French&nbsp;authorities have issued an&nbsp;international&nbsp;arrest&nbsp;warrant&nbsp;for disgraced former Nissan boss Carlos&nbsp;Ghosn,&nbsp;prosecutors&nbsp;told AFP on Friday.

The&nbsp;warrant, issued on Thursday, relates to suspect payments of some 15 million euros ($16.3 million) between the Renault-Nissan alliance that&nbsp;Ghosn&nbsp;once headed and its dealer in Oman, Suhail Bahwan Automobiles (SBA),&nbsp;prosecutors&nbsp;said.

The allegations against&nbsp;Ghosn, 68, include misuse of company assets, money laundering and corruption.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/frances-tallest-man-uses-tiktok-fame-to-celebrate-uniqueness-of-human-body-472963">France's tallest man uses TikTok fame to celebrate uniqueness of human body</a>

The auto tycoon -- who holds&nbsp;French, Lebanese and Brazilian passports -- was initially due to stand trial in Japan, following his detention there in 2018, but he jumped bail and made a sensational getaway to Lebanon, where he now lives.

The&nbsp;international&nbsp;arrest&nbsp;warrant&nbsp;issued on Thursday by a court in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, is a strong message to Lebanon, which does not extradite its citizens and has banned&nbsp;Ghosn&nbsp;from leaving its territory.

If the&nbsp;warrant&nbsp;is carried out,&nbsp;Ghosn&nbsp;will be summoned before a judge in Nanterre and formally indicted.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;French&nbsp;probe centres on suspect&nbsp;financial dealings between Renault-Nissan's Dutch subsidiary RNBV and SBA, consultancy work involving RNBV and a former government minister, and lavish parties organised at the Versailles Palace in France.

The investigating judge in Nanterre has also issued&nbsp;arrest&nbsp;warrants for four current or former SBA bosses -- the company founder, his two sons and the current director-general, sources close to the case told AFP. The four are suspected of corruption and money laundering.

Watch |&nbsp;French Presidential Elections: After fiery pre-election debate, Macron, Le Pen are making final push for votes

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Major development

Renault, which is a civil party in the case, said it "took note" of the Nanterre&nbsp;prosecutors' move.

"This is a major development which can be explained in part by the severity of new information that has come to light ... concerning hidden financial dealings worth several million euros between Carlos&nbsp;Ghosn&nbsp;and SBA's founders and bosses," Renault lawyer Kami Haeri told AFP.

The&nbsp;Ghosn&nbsp;saga, which began in 2018, has grabbed headlines worldwide.

In November 2018,&nbsp;Ghosn&nbsp;-- then boss of Nissan and head of an alliance between Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors -- was detained in Japan on suspicion of financial misconduct along with his top aide, Greg Kelly. They both denied wrongdoing.

In December 2019 as he awaited trial,&nbsp;Ghosn&nbsp;was smuggled out of Japan on a private jet, hidden in an audio equipment case, and flown to Beirut.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/french-presidential-elections-2022-runoff-voting-how-does-the-polling-system-work-472305">French presidential elections 2022 |&nbsp;Runoff voting: How does the polling system work?</a>

He justified his escape to Lebanon by saying he did not believe he would get a fair trial in Tokyo.

Ghosn&nbsp;also accused Nissan of colluding with&nbsp;prosecutors&nbsp;to have him arrested in a "palace coup" because he had sought to strengthen the Japanese firm's alliance with Renault.

Stab in the back

In 2020 Interpol issued a "red notice", advising Beirut that&nbsp;Ghosn&nbsp;was a fugitive from Japan and was wanted by the Tokyo authorities for prosecution.&nbsp;

Lebanon, which has no extradition treaty with Japan, has not arrested him.

He is respected in Lebanon for his entrepreneurial skills and gives lectures at the Saint-Esprit de Kaslik University near Beirut. But he remains discreet and steers clear of commenting on the country's political and economic upheavals.

One of&nbsp;Ghosn's lawyers, Jean Tamalet, told AFP the&nbsp;French&nbsp;warrant&nbsp;was "very surprising because the investigating judge and the Nanterre prosecutor know perfectly well that Carlos&nbsp;Ghosn, who has always cooperated with justice, is subject to a judicial ban on leaving Lebanese territory".

French&nbsp;officials have twice travelled to Beirut in the course of their investigations. They questioned&nbsp;Ghosn&nbsp;in 2021 but only as a witness as a formal indictment cannot be made until and unless he is on&nbsp;French&nbsp;territory.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/french-presidential-election-macrons-lead-over-le-pen-widens-in-polls-472246">French presidential election: Macron's lead over Le Pen widens in polls</a>

Meanwhile, his former aide Kelly was last month handed a six-month suspended sentence by a Tokyo court over allegations he helped&nbsp;Ghosn&nbsp;attempt to conceal income.

