Amid escalating tensions and the war-like situation in eastern Europe,&nbsp;French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov would meet on Monday, news agency AFP reported.&nbsp;

French President Emmanuel Macron dialled Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Sunday (February 20) about the situation in Ukraine.&nbsp;

Macron and Putin agreed to work for a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, Macron's office said, adding the leaders also agreed on "the need to favour a diplomatic solution to the ongoing crisis and to do everything to achieve one".&nbsp;

The office of the French President also stated that Putin and Macron would work "intensely" to allow the Trilateral Contact Group, which includes Ukraine, Russia and the OSCE, to meet "in the next few hours".&nbsp;

The aim of the meeting is said to be getting all interested parties to commit to a ceasefire at the contact line" in eastern Ukraine, where the government troops and pro-Russian separatists are facing each other.&nbsp;

<meta name="uuid" content="uuidMShm6xpBJH9L" /><meta charset="utf-8" />

Both the leaders also agreed that talks between Russia, Ukraine,&nbsp;France&nbsp;and Germany should resume implementing the so-called Minsk protocol which in 2014 had already called for a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine.&nbsp;

Both also agreed to work towards "a high-level meeting with the aim of defining a new peace and security order in Europe", Macron's office said.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-crisis-belarus-says-russian-forces-to-remain-for-more-drills-454821">Ukraine crisis: Belarus says Russian forces to remain for more drills</a>

On the other hand, stated that both the leaders had an&nbsp;in-depth discussion of&nbsp;the&nbsp;developments around Ukraine as&nbsp;well as&nbsp;developments regarding "long-term legal security guarantees for&nbsp;the&nbsp;Russian Federation".&nbsp;

A Kremlin statement noted that serious concerns were expressed due to&nbsp;the&nbsp;quickly deteriorating situation along the&nbsp;contact line in&nbsp;Donbass. Putin noted that "provocations from Ukrainian militants were the&nbsp;reason for&nbsp;the&nbsp;escalation".&nbsp;

Ahead of the conversation, the French President's office said that the call represented "the final possible and necessary efforts to avoid a major conflict in Ukraine."&nbsp;

This was&nbsp;the fifth telephonic&nbsp;conversation between Putin with his French counterpart since the beginning of this year. Earlier this month on February 7, both the leaders met in person when Macron visited Russia.&nbsp;

The latest call lasted 105 minutes and is termed as the last-ditch effort to avert a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine. Macron has been vouching for diplomatic ways of solving the highly sensitive border crisis.&nbsp;

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/satellite-pictures-show-russian-helicopters-still-parked-in-crimea-454505">Satellite pictures show Russian helicopters still parked in Crimea</a>

Although, Macron has previously reiterated his determination to preserve Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty.&nbsp;

The call came a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Macron that he would not respond to what he called Russia's "provocations", according to the Elysee. He said he remained open to "dialogue" with Moscow.&nbsp;

But in a speech to the Munich Security Conference, he also called on Western governments to stop what he said was "a policy of appeasement" towards Putin.&nbsp;

After the conversation with Putin on Sunday, Macron went on to talk with Zelensky on the telephone, the French presidency said.&nbsp;

Meanwhile,&nbsp;Belarus on Sunday (February 20) said that joint exercises involving&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;and Belarus forces were being extended due to tension over Ukraine, despite promises from Moscow that the drills would end this weekend.&nbsp;

The Belarusian defence minister Victor Khrenin said in a statement, "The presidents of Belarus and Russia decided to continue inspections of the readiness of Union State forces."&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;Russia maintains 'no plans to invade' as tensions mount over Ukraine crisis

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Amid escalating tensions and the war-like situation in eastern Europe, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov would meet on Monday, news agency AFP reported.

Amid escalating tensions and the war-like situation in eastern Europe, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov would meet on Monday, news agency AFP reported. French President Emmanuel Macron dialled Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Sunday (February 20) about the situation in Ukraine. Macron and Putin agreed to work for a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, Macron's office said, adding the leaders also agreed on "the need to favour a diplomatic solution to the ongoing crisis and to do everything to achieve one". The office of the French President also stated that Putin and Macron would work "intensely" to allow the Trilateral Contact Group, which includes Ukraine, Russia and the OSCE, to meet "in the next few hours". The aim of the meeting is said to be getting all interested parties to commit to a ceasefire at the contact line" in eastern Ukraine, where the government troops and pro-Russian separatists are facing each other. Both the leaders also agreed that talks between Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany should resume implementing the so-called Minsk protocol which in 2014 had already called for a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine. Both also agreed to work towards "a high-level meeting with the aim of defining a new peace and security order in Europe", Macron's office said. ALSO READ | Ukraine crisis: Belarus says Russian forces to remain for more drills On the other hand, stated that both the leaders had an in-depth discussion of the developments around Ukraine as well as developments regarding "long-term legal security guarantees for the Russian Federation". A Kremlin statement noted that serious concerns were expressed due to the quickly deteriorating situation along the contact line in Donbass. Putin noted that "provocations from Ukrainian militants were the reason for the escalation". Ahead of the conversation, the French President's office said that the call represented "the final possible and necessary efforts to avoid a major conflict in Ukraine." This was the fifth telephonic conversation between Putin with his French counterpart since the beginning of this year. Earlier this month on February 7, both the leaders met in person when Macron visited Russia. The latest call lasted 105 minutes and is termed as the last-ditch effort to avert a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine. Macron has been vouching for diplomatic ways of solving the highly sensitive border crisis. IN PICS | Satellite pictures show Russian helicopters still parked in Crimea Although, Macron has previously reiterated his determination to preserve Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty. The call came a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Macron that he would not respond to what he called Russia's "provocations", according to the Elysee. He said he remained open to "dialogue" with Moscow. But in a speech to the Munich Security Conference, he also called on Western governments to stop what he said was "a policy of appeasement" towards Putin. After the conversation with Putin on Sunday, Macron went on to talk with Zelensky on the telephone, the French presidency said. Meanwhile, Belarus on Sunday (February 20) said that joint exercises involving Russia and Belarus forces were being extended due to tension over Ukraine, despite promises from Moscow that the drills would end this weekend. The Belarusian defence minister Victor Khrenin said in a statement, "The presidents of Belarus and Russia decided to continue inspections of the readiness of Union State forces." WATCH | Russia maintains 'no plans to invade' as tensions mount over Ukraine crisis ×

Russia-Ukraine crisis: French and Russian foreign ministers to speak on Monday

France has decided to withdraw troops from Mali in a coordinated manner. French President Emmanuel Macron issued a warning over Russian mercenary groups. Mali has asked France to pull out its defence forces from the country.

Mali asks France to expedite pulling out of troops from country

Moscow has dismissed Emmanuel Macron's claims on de-escalation. UK PM Boris Johnson has asked allies to finalise 'economic sanctions'. Palki Sharma decodes the developments with WION's correspondents.

Gravitas Ukraine Direct: Russia dismisses Macron's claims on de-escalation

French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday said that the leaders of both Russia and Ukraine had committed to honouring the Minsk accord.

