All articles tagged with #french politics
France’s Marine Le Pen’s RN stayed silent on Germany’s AfD victory and publicly distanced itself from the party ahead of France’s presidential vote, highlighting differences and pushing a more mainstream, EU‑friendly stance as far-right movements diverge.
Marine Le Pen will run as the National Rally’s candidate in next year’s presidential election after a court upheld her embezzlement conviction but shortened her five-year ban on running and imposed a year of house arrest; she will team with Jordan Bardella as a presidential candidate–prime minister duo, signaling a bid to broaden the party’s appeal while grappling with internal tensions and ongoing legal jeopardy that could affect voter support.
French prosecutors are seeking a seven-year prison term for former president Nicolas Sarkozy in an appeal trial over allegations that he sought Libyan financing to boost his 2007 campaign and help rehabilitate Muammar Gadhafi’s international image. A lower court gave five years on the funding charge but acquitted him on other counts; a verdict is due November 30, and a conviction could lead to an appeal to France’s highest court.
Socialist Emmanuel Grégoire won Paris’s mayoral runoff with about 52% of the vote, defeating Rachida Dati and extending the left’s 25-year grip on the capital. He pledged continuity with Hidalgo’s legacy while pursuing a green, housing-focused agenda ahead of France’s 2027 presidential race.
In France's municipal runoff, Marine Le Pen's National Rally suffers setbacks in Toulon and Nîmes as it trails center-right in Toulon and a Communist rival in Nîmes, while Édouard Philippe is re-elected mayor of Le Havre, strengthening his prospects for a 2027 presidential bid.
Two-round municipal elections across tens of thousands of French towns, including Paris, are shaping up as a key test for the 2027 presidential race. The outcome could boost the National Rally’s national momentum while giving center-left and center-right candidates, like Édouard Philippe in Le Havre and Rachida Dati in Paris, a platform to position themselves for the presidency.
Marine Le Pen’s push to overturn a five-year electoral ban blocking her from the 2027 presidency appears waning, with prosecutors recommending the ban be upheld but not applied immediately and Le Pen signaling resignation while hinting she could yield to protégé Jordan Bardella; a verdict is expected before summer, leaving the legal path to rerun uncertain and shaping the National Rally’s strategy for the Elysée race.
Former French senator Joël Guerriau was sentenced to four years in prison (with 18 months to serve behind bars) after a court found he drugged MP Sandrine Josso with MDMA in his Paris apartment in 2023 with the intent to sexually assault her; Josso testified to lasting trauma, and Guerriau has said he will appeal.
Grammy-winning singer Chappell Roan retracted her praise for Brigitte Bardot after learning about Bardot's far-right political beliefs and support for controversial figures, expressing disappointment and disapproval on social media.
French politicians are divided over how to honor the late actress Brigitte Bardot, whose legacy is complicated by her iconic film career and controversial far-right views, including convictions for hate speech; right-wing figures praise her as a symbol of French patriotism, while some left-wing politicians acknowledge her contributions but criticize her political stances.
2025 was a tumultuous year marked by Donald Trump's dominance in the US, political upheavals in Europe including leadership changes and scandals, and notable events like Trudeau and Katy Perry dating, Ursula von der Leyen surviving confidence votes, and Marine Le Pen's political setbacks. The year was characterized by chaos, chaos, and more chaos, leaving hopes for a better 2026.
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was released from prison after serving three weeks of a five-year sentence for criminal conspiracy related to his 2007 presidential campaign funding, pending an appeal, and remains under judicial supervision.
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was granted conditional release from prison while awaiting an appeal of his conviction for conspiring to seek funding from Libya's Gaddafi for his 2007 campaign, marking a significant legal and political event in France.
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy is set to be released early from prison after three weeks of a five-year sentence for conspiracy related to campaign funding from Muammar Gaddafi, with restrictions on contact and leaving France, amid ongoing legal appeals.
Disgraced former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was discreetly received by Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace before beginning a five-year prison sentence for criminal conspiracy related to his 2007 campaign financing, with his legal and political supporters expressing mixed reactions.