Prosecutors&nbsp;had sought two years in prison for Kelly, accusing him of helping&nbsp;Ghosn&nbsp;under-report his income to the tune of 9.1 billion yen ($79 million) between 2010 and 2018. The court only found Kelly guilty for the financial year 2017.

In an interview with&nbsp;French&nbsp;newspaper Le Parisien in February,&nbsp;Ghosn&nbsp;hit out at what he said was a "stab in the back by the&nbsp;French&nbsp;government and the Renault board of directors".

French&nbsp;Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire declined on Friday to comment on the latest developments, telling BFMTV/RMC radio: "Let justice take its course."

French authorities have issued an international arrest warrant for disgraced former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn, prosecutors told AFP on Friday. The warrant, issued on Thursday, relates to suspect payments of some 15 million euros ($16.

French authorities have issued an international arrest warrant for disgraced former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn, prosecutors told AFP on Friday. The warrant, issued on Thursday, relates to suspect payments of some 15 million euros ($16.3 million) between the Renault-Nissan alliance that Ghosn once headed and its dealer in Oman, Suhail Bahwan Automobiles (SBA), prosecutors said. The allegations against Ghosn, 68, include misuse of company assets, money laundering and corruption. Also read | France's tallest man uses TikTok fame to celebrate uniqueness of human body The auto tycoon -- who holds French, Lebanese and Brazilian passports -- was initially due to stand trial in Japan, following his detention there in 2018, but he jumped bail and made a sensational getaway to Lebanon, where he now lives. The international arrest warrant issued on Thursday by a court in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, is a strong message to Lebanon, which does not extradite its citizens and has banned Ghosn from leaving its territory. If the warrant is carried out, Ghosn will be summoned before a judge in Nanterre and formally indicted. The French probe centres on suspect financial dealings between Renault-Nissan's Dutch subsidiary RNBV and SBA, consultancy work involving RNBV and a former government minister, and lavish parties organised at the Versailles Palace in France. The investigating judge in Nanterre has also issued arrest warrants for four current or former SBA bosses -- the company founder, his two sons and the current director-general, sources close to the case told AFP. The four are suspected of corruption and money laundering. Watch | French Presidential Elections: After fiery pre-election debate, Macron, Le Pen are making final push for votes Major development Renault, which is a civil party in the case, said it "took note" of the Nanterre prosecutors' move. "This is a major development which can be explained in part by the severity of new information that has come to light ... concerning hidden financial dealings worth several million euros between Carlos Ghosn and SBA's founders and bosses," Renault lawyer Kami Haeri told AFP. The Ghosn saga, which began in 2018, has grabbed headlines worldwide. In November 2018, Ghosn -- then boss of Nissan and head of an alliance between Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors -- was detained in Japan on suspicion of financial misconduct along with his top aide, Greg Kelly. They both denied wrongdoing. In December 2019 as he awaited trial, Ghosn was smuggled out of Japan on a private jet, hidden in an audio equipment case, and flown to Beirut. Also read | French presidential elections 2022 | Runoff voting: How does the polling system work? He justified his escape to Lebanon by saying he did not believe he would get a fair trial in Tokyo. Ghosn also accused Nissan of colluding with prosecutors to have him arrested in a "palace coup" because he had sought to strengthen the Japanese firm's alliance with Renault. Stab in the back In 2020 Interpol issued a "red notice", advising Beirut that Ghosn was a fugitive from Japan and was wanted by the Tokyo authorities for prosecution. Lebanon, which has no extradition treaty with Japan, has not arrested him. He is respected in Lebanon for his entrepreneurial skills and gives lectures at the Saint-Esprit de Kaslik University near Beirut. But he remains discreet and steers clear of commenting on the country's political and economic upheavals. One of Ghosn's lawyers, Jean Tamalet, told AFP the French warrant was "very surprising because the investigating judge and the Nanterre prosecutor know perfectly well that Carlos Ghosn, who has always cooperated with justice, is subject to a judicial ban on leaving Lebanese territory". French officials have twice travelled to Beirut in the course of their investigations. They questioned Ghosn in 2021 but only as a witness as a formal indictment cannot be made until and unless he is on French territory. Also read | French presidential election: Macron's lead over Le Pen widens in polls Meanwhile, his former aide Kelly was last month handed a six-month suspended sentence by a Tokyo court over allegations he helped Ghosn attempt to conceal income. Prosecutors had sought two years in prison for Kelly, accusing him of helping Ghosn under-report his income to the tune of 9.1 billion yen ($79 million) between 2010 and 2018. The court only found Kelly guilty for the financial year 2017. In an interview with French newspaper Le Parisien in February, Ghosn hit out at what he said was a "stab in the back by the French government and the Renault board of directors". French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire declined on Friday to comment on the latest developments, telling BFMTV/RMC radio: "Let justice take its course."

