French

Nicolas Sarkozy faces retrial over alleged Libyan financing of 2007 campaign Ex-French president appeals five-year sentence; hearing at Paris Appeal Court runs to June 3 Standfirst: A lower court in September convicted Sarkozy of criminal conspiracy in a scheme prosecutors say sought funding from Muammar Gaddafi’s Libya. He served 20 days in jail after the ruling and denies wrongdoing. Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy returned to court for a retrial at the Paris Appeal Court over allegations he sought Libyan financing…

French President Emmanuel Macron vowed to keep up pressure on Russia’s war machine despite the United States temporarily easing curbs on Russian oil sales, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Paris amid rising global energy prices and fresh shocks from the Middle East war. Speaking alongside Zelensky after talks in Paris — the Ukrainian leader’s 12th visit to France since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022 — Macron said there would be no “respite” for Moscow. “During a meeting of the Group of Seven…

Analysis: Macron’s nuclear bet redraws Europe’s security map — and tests its appetite for autonomy Emmanuel Macron stood before a hulking French ballistic-missile submarine in Brest and declared a new nuclear doctrine for Europe. In quieter times, the French leader’s vow to expand France’s arsenal, cease public warhead disclosures and extend a French “nuclear umbrella” over willing European partners would have sparked a week of front pages. Instead, with the United States and Israel waging war on Iran, the significance of…

France’s minority government survived twin no-confidence votes after pushing a new energy law through by decree, but the more consequential shift may be outside the chamber: a new poll indicates voters are now more inclined to block the hard left than the far right in runoffs, signaling a potential realignment of the country’s political guardrails. The motions were filed by the far-right National Rally (RN) and the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI), underscoring how both fringes sought to capitalize on the government’s reliance…

Thousands march in Lyon to honor slain far-right activist as police deploy heavy security LYON, France — Thousands marched through central Lyon under heavy security to pay tribute to Quentin Deranque, a 23-year-old far-right activist whose killing after street clashes has sharpened fears over political violence in France. Participants, many dressed in black and some masking their faces, carried flowers and placards bearing Deranque’s photograph alongside slogans reading “justice for Quentin” and “the extreme left kills.” The…

Paris appeals court to rule July 7 in Marine Le Pen fraud case that could reshape 2027 race A Paris appeals court will deliver its ruling on July 7 in a fraud case against far-right leader Marine Le Pen, a decision poised to set the course of France’s next presidential contest. The lower court last year imposed a five-year ban from public office on Le Pen, 57, over a fake jobs scheme at the European Parliament. If the appeals court upholds that verdict, the three-time presidential candidate would be barred from running in…

French police searched the Paris offices of Elon Musk’s social media platform X as prosecutors widened a year-long investigation into possible algorithm abuse and fraudulent data extraction. Authorities also ordered Musk to answer questions in April, the Paris prosecutor’s office said. The probe, led by the prosecutor’s cybercrime unit with support from French police specialists and Europol, began after a French lawmaker alleged that biased algorithms on X could have distorted the operation of an automated data processing…

PARIS — A French court on Friday found former senator Joel Guerriau guilty of drugging a woman lawmaker with MDMA with the intent to sexually assault her, sentencing the 68-year-old to four years in prison, with 18 months to be served behind bars. The ruling followed a high-profile trial that began Monday and centered on Guerriau’s conduct during a November 2023 meeting at his Paris apartment with National Assembly member Sandrine Josso. Prosecutors said the veteran politician spiked Josso’s champagne with the synthetic drug…

Trump threatens 200% tariff on French wine to pressure Macron into joining ‘Board of Peace’ as Europe braces for wider rift U.S. President Donald Trump said he will impose a 200% tariff on French wines and champagne, a bid to pressure President Emmanuel Macron to join his proposed “Board of Peace,” as tensions with Europe deepened over the initiative and Trump’s renewed push to acquire Greenland. “Did he say that? Well, nobody wants him because he will be out of office very soon,” Trump said when told Macron would not…

France, UK, Germany condemn ‘killing of protesters’ in Iran as internet blackout deepens unrest France, the United Kingdom and Germany condemned what they called the “killing of protesters” in Iran and urged authorities to exercise restraint, as sweeping anti-government demonstrations and a nationwide internet blackout disrupted communications and stoked uncertainty across the country. “We are deeply concerned about reports of violence by Iranian security forces, and strongly condemn the killing of protestors,” French…