightful place performing at an opening ceremony for the Olympic Games this summer, after suggestions that she could sing an Édith Piaf song sparked a racist backlash against the singer.Asked about Nakamura, who is the most...

Photos of French president’s three-day trip to Brazil to reaffirm countries’ partnership delight internet observersIf the official photos are anything to go by, Emmanuel Macron’s three-day trip to Brazil has been more romantic getaway than international diplomacy.The French president, who ended his tour of the South American country on Thursday with a state visit to the capital, Brasília, prompted online hilarity after the publication...

French president tells Brazil forum both parties need to be ‘much stronger’ on biodiversity and climateEmmanuel Macron has called a proposed trade agreement between the EU and South America’s Mercosur bloc a “very bad deal” that lacks proper climate considerations.“As it is negotiated today, it is a very bad deal, for you and for us,” the French president told Brazilian businessmen in São Paulo...

President sparks social media buzz as users ask whether he is getting ready to take on Vladimir Putin after images posted to InstagramThe release of official photos showing Emmanuel Macron hitting a punching bag have been met with a mixture of praise and consternation in France.The photos of the French president, posted on Instagram on Tuesday by his official photographer, Soazig de la Moissonnière,...

Prime minister says France ‘stands up’ to defend women as rights are attacked around the worldFrance is preparing to enshrine abortion as a constitutional right at a joint session of parliament next week, after the senate voted in favour on Wednesday night.France would write into its constitution the “guaranteed freedom” of women to choose an abortion. Continue reading...

French president admits no consensus exists on such a move as he urges fellow European leaders to take action rather than wait for US aidSee all our Ukraine war coverageFrance’s President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday he refused to rule out sending ground troops to Ukraine, but said no consensus existed on the step, at a meeting of 20 mainly European leaders in Paris...

French president greeted by whistles from hundreds of demonstrators as some clash with policeHundreds of protesting farmers clashed with police in Paris as Emmanuel Macron toured the annual agricultural fair on Saturday. The French president had opened the fair as angry farmers blew whistles and shouted insults.Riot police initially kept the protesters at a safe distance as he toured the fair, tasting honey from...

French agriculture minister set to hold takes in Brussels as around 10,000 protesters turn outValérie Hayer, a French politician and president of the Renew Europe group in the European parliament, has spoken out about the impact of Brexit.“Four years ago, the United Kingdom left us,” she wrote, adding:Purchasing power, social security, global influence, border protection: nothing, absolutely nothing, has been a success. The populists...

Amélie Oudéa-Castéra was accused of lying about why she enrolled her son in a private schoolFrance’s new education minister has sparked the first major crisis for Gabriel Attal’s new government following accusations she failed to give the true reason why she enrolled her children in a private school.The snowballing row threatens to derail attempts by the French president, Emmanuel Macron, to give the government...

Hiring of figures close to former rightwing leader Nicolas Sarkozy confirms president’s rightward shiftEmmanuel Macron has tilted the French government significantly to the right, bringing in key figures close to the former rightwing president Nicolas Sarkozy in an attempt to reinvigorate his second term and limit possible gains by the far right at the European elections.“I don’t want managers, I want revolutionaries,” Macron told...

Gabriel Attal attempts to set tone as Macron government tries to counter rise of Marine Le Pen’s far-rightThe new French prime minister, Gabriel Attal, has sent a strong message on law and order on his first full day in office, visiting a police station and promising to deliver security to “responsible working French people”, who he said wanted calm.“There is no security without our...

Attal, 34, rose in opinion polls during his time as education minister and may help ruling party in EU electionsProfile: who is the new French prime minister?Emmanuel Macron has appointed France’s youngest-ever prime minister, Gabriel Attal, as he seeks to reinvigorate a difficult second term as president and limit any possible gains for the far right in the forthcoming European elections in June.Attal, 34,...

The new PM was chosen to boost Emmanuel Macron’s agenda but, as his predecessor found out, pushing through legislation won’t be easyWho is Gabriel Attal?As Gabriel Attal, France’s new prime minister, hastily made his first trip to the northern Pas‐de‐Calais to assess flood damage and reassure struggling residents and local politicians on Tuesday, it symbolised the challenges that await him.A popular former government spokesperson...

France’s PM resigned on Monday after days of increasingly feverish speculation about an imminent government reshuffleThe education minister, considered a leading candidate to become France’s next prime minister, was born in 1989 in Hauts-de-Seine.The politician has already served in a variety of roles, including government spokesperson and public accounts minister. Continue reading...

Second female prime minister of Fifth Republic resigns after days of speculation about reshuffle, with Le Pen party ahead in pollsFrance’s prime minister, Élisabeth Borne, has resigned after days of increasingly feverish speculation about an imminent government reshuffle.The president, Emmanuel Macron, who is seeking to give a new impetus to his second mandate before European parliament elections and the Paris Olympics this summer, thanked...

Addiction experts urge state to promote month of abstinence but alcohol lobby says idea is out of step with French cultureDry January is at the centre of a political row in France after more than 45 professors of addiction studies signed a letter urging the state to promote a month of abstinence from alcohol.A group of senior academics and doctors working on addiction have...