French President Emmanuel Macron says Putin & Zelensky committed to Minsk accord

French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Kyiv after an epic misfire in Moscow. The Kremlin has rejected Macron's claims that Putin agreed to 'no escalation'. Can Macron salvage his diplomatic mission with a win in Kyiv? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas Ukraine Direct: Putin uses 'rape joke' to insult Ukraine

French President Emmanuel Macron met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Macron then met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. Macron is trying to be the peacemaker. What's in it for him? Palki Sharma brings you a report.

Gravitas Ukraine Direct: Ukraine, Russia crisis: Why is Macron playing the peacemaker?

Are Emmanuel Macron's efforts to dial down tensions in Ukraine working? Do stakeholders expect diplomacy to deliver? WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma decodes the possibilities with correspondents from Moscow, Washington D.C. & London.

Gravitas Ukraine Direct: Russia Vs Ukraine: Can diplomacy deliver?

The leaders of Germany, France and Poland on Tuesday urged Russia to pursue a diplomatic solution to the Ukraine crisis during their meeting in Berlin. The joint request came after Germany, and France's leaders stepped up their diplomatic efforts amid rising tension between Russia and Ukraine in the last few days.

Ukraine Crisis: Leaders of Germany, France, Poland meet to prevent war in Europe

French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday said that steps could be taken to de-escalate the Ukraine crisis and suggested both sides to stay calm. Macron shuttled from Moscow to Kyiv in an attempt to mediate a settlement and avoid war.

Ukraine Crisis: Macron calls for calm, meets both countries' presidents

French President Emmanuel Macron is in Kyiv for talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, seeking a breakthrough in the East-West deadlock over Ukraine. Macron said that "My aim was to freeze the game, to prevent an escalation and open up new perspectives, this objective for me is fulfilled."

Emmanuel Macron says his objective 'was to freeze the game'

French President Emmanuel Macron visited Moscow in a last-ditch effort to de-escalate the stand-off in Ukraine. US intel suggests Kyiv would fall in 48 to 72 hours if Russia invades. Is the window for diplomacy shrinking? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas Ukraine Direct: Macron heads to Moscow, Kremlin circumspect

French President Emmanuel Macron leads talks to dissuade Russia from invading Ukraine. Macron offers concrete ‘security guarantees’ to Moscow, details of which not yet known.

French President Emmanuel Macron offers concrete ‘security guarantees’ to Moscow

French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Kyiv, a day after meeting in Moscow with President Vladimir Putin. Macron is set to hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over Ukraine border tensions.

French President Macron arrives in Kyiv following talks with Putin over Ukraine Crisis

Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in a bid to calm tensions over Ukraine. Macron told Putin that he seeks to avoid war and build trust.

Vladimir Putin holds talks with Emmanuel Macron for 5 hours in a bid to calm tensions over Ukraine

French President Emmanuel Macron is set to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow in a bid to help de-escalate the tense situation around Ukraine.

French President Emmanuel Macron heads to Russia to try to ease Ukraine tensions

Fears of an imminent Russian incursion in Ukraine have grown in recent days and as tensions continue to rise, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron held a telephonic call to discuss the Ukraine border situation and concerns over security in Europe.&nbsp;

In a statement, Kremlin said, "The leaders expressed their views on the situation regarding Ukraine as well as issues related to providing Russia with long-term and legally-binding security guarantees."&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-will-face-swift-and-severe-consequences-biden-to-putin-at-unsc-over-ukraine-449332">Russia will 'face swift and severe consequences': Biden to Putin at UNSC over Ukraine</a>

The French presidency said that the telephonic conversation was part of Macron's efforts to de-escalate tensions both the leaders welcomed "positive progress" following talks between Russian, French, German and Ukrainian representatives.&nbsp;

They have also supported further dialogue to implement Ukraine ceasefire agreements brokered in 2015 and the Kremlin added that both the leader have discussed the possibility of a face-to-face meeting.&nbsp;

Amid a war-like situation, Macron reaffirmed France's solidarity with Ukraine in a phone call on Friday with President Volodymyr Zelensky.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/unsc-session-on-ukraine-crisis-who-said-what-449326">UNSC session on Ukraine crisis: Who said what</a>

However, he has been vouching for diplomatic ways of solving the highly sensitive border crisis, that will have its impact across Europe.&nbsp;

Macron has reiterated his determination to preserve Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty but in an earlier phone call, Macron and Putin had agreed on the need to "de-escalate" the situation.&nbsp;

A couple of days ago, Zelensky had urged the Western countries to remain "vigilant" and "firm" in talks. After his phone call with Macron late on Friday that intensive international negotiations reduced "the chance of escalation" in Kyiv's stand-off with Moscow.&nbsp;

In one of his tweets, he had said, "As long as conditions are conducive, we must meet &amp; talk."&nbsp;

Western countries, especially the United States accused Russia of amassing thousands of troops, however, Russia's UN ambassador recently said there was "no proof" Moscow was planning military action and that Russia had never confirmed the West's assertion that it had amassed 100,000 troops near its neighbour.&nbsp;

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Fears of an imminent Russian incursion in Ukraine have grown in recent days and as tensions continue to rise, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron held a telephonic call to discuss the Ukraine border situation and concerns over security in Europe.

Fears of an imminent Russian incursion in Ukraine have grown in recent days and as tensions continue to rise, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron held a telephonic call to discuss the Ukraine border situation and concerns over security in Europe. In a statement, Kremlin said, "The leaders expressed their views on the situation regarding Ukraine as well as issues related to providing Russia with long-term and legally-binding security guarantees." ALSO READ | Russia will 'face swift and severe consequences': Biden to Putin at UNSC over Ukraine The French presidency said that the telephonic conversation was part of Macron's efforts to de-escalate tensions both the leaders welcomed "positive progress" following talks between Russian, French, German and Ukrainian representatives. They have also supported further dialogue to implement Ukraine ceasefire agreements brokered in 2015 and the Kremlin added that both the leader have discussed the possibility of a face-to-face meeting. Amid a war-like situation, Macron reaffirmed France's solidarity with Ukraine in a phone call on Friday with President Volodymyr Zelensky. ALSO READ | UNSC session on Ukraine crisis: Who said what However, he has been vouching for diplomatic ways of solving the highly sensitive border crisis, that will have its impact across Europe. Macron has reiterated his determination to preserve Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty but in an earlier phone call, Macron and Putin had agreed on the need to "de-escalate" the situation. A couple of days ago, Zelensky had urged the Western countries to remain "vigilant" and "firm" in talks. After his phone call with Macron late on Friday that intensive international negotiations reduced "the chance of escalation" in Kyiv's stand-off with Moscow. In one of his tweets, he had said, "As long as conditions are conducive, we must meet & talk." Western countries, especially the United States accused Russia of amassing thousands of troops, however, Russia's UN ambassador recently said there was "no proof" Moscow was planning military action and that Russia had never confirmed the West's assertion that it had amassed 100,000 troops near its neighbour. ×

Russia-Ukraine crisis: Where does France stand?

