Rappler's latest stories on France politics
Upbeat Macron vows to do better amid 'yellow vest' protests
As French president Emmanuel Macron speaks, demonstrators clad in high-visibility yellow vests again gather in Paris and other big cities to demand more measures in favor of the working poor and a greater say for ordinary people in the running of the country
France's Macron sees popularity fall to 40%
UPDATED French President Emmanuel Macron is under fire for his monarchical style in office and attempts to cut public spending
French parliament approves Macron's labor reform drive
Liberalizing France s labor market – long a demand of its eurozone partners led by Germany – was one of the central planks of the centrist Macron s election manifesto
UN-backed Libya PM to meet eastern strongman in France
French President Emmanuel Macron will host the meeting
Macron plans to slash France's MPs by a third
UPDATED In his first address to members of the National Assembly and Senate since his election in May Macron delivers a US style state of the nation speech in the Versailles palace
Macron says 'door always open' for UK to stay in EU
The meeting in Paris followed the leaders remarkably different political fortunes in the past week
France's Macron heads for crushing parliamentary majority
UPDATED But the vote was marked by record low turnout of 49 possibly reflecting fatalism among Macron s opponents in the face of his seemingly unstoppable advance experts said
Macron's party in driver's seat before French parliament election
With Macron s party siphoning off support from the traditional political forces of left and right the elections could radically re draw France s political map
French prosecutors open probe into Macron ally
Macron has defended Richard Ferrand a close ally of the president over allegations he favored his wife in a lucrative deal with a public health insurance fund when he headed the company
France's Macron appoints center-right PM to widen appeal
The choice of Philippe will be seen as an attempt by Macron to attract other moderates to his new centrist Republique En Marche party
Macron unveils fresh faces for parliamentary election
We aim to build a majority for change says the La Republique en Marche s Richard Ferrand
Tense France picks new president in landmark vote
3rd UPDATE Whoever wins there will be profound change for France the world s 6th biggest economy a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a global military power
Le Pen, Macron face off in final French presidential debate
UPDATED Their starkly different views of Europe immigration the economy and French identity will be explored for the first time face to face following a week marked by bruising clashes between them
Macron targets Le Pen over economy in French presidential debate
The televised debate was at times chaotic and often dominated by the anti capitalist and virulently anti EU smaller candidates who made their first major appearance ahead of the first round vote
Wife of France's Fillon also charged in fake jobs affair
The new blow comes less than 4 weeks before French voters go to the polls in a two stage election on April 23 and May 7
France's Le Pen attacked as Macron passes first debate test
UPDATED Marine Le Pen s hardline stance on security and the place of Islam in France come under attack from her fellow presidential hopefuls
French presidential candidates face off in first TV debate
UPDATED Centrist frontrunner Emmanuel Macron and far right leader Marine Le Pen are expected to come under attack in the first of 3 debates
France's Fillon charged over 'fake jobs' scandal
UPDATED Fillon had been expected to go before investigating magistrates on Wednesday over the scandal which has undermined his campaign for the presidency
France's FN raided over European Parliament expenses scandal
The raid is the second in a year by investigators trying to determine whether the FN used European Parliament funds to pay for 20 assistants presented as parliamentary aides while continuing to work for the party elsewhere
France's under-fire Fillon fights new fake jobs claims
The allegations Francois Fillon gave his family highly paid fake jobs is threatening to derail his bid to become French president later this year
Outsider, ex-PM to vie for French leftwing presidential nod
Outsider Benoit Hamon will fight former prime minister Manuel Valls for the French Socialist presidential nomination after they progressed through the first round of the primary
Sarkozy knocked out of French presidential race
Ex president Nicolas Sarkozy is beaten into third place after a stunning upset by Francois Fillon who served as his prime minister with the veteran Alain Juppe finishing second
3-way race as French right holds presidential primary
The US style primary is the first such contest by the French right organized partly in response to the rise of the far right National Front FN
France National Assembly votes to extend state of emergency
