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Articles on French politics

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Michel Barnier arrived at Matignon on 5 September 2024, 60 days after the result of the early legislative elections organised following the dissolution of the National Assembly on 9 June. Thomas Samson/AFP

Michel Barnier named French prime minister: ‘Emmanuel Macron just gave the National Rally the keys to the truck’

The appointment of Michel Barnier as prime minister signals an alliance between Emmanuel Macron and the right-wing Les Républicains party as well as shows the National Rally’s position of strength.
People stand in Republique Plaza in Paris as they react to the projection of results during the second round of the legislative elections in July 2024. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

France’s second-ballot system may seem chaotic, but here’s how it benefits voters

Under France’s second-ballot system, French voters can vote with their hearts in the first round, knowing they’ll be able to vote in the second round with their heads — in other words, strategically.
President of the French far-right National Rally party, Jordan Bardella (right), and party’s parliamentary leader, Marine Le Pen. Guillaume Horcajuelo / EPA

How the French far-right rose to prominence

The far-right looks like it will be a significant parliamentary force in France over the next few years.
France’s new Prime Minister, Gabriel Attal, greets his predecessor Elisabeth Borne during the handover ceremony at Matignon on 9 January 2024. Emmanuel Dunand/AFP

Beyond youth and LGBTQ credentials, France’s new prime minister Gabriel Attal reveals Macron’s managerial approach to politics

Four different prime minister in six years is unusual under France’s Fifth Republic. Managerial mechanics, absence of a majority and hyper-presidency: focus on the appointment of Gabriel Attal.
A protestor looks on after being allegedly injured by anti-riot police during a demonstration against pension reform in Toulouse, southern France, on March 28, 2023. AFP

French police forces are among Europe’s most brutal: is de-escalation possible?

The brutal methods employed by the French police to maintain order during protests contrast with those of its European neighbours.
A demonstrator holds a placard reading “Macron, no no no no, 49,3 times no”, a reference to a French law that would allow the country’s president to pass pension reform without a vote in the National Assembly. Christophe Simon/AFP

Debate: The forward march of labour restarts with historic strikes in France and the UK

While the scale of the strikes in both countries is historic, a scholar in employer relations notes the legislative conditions framing industrial action in the UK are much more restrictive.

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