The French President Emmanuel Macron has been leading diplomatic talks, speaking to both Moscow and Kyiv, while other Western nations fine tune their strategy.

What does French President Macron want from Ukraine crisis?

The French president Emmanuel Macron has raised eyebrows with his choice of words about the unvaccinated in his country.

'Want to ‘piss off’ the non-vaccinated,' says French president Emmanuel Macron

France takes over the rotating presidency of the European Union on Saturday, affording President Emmanuel Macron the chance to pose as the EU's de facto leader in the run-up to national elections in April. "The year 2022 must be a turning point for Europe," he said in a New Year's Eve national address that hailed the EU's role during the Covid-19 crisis.

France takes over European Union presidency as national election looms

The dismal state of the French left before April’s presidential elections was best encapsulated in a series of recent phone calls made by Arnaud Montebourg, a onetime Socialist government minister whose campaign for president has barely registered in the polls.

Montebourg posted several videos on Twitter of him making phone calls to four other left-wing candidates, all of whom are polling just as badly. It was an awkward last-chance bid to urge the Socialists, Greens, Communists and other leftists to unite behind a single presidential ticket or be crushed by the right and far-right in April.

No one picked up.

With the elections approaching, the left — once a mighty force in French politics — is now largely in tatters, and many of its most familiar faces seem incapable of the one thing that both experts and supporters say offers the only possible path to victory: unity.

In a country that is shifting to the right, the left has found itself voiceless on issues like security, immigration and national identity, and it has failed to capitalize on the wave of protests over the environment and social justice that should have provided an opportunity to gain support.

“The left is in a situation of unprecedented ideological fragility,” said Rémi Lefebvre, a professor of political science at the University of Lille. “In this context, being divided means suicide.”

But amid the ineffectual chaos, there is now a push for order.

Bypassing traditional party tactics, the “Primary of the People,” a burgeoning effort led by a group on the left that is exhausted by the parties’ factionalism and fragmentation, will hold a vote in January for supporters to choose a single candidate before the French electorate weighs in as a whole.

Current polls indicate why some on the left are looking for another way. Seven left-wing candidates are currently running for president, and all are polling in the single digits.

Together, the candidates account for what would be about one-quarter of the vote, or about 20 points lower than the French left a decade ago. The chance that any unified candidate from the left would pick up enough votes to reach the next round of the two-part race — to most likely face the incumbent, Emmanuel Macron — seems low.

But the effort to hold a January primary does offer the hope of a path toward a revived sense of relevance for the left. And it could potentially further disrupt a presidential campaign that has already been upended by the entrance of Éric Zemmour, a polarizing far-right writer and television celebrity, into the race.

“We’re talking about the left again — there’s some new pressure,” said Lefebvre, the political science professor. But he added that it remained unclear whether the momentum behind the primary would be enough to overcome the parties’ deep-rooted divisions.

The French left was long dominated by the Socialist Party and its social-democratic politics, but Macron’s victory in the 2017 presidential elections brought an end to the two-party system in which it had secured a comfortable spot.

The left is now an unruly mix, mainly divided between the Socialists, the Greens and the far-left France Unbowed — not to mention the constellation of small far-left parties that have emerged from the near-collapse of the Communist Party.

The leaders of the primary campaign went to work in January, negotiating for months with most of these parties to work out a common base of 10 proposals for social and climate justice, including an increase in taxes for the wealthy and ending the use of pesticides by 2030.

More than 300,000 people have signed on to the initiative, the equivalent of 40% of all left-wing party members in France. They will vote in January to nominate a candidate and have pledged to campaign on that person’s behalf.

But it will be a long road.

Until recently, left-wing parties had “scorned” the Primary of the People, seeing it as a competing force that could threaten their interests, Lefebvre said.

Samuel Grzybowski, a spokesperson for the effort, said his team had been under pressure from established parties to end the primary process, with some parties even offering to help them win seats in Parliament if they stepped aside from the presidential race.

“It’s long been Baron Noir,” he said, referring to a hit TV series that depicts the shadowy side of France’s political life — a French version of “House of Cards.”

Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the leader of France Unbowed, described the calls for unity as too late and “pathetic.” But slowly, the tide has started to turn.

Montebourg’s desperate calls attracted attention, and then Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris and the Socialist Party’s candidate, whose support has dropped below 5%, acknowledged that the left was heading for a disaster.

“This fractured left, this left which today drives many of our fellow citizens to despair, must regroup,” she said on France’s most-watched news show early this month. “We must organize a primary,” she added, later voicing her support for the primary effort.

That was followed by a public letter urging parties to agree on a primary, following similar calls from members of various parties.

The movement got another lift when Christiane Taubira, a charismatic former justice minister under François Hollande, France’s Socialist president from 2012 to 2017, announced that she was “considering” running for president and that she would put all of her “strength into the last chances for unity.” The next day, she said the primary effort “seems to be the last space where this unity can be built.”

The move by Taubira is likely to add pressure on candidates who have so far balked at joining left-wing primaries, such as Yannick Jadot of the Greens. Minutes after Taubira’s announcement, Sandrine Rousseau, a leader of the Greens who is also campaigning for Jadot, said a “coalition of the left” was needed.

“The power balance just tilted in our favor,” Grzybowski said.

The appeal for a citizens’ primary has mirrored the growing disenchantment with traditional left-wing parties. Many on the left now regard the parties’ policies on social justice and an equitable economy as outdated. Some still consider the business-friendly policies of Hollande a betrayal.

“It’s no longer the political parties that drive the public debate,” said Hugo Viel, a 23-year-old engineering graduate and a volunteer for the Primary.

“It’s the social movements, the climate marches, #MeToo, the yellow vests,” he added, referring to the numerous protests that have recently upended France, on issues like economic inequality, racism and domestic violence.

But left-wing parties have had difficulty translating those protests into concrete proposals and broader support. They are disconnected from these social movements, have struggled to gain traction outside big cities and slipped into bitter infighting as competing strains of feminism and anti-racism from different generations clashed.

“This left is losing contact with the base,” said Michel Wieviorka, a French sociologist. “It loses the capacity to embody new social and cultural protests, and at the same time, the old unionized worker protests are also slipping through its fingers.”

Where it will all lead is unclear, but a poll taken this month showed that nearly three-quarters of the left-wing electorate now support the principle of a primary, and an average of about 8,000 people have joined the primary effort every day for the past two weeks, Grzybowski said.

Alain Coulombel, a member of the Greens’ leadership who supports the primary, lamented that the left was heading toward the elections without equipping itself with “all the weapons to win.” He estimated that the parties’ agendas converged on nearly 80% of the proposals.

All the French left has to do, he said, is “to put the puzzle together.”

The dismal state of the French left before April’s presidential elections was best encapsulated in a series of recent phone calls made by Arnaud Montebourg, a onetime Socialist government minister whose campaign for president has barely registered in the polls.