French prosecutors issue international arrest warrant for Ghosn

Emmanuel Macron & Marine Le Pen are trying to woo voters before Sunday's election run-off. While Macron appealed to 'stigmatised' suburbs, Le Pen campaigned in the north of the country.

France elections: Macron & Le Pen try to woo voters in the final sprint

Vincent Pourchot was 6 feet tall when he was just 8-years-old. He is now France's tallest man, officially. Pourchot is a professional basketball player who has also become TikTok star because of his humorous videos. He is definitely not hard to find in a crowd with his 2.22 metres tall frame. And now he commands 1.6 million subscribers on TikTok.

Pourchot plays for Tours Métropole Basket. He has been using his uniqueness in his videos.

His height puts him in interesting situations in his day-to-day life. He has to lower his head before going through literally every door. Washing dishes may be a simple enough task for everyone but not exactly for Pourchot, who has to sit on a chair if he wants to do the dishes.

His videos have made him more popular than he was before.

"I took the plunge during isolation. One evening, I filmed myself dancing to demonstrate that it was impossible for me to see myself in full in the mirrors of my apartment," he explains. "The video wasn't great, but I posted it on TikTok anyway. What a surprise when I woke up!"

Pourchot was quoted by Euronews.

He is now using his large following to create awareness and for those who are not comfortable with uniqueness of their body, he is an icon. He has been quoted in the news report talking about a message he got from a tall school boy.

The boy was reportedly being bullied in school due to his height. He says that Pourchot's TikTok videos gave him confidence.

"I feel useful," he has been quoted as saying.

Vincent Pourchot was 6 feet tall when he was just 8-years-old. He is now France's tallest man, officially. Pourchot is a professional basketball player who has also become TikTok star because of his humorous videos.

Vincent Pourchot was 6 feet tall when he was just 8-years-old. He is now France's tallest man, officially. Pourchot is a professional basketball player who has also become TikTok star because of his humorous videos. He is definitely not hard to find in a crowd with his 2.22 metres tall frame. And now he commands 1.6 million subscribers on TikTok. Pourchot plays for Tours Métropole Basket. He has been using his uniqueness in his videos. His height puts him in interesting situations in his day-to-day life. He has to lower his head before going through literally every door. Washing dishes may be a simple enough task for everyone but not exactly for Pourchot, who has to sit on a chair if he wants to do the dishes. His videos have made him more popular than he was before. "I took the plunge during isolation. One evening, I filmed myself dancing to demonstrate that it was impossible for me to see myself in full in the mirrors of my apartment," he explains. "The video wasn't great, but I posted it on TikTok anyway. What a surprise when I woke up!" Pourchot was quoted by Euronews. He is now using his large following to create awareness and for those who are not comfortable with uniqueness of their body, he is an icon. He has been quoted in the news report talking about a message he got from a tall school boy. The boy was reportedly being bullied in school due to his height. He says that Pourchot's TikTok videos gave him confidence. "I feel useful," he has been quoted as saying.

France's tallest man uses TikTok fame to celebrate uniqueness of human body

In France, after an aggressive pre-election debate, rival presidential candidates are making a final push for votes with just two days to go before Sunday's election runoff, the two are back on the campaign trail.

French Presidential Elections: After fiery pre-election debate, Macron, Le Pen are making final push for votes

The French Presidential race has reached its climax. Emmanuel Macron & Marine Le Pen are about to face off in the Presidential debate. The 2017 debate cost Le Pen the top office. Will history repeat itself? Molly Gambhir reports.

Gravitas: Macron & Le Pen to duel in Presidential Debate

Three days from now, France will decide its new President. For that French President Emmanuel Macron, rival Marine Le Pen faced off in a high-stakes debate. Two leaders clashed bitterly over issues like Russia, the Hijab ban and Europe.

French Presidential debate: Le Pen confirms sticking to banning Hijab in Public

As the polling day inches closer some voters in France find it hard to vote for Emmanuel Macron due to his track record however they do not want far-right leader Le Pen in power as they feel it would put them in danger, watch this report for more.

French Elections: Muslim voters hope to keep Marine Le Pen out of power

In France, the race for the presidential election is in its final days of campaigning. Days ahead of the final vote in one of the biggest economies, far-right candidate Marine Le Pen is trying to present a more moderate face to the voters.