UPDATED It is the fourth time that parliament has proposed prolonging the state of emergency and the move now needs to be approved by the Senate
France wins 'momentous' $39B Australia submarine contract
The announcement culminates years of planning to replace Australia s aging diesel and electric powered Collins Class submarines which are due to leave service from around 2026
Iran's return to the fold sparks business bonanza for Europe
Hassan Rouhani says he has come to Europe with an open for business message in his first trip overseas since Tehran s nuclear deal with the West came into force
Iran's Rouhani kicks off first post-sanctions tour in Italy
The 3 day trip comes a week after Tehran s deal with world powers came into force
France vows to maintain 'order' in Calais
French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve vows to maintain order in northern Calais a day after dozens of migrants boarded a ferry triggering the temporary closure of the key port
#COP21: Climate talks head into long, final stretch
UPDATED A new draft text signals another sleepless night for negotiators assembled in Paris in hopes of finally nailing down a universal legally binding climate pact
As clock ticks, UN climate talks go into overdrive
Many sticking points remain among them climate finance and the warming limit as host nation France aims to finish the talks on time
Money row threatens efforts to seal historic climate pact
Bureaucrats become quickly ensnared in familiar rows that have condemned previous efforts to failure
Obama, Xi, Modi to attend Paris climate summit
The last attempt at sealing a global climate pact in 2009 saw about 110 world leaders descend on a UN summit in Copenhagen for the two final days only to leave frustrated when the negotiations collapsed
French lawmakers approve sweeping new spying powers
The new law will allow authorities to spy on the digital and mobile communications of anyone linked to a terrorist inquiry without prior authorization from a judge
French far-right family feud as Marine Le Pen jettisons father
Some analysts say that while splitting from her father will be painful it could end up making the FN more electable
Strauss-Kahn denies knowing he had sex with prostitutes
The former International Monetary Fund chief took the stand for the first time on charges of aggravated pimping in an alleged vice ring
Ex-IMF boss Strauss-Kahn to take the stand in French pimping trial
Disgraced ex IMF boss Dominique Strauss Kahn takes the stand at a French pimping trial in a bid to convince judges he was not at the core of a prostitution ring
Ex-IMF chief Strauss-Kahn goes on trial for 'pimping'
The disgraced 65 year old economist finds himself back in the dock accused of being part of a prostitution ring used by his entourage to organize sex parties for him
French MPs vote in favor of recognizing Palestine
The vote – which is non binding on the government but highly symbolic – comes as European countries seek alternative ways to restart the stalled Middle East process
Sarkozy elected party chief in boost for presidential bid
Sarkozy vows to reunite the Union for a Popular Movement from a position seen as a key springboard back into the Elysee Palace
Under-fire Hollande in 'all-or-nothing' TV test
The president who portrayed himself as Mr Normal will have to defend his right to run for a second term
Unpopular Hollande seeks TV redemption
Hollande will give a rare prime time television interview in a desperate bid to claw back some ground
France's spurned ex-first lady attacked for tell-all book
The surprise memoir is described as outrageous by Prime Minister Manuel Valls and a dishonor for France by right wing leader Marine Le Pen usually a trenchant critic of Hollande
Russia risks G8 seat, economic turmoil over Ukraine – US
Britain and France also pull out of this week s preparatory meetings for the June G8 summit in Sochi in protest of Russia s stance in the Ukraine crisis
Hollande asked to clear up personal life
Public reaction to the scandal has been more muted than would be expected in countries like the United States or Britain
In France, presidential 'affair' turns messy
Any hopes French President Francois Hollande harbored of riding out the storm were shattered as opposition MPs started to try and make political capital out of his embarrassment
Sarkozy calls for re-vote in French right showdown
Ex president Nicolas Sarkozy called Monday November 26 for a fresh vote to resolve the bitter leadership battle that has left France s main right wing opposition party the UMP on the verge of collapse
Eating out in France to get costly
French bars and restaurants will feel the pinch Will their diners feel it too?
New French government to hand itself a pay cut
Francois Hollande unveiled a government of mainly moderate Socialists and longtime allies Wednesday as his new prime minister vowed to work quickly to put the country back on its feet