The dismal state of the French left before April’s presidential elections was best encapsulated in a series of recent phone calls made by Arnaud Montebourg, a onetime Socialist government minister whose campaign for president has barely registered in the polls. Montebourg posted several videos on Twitter of him making phone calls to four other left-wing candidates, all of whom are polling just as badly. It was an awkward last-chance bid to urge the Socialists, Greens, Communists and other leftists to unite behind a single presidential ticket or be crushed by the right and far-right in April. No one picked up. With the elections approaching, the left — once a mighty force in French politics — is now largely in tatters, and many of its most familiar faces seem incapable of the one thing that both experts and supporters say offers the only possible path to victory: unity. In a country that is shifting to the right, the left has found itself voiceless on issues like security, immigration and national identity, and it has failed to capitalize on the wave of protests over the environment and social justice that should have provided an opportunity to gain support. “The left is in a situation of unprecedented ideological fragility,” said Rémi Lefebvre, a professor of political science at the University of Lille. “In this context, being divided means suicide.” But amid the ineffectual chaos, there is now a push for order. Bypassing traditional party tactics, the “Primary of the People,” a burgeoning effort led by a group on the left that is exhausted by the parties’ factionalism and fragmentation, will hold a vote in January for supporters to choose a single candidate before the French electorate weighs in as a whole. Current polls indicate why some on the left are looking for another way. Seven left-wing candidates are currently running for president, and all are polling in the single digits. Together, the candidates account for what would be about one-quarter of the vote, or about 20 points lower than the French left a decade ago. The chance that any unified candidate from the left would pick up enough votes to reach the next round of the two-part race — to most likely face the incumbent, Emmanuel Macron — seems low. But the effort to hold a January primary does offer the hope of a path toward a revived sense of relevance for the left. And it could potentially further disrupt a presidential campaign that has already been upended by the entrance of Éric Zemmour, a polarizing far-right writer and television celebrity, into the race. “We’re talking about the left again — there’s some new pressure,” said Lefebvre, the political science professor. But he added that it remained unclear whether the momentum behind the primary would be enough to overcome the parties’ deep-rooted divisions. The French left was long dominated by the Socialist Party and its social-democratic politics, but Macron’s victory in the 2017 presidential elections brought an end to the two-party system in which it had secured a comfortable spot. The left is now an unruly mix, mainly divided between the Socialists, the Greens and the far-left France Unbowed — not to mention the constellation of small far-left parties that have emerged from the near-collapse of the Communist Party. The leaders of the primary campaign went to work in January, negotiating for months with most of these parties to work out a common base of 10 proposals for social and climate justice, including an increase in taxes for the wealthy and ending the use of pesticides by 2030. More than 300,000 people have signed on to the initiative, the equivalent of 40% of all left-wing party members in France. They will vote in January to nominate a candidate and have pledged to campaign on that person’s behalf. But it will be a long road. Until recently, left-wing parties had “scorned” the Primary of the People, seeing it as a competing force that could threaten their interests, Lefebvre said. Samuel Grzybowski, a spokesperson for the effort, said his team had been under pressure from established parties to end the primary process, with some parties even offering to help them win seats in Parliament if they stepped aside from the presidential race. “It’s long been Baron Noir,” he said, referring to a hit TV series that depicts the shadowy side of France’s political life — a French version of “House of Cards.” Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the leader of France Unbowed, described the calls for unity as too late and “pathetic.” But slowly, the tide has started to turn. Montebourg’s desperate calls attracted attention, and then Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris and the Socialist Party’s candidate, whose support has dropped below 5%, acknowledged that the left was heading for a disaster. “This fractured left, this left which today drives many of our fellow citizens to despair, must regroup,” she said on France’s most-watched news show early this month. “We must organize a primary,” she added, later voicing her support for the primary effort. That was followed by a public letter urging parties to agree on a primary, following similar calls from members of various parties. The movement got another lift when Christiane Taubira, a charismatic former justice minister under François Hollande, France’s Socialist president from 2012 to 2017, announced that she was “considering” running for president and that she would put all of her “strength into the last chances for unity.” The next day, she said the primary effort “seems to be the last space where this unity can be built.” The move by Taubira is likely to add pressure on candidates who have so far balked at joining left-wing primaries, such as Yannick Jadot of the Greens. Minutes after Taubira’s announcement, Sandrine Rousseau, a leader of the Greens who is also campaigning for Jadot, said a “coalition of the left” was needed. “The power balance just tilted in our favor,” Grzybowski said. The appeal for a citizens’ primary has mirrored the growing disenchantment with traditional left-wing parties. Many on the left now regard the parties’ policies on social justice and an equitable economy as outdated. Some still consider the business-friendly policies of Hollande a betrayal. “It’s no longer the political parties that drive the public debate,” said Hugo Viel, a 23-year-old engineering graduate and a volunteer for the Primary. “It’s the social movements, the climate marches, #MeToo, the yellow vests,” he added, referring to the numerous protests that have recently upended France, on issues like economic inequality, racism and domestic violence. But left-wing parties have had difficulty translating those protests into concrete proposals and broader support. They are disconnected from these social movements, have struggled to gain traction outside big cities and slipped into bitter infighting as competing strains of feminism and anti-racism from different generations clashed. “This left is losing contact with the base,” said Michel Wieviorka, a French sociologist. “It loses the capacity to embody new social and cultural protests, and at the same time, the old unionized worker protests are also slipping through its fingers.” Where it will all lead is unclear, but a poll taken this month showed that nearly three-quarters of the left-wing electorate now support the principle of a primary, and an average of about 8,000 people have joined the primary effort every day for the past two weeks, Grzybowski said. Alain Coulombel, a member of the Greens’ leadership who supports the primary, lamented that the left was heading toward the elections without equipping itself with “all the weapons to win.” He estimated that the parties’ agendas converged on nearly 80% of the proposals. All the French left has to do, he said, is “to put the puzzle together.”

A movement to unify the French left might be its last chance for the elections

Gravitas: Macron's plans for European supremacy

The small South Pacific territory of New Caledonia is over 16,000 kilometers away from France. It has now rejected independence in its third and final referendum.

Emmanuel Macron: France is more beautiful with Caledonia in it

France is moving forward to take over European Union's rotating Presidency in 2022. As French President Emmanuel Macron prepares for the Presidency of the EU, he has vowed to work towards a strong and sovereign European Union.

French President Emmanuel Macron prepares for the 2022 EU Presidency

French President Emmanuel Macron outlined France's priority on reinforcing European Union's sovereignty, notably its borders. His reaction came in context of France assuming presidency of the EU on January 1.

The rotating presidency of six months is coming to France as Belarus is facing allegations that it had engineered a refugee crisis by forcing Middle East migrants across border to Poland and Lithuania, both EU states.

European Union has seen differing opinions among countries in the block over the issue of response to immigration and policing of common external borders of Schengen area.

"A sovereign Europe, for me, has the foremost aspect of being capable to keep its borders under control," Macron told a news conference at which he presented France's priority for its EU presidency.

Among France's proposals will be setting up an emergency reaction capability to help EU states facing crises at their borders, Macron said.