French Presidential election 2022: Le Pen tones down Hijab ban rhetoric

French voters will go to the polls twice to elect their new President.

On April 10, 12 candidates ran against each other in the first election.

They were able to enter the contest after gaining the support of 500 mayors and municipal councillors from throughout the country.

Because Macron and Le Pen garnered the most votes, but because neither received more than 50%, a runoff will be held on Sunday, April 24.

This isn't France's only national election this year; parliamentary elections are also scheduled for June.

Let's have a look at the procedure for electing the President of the French Republic:

The people of France elect their President every five years.

Who is eligible to vote?

Direct universal suffrage is used to elect the President.All French nationals aged 18 and up, whether or not they live in France, are eligible to vote.Votes are directly attributed to the candidates.

What are the election's main stages?

The release of official candidate list — Candidates must be nominated by at least 500 elected representatives to be considered official candidates (e.g. mayors, deputies).

Campaigning for the election

A committee is in charge of monitoring the budget limit.

Once the official campaign begins, each candidate must receive an equal amount of TV and radio airtime.

Each candidate gets a fair amount of airtime (radio and TV)

In France, the quantity of airtime granted to presidential candidates is highly restricted, and the restrictions are evolving as the election draws near. Radio and television stations must provide each candidate "equitable" airtime, also known as temps de parole or "speaking time," after the Constitutional Council releases the official list of candidates.

The election's first round: (April 10, 2022)

The French people go to the polls. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote in the first round, a second round is held.

Second round of the election: (April 24, 2022)

Only the two candidates with the highest votes advance to the second round of the election.The candidate who receives the absolute majority of the votes cast is declared the winner.

What is a runoff election?

A runoff election is held to pick a winner when no candidate in the initial election meets the required threshold for victory. Both primary and general elections can be decided through runoff elections.

Only if no candidate receives a simple majority (more than 50%) of the votes cast in the first round, or at least some other predetermined percentage, does the election move on to the second round.

In the second round, only the two candidates who obtained the most votes in the first round, or those who received more than a predetermined percentage of the votes, are normally candidates.

Any candidate who is still in the running for the second round has the option to withdraw.

The two-round system is frequently employed in the election of legislative bodies and directly elected presidents, as well as in other situations such as the election of political party leaders and internal company elections. 
 
Watch | French Election 2022: Emmanuel Macron &amp; Marine Le Pen emerge as top candidates

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/french-election-2022-emmanuel-macron-marine-le-pen-emerge-as-top-candidates-469979/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

French voters will go to the polls twice to elect their new President. On April 10, 12 candidates ran against each other in the first election. They were able to enter the contest after gaining the support of 500 mayors and municipal councillors from throughout the country.

French voters will go to the polls twice to elect their new President. On April 10, 12 candidates ran against each other in the first election. They were able to enter the contest after gaining the support of 500 mayors and municipal councillors from throughout the country. Because Macron and Le Pen garnered the most votes, but because neither received more than 50%, a runoff will be held on Sunday, April 24. This isn't France's only national election this year; parliamentary elections are also scheduled for June. Let's have a look at the procedure for electing the President of the French Republic: The people of France elect their President every five years. Who is eligible to vote? Direct universal suffrage is used to elect the President.All French nationals aged 18 and up, whether or not they live in France, are eligible to vote.Votes are directly attributed to the candidates. What are the election's main stages? The release of official candidate list — Candidates must be nominated by at least 500 elected representatives to be considered official candidates (e.g. mayors, deputies). Campaigning for the election A committee is in charge of monitoring the budget limit. Once the official campaign begins, each candidate must receive an equal amount of TV and radio airtime. Each candidate gets a fair amount of airtime (radio and TV) In France, the quantity of airtime granted to presidential candidates is highly restricted, and the restrictions are evolving as the election draws near. Radio and television stations must provide each candidate "equitable" airtime, also known as temps de parole or "speaking time," after the Constitutional Council releases the official list of candidates. The election's first round: (April 10, 2022) The French people go to the polls. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote in the first round, a second round is held. Second round of the election: (April 24, 2022) Only the two candidates with the highest votes advance to the second round of the election.The candidate who receives the absolute majority of the votes cast is declared the winner. What is a runoff election? A runoff election is held to pick a winner when no candidate in the initial election meets the required threshold for victory. Both primary and general elections can be decided through runoff elections. Only if no candidate receives a simple majority (more than 50%) of the votes cast in the first round, or at least some other predetermined percentage, does the election move on to the second round. In the second round, only the two candidates who obtained the most votes in the first round, or those who received more than a predetermined percentage of the votes, are normally candidates. Any candidate who is still in the running for the second round has the option to withdraw. The two-round system is frequently employed in the election of legislative bodies and directly elected presidents, as well as in other situations such as the election of political party leaders and internal company elections. Watch | French Election 2022: Emmanuel Macron & Marine Le Pen emerge as top candidates

French presidential elections 2022 | Runoff voting: How does the polling system work?

