France
Analysis
World elections
Respect for Macron falls to new low among French public
Emmanuel Macron was once France’s young and charismatic president who embodied hope. He is now widely despised, considered narcissistic and disconnected.
- by Rob Harris
Latest
River Seine is good to swim in, says Meares
Australian chef de mission Anna Meares says water quality in the River Seine is now at acceptable levels.
- by Tom Decent
Le Pen faces criminal investigation for French election campaign funding
Revelations about the investigation into her finances surrounding her 2022 presidential bid come as a new poll places her as the frontrunner in the next race.
- by Gaspard Sebag and Ania Nussbaum
★★½
Train journeys
This French rail journey makes our own XPT trains seem luxe
It’s a free-for-all. Passengers rush on to the train, cramming their larger luggage onto seats and in the aisles.
- by Kristie Kellahan
Opinion
Global economy
The UK and France now have to deal with very uncertain futures
Two very different election outcomes last weekend have produced very similar challenges that the governments will struggle to deal with.
- by Stephen Bartholomeusz
Macron refuses French PM’s resignation after chaotic election leaves France in limbo
Macron has refused the resignation of his prime minister as France deals with the unprecedented position of having no dominant political bloc in parliament
- by Sylvie Corbet
Opinion
Paris
It stinks, it’s polluted and I wouldn’t swim in it, but I love the Seine
French President Emmanuel Macron and Paris Mayor Anne Hildegard promised earlier this year that they would swim in the Seine before the Olympics. It’s possible Macron called an election to avoid the task.
- by Lee Tulloch
Editorial
World elections
France’s far right did not win vote but are still waiting in the wings
France faces chaos as President Emmanuel Macron’s gamble to stop the hard right forces him to consider sharing government with the far left.
- The Herald's View
How it all went wrong for Le Pen’s far-right National Rally
The French election result could also put the brakes on Marine Le Pen’s ambitions to be president in 2027.
- by Henry Samuel and Rebecca Rosman
Updated
World elections
France ventures into unknown territory after shock election result
The outcome leaves France facing the stunning prospect of a hung parliament and threatened political paralysis in the Olympic host country.
- by Juliette Jabkhiro, Layli Foroudi and Elizabeth Pineau
Opinion
World elections
If this was an Olympic event, Le Pen’s far right would not make the podium
It was tense at the Place de La Republique in Paris, as crowds from all sides of the political spectrum gathered to see which way the vote would go.
- by Peter FitzSimons