He also wants the bloc to have regular political meetings on migration - like euro zone states already do on economic matters.

Macron faces a presidential election in April, and conservative and far-right parties are likely to make migration, on which he is viewed by some as a soft touch, a campaign issue.

Macron also said the EU needed to define a new defence strategy that would strengthen its ability to defend itself, even though the trans-Atlantic NATO alliance remained useful and effective.

He said he wanted to "Europeanise" France's security relationship with the West African Sahel region, where French soldiers are deployed in the fight against Islamist militants.

(With inputs from agencies)

French President Emmanuel Macron outlined France's priority on reinforcing European Union's sovereignty, notably its borders. His reaction came in context of France assuming presidency of the EU on January 1.

French President Emmanuel Macron outlined France's priority on reinforcing European Union's sovereignty, notably its borders. His reaction came in context of France assuming presidency of the EU on January 1. The rotating presidency of six months is coming to France as Belarus is facing allegations that it had engineered a refugee crisis by forcing Middle East migrants across border to Poland and Lithuania, both EU states. European Union has seen differing opinions among countries in the block over the issue of response to immigration and policing of common external borders of Schengen area. "A sovereign Europe, for me, has the foremost aspect of being capable to keep its borders under control," Macron told a news conference at which he presented France's priority for its EU presidency. Among France's proposals will be setting up an emergency reaction capability to help EU states facing crises at their borders, Macron said. He also wants the bloc to have regular political meetings on migration - like euro zone states already do on economic matters. Macron faces a presidential election in April, and conservative and far-right parties are likely to make migration, on which he is viewed by some as a soft touch, a campaign issue. Macron also said the EU needed to define a new defence strategy that would strengthen its ability to defend itself, even though the trans-Atlantic NATO alliance remained useful and effective. He said he wanted to "Europeanise" France's security relationship with the West African Sahel region, where French soldiers are deployed in the fight against Islamist militants. (With inputs from agencies)

Macron speaks of 'sovereign' EU during French presidency

French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday said that several European Union Countries are considering to re-establish a joint diplomatic mission in Afghanistan.

However, he was quick to point out that it “is a different approach than a political recognition or political dialogue with the Taliban.”

A number of issues had to be resolved, particularly security, for ambassadors to return, Macron said, hoping that a mission would open soon.

“We are thinking of an organisation between several European countries... a common location for several Europeans, which would allow our ambassadors to be present," Macron told reporters in Qatar. The French President is on a two-day Gulf tour.

Western ambassadors pulled out of Afghanistan after the Taliban ousted the civilian government and took power in August.

Several Taliban ministers are subject to US and UN sanctions.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/in-afghanistan-who-has-the-guns-gets-the-land-434095">In Afghanistan, ‘who has the guns gets the land’</a>

Earlier, Macron met with Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, on Friday evening. He will be next heading to Saudi Arabia.

He thanked Qatar for helping to organise the latest evacuation to France of more than 250 threatened Afghans.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-and-911-families-fight-for-billions-in-frozen-afghan-funds-432862">Taliban and 9/11 families fight for billions in frozen Afghan funds</a>

"I thank Qatar for the role it has played since the start of the crisis, and which permitted the organisation of several evacuations," Macron said.

A flight chartered by Paris flew out the 258 Afghans who were "particularly threatened because of their activities, especially journalists, or because of their links to France, including former locally-recruited civilian personnel for our armies," the French foreign ministry said on Friday.

The same flight carried 11 French nationals and about 60 from The Netherlands, along with dependents.

The ministry said that since September 10, 110 French nationals and their dependents as well as 396 Afghans have been evacuated on 10 flights organised by Qatar.

(With inputs from agencies)

French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday said that several European Union Countries are considering to re-establish a joint diplomatic mission in Afghanistan.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday said that several European Union Countries are considering to re-establish a joint diplomatic mission in Afghanistan. However, he was quick to point out that it “is a different approach than a political recognition or political dialogue with the Taliban.” A number of issues had to be resolved, particularly security, for ambassadors to return, Macron said, hoping that a mission would open soon. “We are thinking of an organisation between several European countries... a common location for several Europeans, which would allow our ambassadors to be present," Macron told reporters in Qatar. The French President is on a two-day Gulf tour. Western ambassadors pulled out of Afghanistan after the Taliban ousted the civilian government and took power in August. Several Taliban ministers are subject to US and UN sanctions. Also read | In Afghanistan, ‘who has the guns gets the land’ Earlier, Macron met with Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, on Friday evening. He will be next heading to Saudi Arabia. He thanked Qatar for helping to organise the latest evacuation to France of more than 250 threatened Afghans. Also read | Taliban and 9/11 families fight for billions in frozen Afghan funds "I thank Qatar for the role it has played since the start of the crisis, and which permitted the organisation of several evacuations," Macron said. A flight chartered by Paris flew out the 258 Afghans who were "particularly threatened because of their activities, especially journalists, or because of their links to France, including former locally-recruited civilian personnel for our armies," the French foreign ministry said on Friday. The same flight carried 11 French nationals and about 60 from The Netherlands, along with dependents. The ministry said that since September 10, 110 French nationals and their dependents as well as 396 Afghans have been evacuated on 10 flights organised by Qatar. (With inputs from agencies)

EU countries planning to open joint diplomatic mission in Afghanistan: France President Macron

European countries desperate for a long-term and reliable source of energy to help reach ambitious climate goals are turning to an answer that caused earlier generations to shudder: nuclear power.

Poland wants a fleet of smaller nuclear power stations to help end its reliance on coal. Britain is betting on Rolls-Royce to produce cheap modular reactors to complement wind and solar energy. And in France, President Emmanuel Macron plans to build on the nation’s huge nuclear program.

As world leaders pledge to avert a climate catastrophe, the nuclear industry sees an opportunity for a revival. Sidelined for years after the disasters at Fukushima and Chernobyl, advocates are wrangling to win recognition of nuclear energy, alongside solar and wind, as an acceptable source of clean power.

More than half a dozen European countries recently announced plans to build a new generation of nuclear reactors. Some are smaller and cheaper than older designs, occupying the space of two football fields and costing a fraction of the price of standard nuclear plants. The Biden administration is also backing such technology as a tool of “mass decarbonization” for the United States.

“Nuclear is going mainstream in the climate movement,” said Kirsty Gogan, a member of Britain’s Nuclear Innovation Research and Advisory Board and a founder of TerraPraxis, a nonprofit that supports nuclear energy in the shift to a green economy. “This is a critical decade, and I think we’re going to see real change.”

But not everyone is buying the idea that nuclear is a solution to climate change.

Ten years ago, a few months after an earthquake and tsunami caused a meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan, which forced the evacuation of over 150,000 people, the German government announced it would gradually shut down its nuclear program. Now Germany is at the head of a group of nations that want to defuse efforts to include more nuclear power in Europe’s green energy mix. They are worried about a proliferation of nuclear plants on European soil, and the radioactive waste they produce.

The pushback is creating tensions with France, Europe’s largest nuclear energy producer, which has forged an unusual alliance with Eastern European countries that want to attract more investment for nuclear power, including Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Romania.

The group is pressing the European Union to classify nuclear energy as a “sustainable” investment, a move that would unlock billions of euros of state aid and investment from pension funds, banks and other investors seeking to put money in environmental causes. Austria, Denmark, Luxembourg and Spain have joined Germany in trying to beat back the initiative in Brussels.

The nuclear industry’s main selling point is a technology involving scaled-down plants, or small modular reactors, that supporters say are safe, cheap and efficient. The argument is that wind and solar power alone won’t be enough to help countries meet the goals outlined at the U.N. climate summit this month in Glasgow, Scotland.

Nearly 200 countries at the conference pledged new efforts to prevent Earth from heating more than 1.5 degrees Celsius, or 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit, compared with preindustrial levels. Past that threshold, the risk of deadly heat waves and storms, water scarcity and ecosystem collapse escalates immensely, scientists warn.

But countries are falling far short even as they step up investments in wind and solar power, whose output varies with the elements. The reopening of the global economy from the coronavirus pandemic caused a recent spike in energy prices and set European governments scrambling to secure alternative supplies of power.

Nuclear advocates say that experience shows the need for a new generation of nuclear power.

“Nuclear has a really important role to play in getting to net zero for many countries,” said Tom Samson, chief executive of Rolls-Royce SMR, which has been working for six years on a commercial small modular nuclear reactor design — and feels its moment has arrived.

Rolls-Royce, which announced the venture this month, is jumping into a multibillion-dollar market for small nuclear reactors, competing with companies like NuScale, GE Hitachi and TerraPower (which has Bill Gates as its chairman) in the United States; Électricité de France, the French state-owned power company; China’s National Nuclear Corp.; and KEPCO in South Korea.

Samson pitches the venture as a new approach to an industry notorious for delays and cost overruns, and mostly avoided by investors. Rolls-Royce, which makes jet engines and supplies the power plant for the Royal Navy’s nuclear submarine fleet, hopes to build 16 of the plants in Britain and generate export sales as well.

The cookie-cutter components will be factory-built and transportable by truck or ship. Initially the plants are expected to cost 2.2 billion pounds ($3 billion) each, compared with an estimated 22.5 billion pound price tag for a full-size plant now under construction in western England.

Drawings of the Rolls-Royce reactor show a compact, futuristic building in a verdant landscape. One reactor would have roughly one-seventh the output of the largest modern nuclear stations and could power 1 million homes.

Labor unions in Britain and Europe back the initiatives, arguing that nuclear plants generate jobs and are preferable to renewable technologies like a solar field, which don’t require many workers to maintain.

Critics say nuclear power is hardly a solution for accelerating the push to net-zero emissions.

For one thing, new nuclear stations, even small ones, will take up to a decade or more to come online, in part because of regulatory requirements, nowhere near fast enough to address a climate emergency. The first Rolls-Royce reactor wouldn’t be in operation until 2031.

And safety questions have lingered after high-profile nuclear accidents, along with unresolved concerns over the storage of radioactive waste.

Croatia is opposing a nuclear reactor project in Slovenia that would deposit some nuclear waste near their border. Germany is objecting to a planned Polish reactor that the German Green party said would most likely contaminate Germany in the event of an accident.

The ability of small nuclear reactors to produce energy quickly or cheaply enough to matter for countries is also unclear, said Mark Hibbs, a senior fellow and a nuclear expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Hibbs, who is based in Germany, noted that 10 such reactors might be required to do the same job as one large modern nuclear power station.

Said Doug Parr, chief scientist for Greenpeace in Britain: “It doesn’t solve the problems for society; it solves the problems for the nuclear industry.” He added, “They want to come up with a new concept that does not have the bad image of large nuclear.”

Those pushing for a nuclear revival say such concerns are overblown.

In France, Macron this month announced he would reboot the nation’s atomic program to “live up to” France’s commitments to slash carbon emissions. A recent government-commissioned report concluded France probably can’t achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 with only renewable energy.

His government is expected to authorize state-owned Électricité de France to build six new pressurized reactors and spend billions to help EDF produce small modular nuclear reactors by 2030. The work would be a lifeline for EDF, which is over 40 billion euros ($45 billion) in debt after contending with nuclear plant construction delays and cost overruns.

In Eastern Europe, the rush is already underway.

Poland, Romania and Ukraine, long reliant on coal-burning power plants, are among those signing contracts with U.S. and European companies for small-reactor technology. Poland alone plans to build large nuclear reactors and at least half a dozen small ones at coal sites to produce power and create jobs.

“The ability to bring new electric power generation in a shorter time frame and with a lower total project cost is a primary driver,” said John Kotek, vice president for policy development and public affairs at the Nuclear Energy Institute, an industry group in Washington.

Still, Europe’s divide over nuclear power remains sharp enough that policymakers may not be ready to support a nuclear buildup program — even if they sorely want to achieve climate change targets.

“It would be impossible to build any consensus policy in Brussels that would strongly support member states’ investment in nuclear power,” said Hibbs of the Carnegie Endowment. “It would be left up to the national governments to do that.”

But as investors look at where to deploy trillions of dollars in assets in the shift away from fossil fuels, nuclear power is becoming harder to ignore.

“The general consensus in climate circles is nuclear is a clean energy source,” said Marisa Drew, chief sustainability officer at Credit Suisse. “If someone can deliver something that is economically viable and scalable and truly green, and do it in a safe way, then we have to embrace that.”

European countries desperate for a long-term and reliable source of energy to help reach ambitious climate goals are turning to an answer that caused earlier generations to shudder: nuclear power.

European countries desperate for a long-term and reliable source of energy to help reach ambitious climate goals are turning to an answer that caused earlier generations to shudder: nuclear power. Poland wants a fleet of smaller nuclear power stations to help end its reliance on coal. Britain is betting on Rolls-Royce to produce cheap modular reactors to complement wind and solar energy. And in France, President Emmanuel Macron plans to build on the nation’s huge nuclear program. As world leaders pledge to avert a climate catastrophe, the nuclear industry sees an opportunity for a revival. Sidelined for years after the disasters at Fukushima and Chernobyl, advocates are wrangling to win recognition of nuclear energy, alongside solar and wind, as an acceptable source of clean power. More than half a dozen European countries recently announced plans to build a new generation of nuclear reactors. Some are smaller and cheaper than older designs, occupying the space of two football fields and costing a fraction of the price of standard nuclear plants. The Biden administration is also backing such technology as a tool of “mass decarbonization” for the United States. “Nuclear is going mainstream in the climate movement,” said Kirsty Gogan, a member of Britain’s Nuclear Innovation Research and Advisory Board and a founder of TerraPraxis, a nonprofit that supports nuclear energy in the shift to a green economy. “This is a critical decade, and I think we’re going to see real change.” But not everyone is buying the idea that nuclear is a solution to climate change. Ten years ago, a few months after an earthquake and tsunami caused a meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan, which forced the evacuation of over 150,000 people, the German government announced it would gradually shut down its nuclear program. Now Germany is at the head of a group of nations that want to defuse efforts to include more nuclear power in Europe’s green energy mix. They are worried about a proliferation of nuclear plants on European soil, and the radioactive waste they produce. The pushback is creating tensions with France, Europe’s largest nuclear energy producer, which has forged an unusual alliance with Eastern European countries that want to attract more investment for nuclear power, including Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Romania. The group is pressing the European Union to classify nuclear energy as a “sustainable” investment, a move that would unlock billions of euros of state aid and investment from pension funds, banks and other investors seeking to put money in environmental causes. Austria, Denmark, Luxembourg and Spain have joined Germany in trying to beat back the initiative in Brussels. The nuclear industry’s main selling point is a technology involving scaled-down plants, or small modular reactors, that supporters say are safe, cheap and efficient. The argument is that wind and solar power alone won’t be enough to help countries meet the goals outlined at the U.N. climate summit this month in Glasgow, Scotland. Nearly 200 countries at the conference pledged new efforts to prevent Earth from heating more than 1.5 degrees Celsius, or 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit, compared with preindustrial levels. Past that threshold, the risk of deadly heat waves and storms, water scarcity and ecosystem collapse escalates immensely, scientists warn. But countries are falling far short even as they step up investments in wind and solar power, whose output varies with the elements. The reopening of the global economy from the coronavirus pandemic caused a recent spike in energy prices and set European governments scrambling to secure alternative supplies of power. Nuclear advocates say that experience shows the need for a new generation of nuclear power. “Nuclear has a really important role to play in getting to net zero for many countries,” said Tom Samson, chief executive of Rolls-Royce SMR, which has been working for six years on a commercial small modular nuclear reactor design — and feels its moment has arrived. Rolls-Royce, which announced the venture this month, is jumping into a multibillion-dollar market for small nuclear reactors, competing with companies like NuScale, GE Hitachi and TerraPower (which has Bill Gates as its chairman) in the United States; Électricité de France, the French state-owned power company; China’s National Nuclear Corp.; and KEPCO in South Korea. Samson pitches the venture as a new approach to an industry notorious for delays and cost overruns, and mostly avoided by investors. Rolls-Royce, which makes jet engines and supplies the power plant for the Royal Navy’s nuclear submarine fleet, hopes to build 16 of the plants in Britain and generate export sales as well. The cookie-cutter components will be factory-built and transportable by truck or ship. Initially the plants are expected to cost 2.2 billion pounds ($3 billion) each, compared with an estimated 22.5 billion pound price tag for a full-size plant now under construction in western England. Drawings of the Rolls-Royce reactor show a compact, futuristic building in a verdant landscape. One reactor would have roughly one-seventh the output of the largest modern nuclear stations and could power 1 million homes. Labor unions in Britain and Europe back the initiatives, arguing that nuclear plants generate jobs and are preferable to renewable technologies like a solar field, which don’t require many workers to maintain. Critics say nuclear power is hardly a solution for accelerating the push to net-zero emissions. For one thing, new nuclear stations, even small ones, will take up to a decade or more to come online, in part because of regulatory requirements, nowhere near fast enough to address a climate emergency. The first Rolls-Royce reactor wouldn’t be in operation until 2031. And safety questions have lingered after high-profile nuclear accidents, along with unresolved concerns over the storage of radioactive waste. Croatia is opposing a nuclear reactor project in Slovenia that would deposit some nuclear waste near their border. Germany is objecting to a planned Polish reactor that the German Green party said would most likely contaminate Germany in the event of an accident. The ability of small nuclear reactors to produce energy quickly or cheaply enough to matter for countries is also unclear, said Mark Hibbs, a senior fellow and a nuclear expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Hibbs, who is based in Germany, noted that 10 such reactors might be required to do the same job as one large modern nuclear power station. Said Doug Parr, chief scientist for Greenpeace in Britain: “It doesn’t solve the problems for society; it solves the problems for the nuclear industry.” He added, “They want to come up with a new concept that does not have the bad image of large nuclear.” Those pushing for a nuclear revival say such concerns are overblown. In France, Macron this month announced he would reboot the nation’s atomic program to “live up to” France’s commitments to slash carbon emissions. A recent government-commissioned report concluded France probably can’t achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 with only renewable energy. His government is expected to authorize state-owned Électricité de France to build six new pressurized reactors and spend billions to help EDF produce small modular nuclear reactors by 2030. The work would be a lifeline for EDF, which is over 40 billion euros ($45 billion) in debt after contending with nuclear plant construction delays and cost overruns. In Eastern Europe, the rush is already underway. Poland, Romania and Ukraine, long reliant on coal-burning power plants, are among those signing contracts with U.S. and European companies for small-reactor technology. Poland alone plans to build large nuclear reactors and at least half a dozen small ones at coal sites to produce power and create jobs. “The ability to bring new electric power generation in a shorter time frame and with a lower total project cost is a primary driver,” said John Kotek, vice president for policy development and public affairs at the Nuclear Energy Institute, an industry group in Washington. Still, Europe’s divide over nuclear power remains sharp enough that policymakers may not be ready to support a nuclear buildup program — even if they sorely want to achieve climate change targets. “It would be impossible to build any consensus policy in Brussels that would strongly support member states’ investment in nuclear power,” said Hibbs of the Carnegie Endowment. “It would be left up to the national governments to do that.” But as investors look at where to deploy trillions of dollars in assets in the shift away from fossil fuels, nuclear power is becoming harder to ignore. “The general consensus in climate circles is nuclear is a clean energy source,” said Marisa Drew, chief sustainability officer at Credit Suisse. “If someone can deliver something that is economically viable and scalable and truly green, and do it in a safe way, then we have to embrace that.”

Europe revisits nuclear power as climate deadlines loom

France has withdrawn an invitation to UK home secretary Priti Patel to join talks on the migrant crisis following a public letter from Prime Minister Boris Johnson to President Emmanuel Macron.

France cancels UK invitation to migrant crisis talks after Boris Johnson's letter

How would you feel, if your country's flag is changed? If its colours & design are altered? This is something France has done recently. It's flag has started to look a little more blue now. The French president has been using the changed flag since July 2020. That's almost 16 months!! But people barely noticed it. Now they have and they're asking questions.

France changes its flag's colour to darker Navy

French President Emmanuel Macron has changed the country's flag. Does the change imply a shift in policies or does it signify a change in ideology? Which other countries have changed their flags & for what reasons? Palki Sharma has a report.

Gravitas: Why has Macron changed the French Flag?

French prosecutors have opened an inquiry to investigate allegations of a female soldier who was part of President Emmanuel Macron’s defence staff.

According to French media, the woman was allegedly raped by a colleague at a party at the president's Élysée Palace in July.

According to reports, Macron was present at the farewell party, but shortly left after giving a brief speech.

Some of the guests later went on to the premises of the president's personal military staff in an annex to the palace, which is where the sexual attack allegedly took place.

The young woman immediately went to a nearby police station after the alleged assault and reported the rape that night.

The alleged victim and attacker were colleagues and deployed at the high-security office at the Élysée Palace dealing with sensitive government matters.

A presidential official told the AFP news agency that “as soon as the authorities were aware of these claims, measures were immediately taken” to support the alleged victim.

Both the woman and the accused have been moved to other duties, the palace has said.

Macron’s office would await judicial investigations before deciding on any further action, an official told news agencies.

Macron has vowed to tackle the problem of violence against women, and his government introduced&nbsp;a new law setting the age of consent at 15&nbsp;in response to the scandals this March.

He is expected to stand for a second term as president in elections scheduled for April 2022, although he has yet to declare his candidacy.

(With inputs from agencies)

French prosecutors have opened an inquiry to investigate allegations of a female soldier who was part of President Emmanuel Macron’s defence staff. According to French media, the woman was allegedly raped by a colleague at a party at the president's Élysée Palace in July.

French prosecutors have opened an inquiry to investigate allegations of a female soldier who was part of President Emmanuel Macron’s defence staff. According to French media, the woman was allegedly raped by a colleague at a party at the president's Élysée Palace in July. According to reports, Macron was present at the farewell party, but shortly left after giving a brief speech. Some of the guests later went on to the premises of the president's personal military staff in an annex to the palace, which is where the sexual attack allegedly took place. The young woman immediately went to a nearby police station after the alleged assault and reported the rape that night. The alleged victim and attacker were colleagues and deployed at the high-security office at the Élysée Palace dealing with sensitive government matters. A presidential official told the AFP news agency that “as soon as the authorities were aware of these claims, measures were immediately taken” to support the alleged victim. Both the woman and the accused have been moved to other duties, the palace has said. Macron’s office would await judicial investigations before deciding on any further action, an official told news agencies. Macron has vowed to tackle the problem of violence against women, and his government introduced a new law setting the age of consent at 15 in response to the scandals this March. He is expected to stand for a second term as president in elections scheduled for April 2022, although he has yet to declare his candidacy. (With inputs from agencies)

French authorities probe rape allegations of woman who was part of President Macron’s military staff

President Emmanuel Macron's former bodyguard received a three-year sentence on Friday for assaulting two young demonstrators during an anti-capitalist protest in 2018, an incident that caused deep embarrassment for the president.

Alexandre Benalla — who will not see the inside of a prison after the court suspended two of the three years and ordered him to wear an electronic bracelet for one year — was also convicted of faking documents and illegally carrying a firearm.

Macron, who had made integrity in office a cornerstone of his 2017 election campaign, fired Benalla after a video emerged showing him striking a young man and grabbing a young woman by the neck at a May Day protest in Paris.

The former bouncer, now aged 30, was wearing a police helmet, even though he had only been given leave to attend the protest as an observer.

"Benallagate" ballooned into the first major test for Macron's presidency, which was accused of a cover-up for failing to report Benalla to the police until French daily Le Monde revealed the existence of the video two months after the incident.

Benalla denied the charges at his trial, saying he had acted "by reflex" to help officers arrest unruly protesters.

Benalla started working as a bodyguard for Macron in 2016 and was promoted to a senior security role after Macron's May 2017 victory, becoming a trusted confidant and right-hand man seen at Macron's side in countless photos.

After the scandal broke, Benalla also admitted carrying a handgun during outings with Macron, even though he was only authorised to have it within Macron's party headquarters, where he was nicknamed "Rambo".

Investigators found that he continued to use diplomatic passports for trips to Africa and Israel, where he was trying to build up a consulting business.

He was also found guilty of using faked documents to obtain one of the passports.

Reading out the verdict, presiding judge Isabelle Prevost-Desprez said that Benalla seemed to believe he could act with "impunity" and "felt all-powerful" during and after his work for the president.

"You were given a certain power, that was real as far as your job went, and assumed because you were close to the president," she said. "You betrayed the trust that you were granted through this appointment."

A former senior campaign official described Benalla "as someone who could fix all the practical problems very efficiently. He thought of everything, he was our Swiss Army knife."

He also secured perks usually reserved for top administration officials, including an apartment near the Elysee Palace and access to the National Assembly and its private gym and library.

Macron's government survived two no-confidence votes in parliament following the scandal, but a Senate investigative panel that questioned key Macron aides found "major flaws" in the administration's handling of the affair.

Friday's sentence was harsher than the punishment requested by prosecutors who had asked for an 18-month suspended prison term for Benalla during his trial in September.&nbsp;

President Emmanuel Macron's former bodyguard received a three-year sentence on Friday for assaulting two young demonstrators during an anti-capitalist protest in 2018, an incident that caused deep embarrassment for the president.

President Emmanuel Macron's former bodyguard received a three-year sentence on Friday for assaulting two young demonstrators during an anti-capitalist protest in 2018, an incident that caused deep embarrassment for the president. Alexandre Benalla — who will not see the inside of a prison after the court suspended two of the three years and ordered him to wear an electronic bracelet for one year — was also convicted of faking documents and illegally carrying a firearm. Macron, who had made integrity in office a cornerstone of his 2017 election campaign, fired Benalla after a video emerged showing him striking a young man and grabbing a young woman by the neck at a May Day protest in Paris. The former bouncer, now aged 30, was wearing a police helmet, even though he had only been given leave to attend the protest as an observer. "Benallagate" ballooned into the first major test for Macron's presidency, which was accused of a cover-up for failing to report Benalla to the police until French daily Le Monde revealed the existence of the video two months after the incident. Benalla denied the charges at his trial, saying he had acted "by reflex" to help officers arrest unruly protesters. Benalla started working as a bodyguard for Macron in 2016 and was promoted to a senior security role after Macron's May 2017 victory, becoming a trusted confidant and right-hand man seen at Macron's side in countless photos. After the scandal broke, Benalla also admitted carrying a handgun during outings with Macron, even though he was only authorised to have it within Macron's party headquarters, where he was nicknamed "Rambo". Investigators found that he continued to use diplomatic passports for trips to Africa and Israel, where he was trying to build up a consulting business. He was also found guilty of using faked documents to obtain one of the passports. Reading out the verdict, presiding judge Isabelle Prevost-Desprez said that Benalla seemed to believe he could act with "impunity" and "felt all-powerful" during and after his work for the president. "You were given a certain power, that was real as far as your job went, and assumed because you were close to the president," she said. "You betrayed the trust that you were granted through this appointment." A former senior campaign official described Benalla "as someone who could fix all the practical problems very efficiently. He thought of everything, he was our Swiss Army knife." He also secured perks usually reserved for top administration officials, including an apartment near the Elysee Palace and access to the National Assembly and its private gym and library. Macron's government survived two no-confidence votes in parliament following the scandal, but a Senate investigative panel that questioned key Macron aides found "major flaws" in the administration's handling of the affair. Friday's sentence was harsher than the punishment requested by prosecutors who had asked for an 18-month suspended prison term for Benalla during his trial in September.

Macron's ex-bodyguard sentenced for assaulting demonstrators

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