With just four days left for the final presidential run-off, the battle for who will lead France is heating up. In the latest, senior political allies have warned that incumbent President Emmanuel Macron is not surgent to win, despite polls indicating his lead over his rival Marine Le Pen.

Macron allies warn victory not certain, ' voters still need convincing on Macron's policies'

With 5 days to go for French Presidential elections, has far-right candidate Marine Le Pen softened her stand on Hijab? Le Pen had promised to ban hijab if voted to power, her party now says the ban will be implemented 'little by little'. What does that mean?

Gravitas: France Election: Le Pen softens stand on Hijab

French Presidential Election 2022: Macron's polling lead over Le Pen widens

The final week of the French Presidential race: Macron & Le Pen trade heated barbs

As the campaigning in France enters its final days, far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen seems to be trying to soften her image.

In a recent development, an ally of Le Pen has announced that the planned hijab ban that the presidential candidate had promised as one of the political tools to fight “Islamism” would come “little by little”.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/neither-macron-nor-le-pen-france-erupts-in-protests-against-top-presidential-candidates-ahead-of-elections-471600">Neither Macron, nor Le Pen: France erupts in protests against top presidential candidates ahead of elections</a>

This marks a shift in her campaign tone, less than a week before the voting takes place.

Le Pen has previously stated that the hijab is not a symbol of a person's religious beliefs, but rather an "Islamist uniform" that should be prohibited from public spaces in France.

However, the prohibition of the hijab, according to French lawyers, would be a violation of the French constitution.

In a country that has suffered a succession of fatal extremist attacks, issues related to France's Muslim population, which is one of Europe's largest, have become a contentious issue.

Louis Aliot, former partner of Le Pen, and the mayor of Perpignan told France Inter radio that the hijab ban needed to be implemented gradually.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: France Elections: Marine Le Pen accused of embezzlement

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-france-elections-marine-le-pen-accused-of-embezzlement-471994/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In his opinion, the ban should begin with state-run services and then be gradually expanded.

Echoing Le Pen's words, he said&nbsp;"there will be a debate in parliament and then the choice will be made."

On Monday, another Le Pen supporter, David Rachline, mayor of the Mediterranean town of Frejus, also appeared to modify his stance. "We don't want to attack people," he stated, adding that "all those women wearing a hijab are not Islamists."

Le Pen has tried to soften her image in recent years, however, she has not abandoned her far-right objectives.

"People who are present on our territory, who respect our laws, who respect our values, who have sometimes worked in France, have nothing to fear from the policy I want to pursue," Le Pen said on France Bleue radio.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/french-elections-le-pen-says-victory-has-never-been-this-near-urges-france-to-defeat-the-elitist-bloc-471096">French elections: Le Pen says 'victory has never been so near', urges France to defeat the 'elitist bloc'</a>

An encounter on Friday left Le Pen looking sheepish. As she faced the cameras, a hijab-clad woman approached her, asking her to "leave the Muslims alone", adding "We are French, we love this country".

The next day, Le Pen admitted that the problem was complicated. However, she said that parliament would have a role in the choice and that any unwanted legislation could be repealed.

(With inputs from agencies)

As the campaigning in France enters its final days, far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen seems to be trying to soften her image. In a recent development, an ally of Le Pen has announced that the planned hijab ban that the presidential candidate had promised as one of the political tools to fight “Islamism” would come “little by little”.

As the campaigning in France enters its final days, far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen seems to be trying to soften her image. In a recent development, an ally of Le Pen has announced that the planned hijab ban that the presidential candidate had promised as one of the political tools to fight “Islamism” would come “little by little”. Also read | Neither Macron, nor Le Pen: France erupts in protests against top presidential candidates ahead of elections This marks a shift in her campaign tone, less than a week before the voting takes place. Le Pen has previously stated that the hijab is not a symbol of a person's religious beliefs, but rather an "Islamist uniform" that should be prohibited from public spaces in France. However, the prohibition of the hijab, according to French lawyers, would be a violation of the French constitution. In a country that has suffered a succession of fatal extremist attacks, issues related to France's Muslim population, which is one of Europe's largest, have become a contentious issue. Louis Aliot, former partner of Le Pen, and the mayor of Perpignan told France Inter radio that the hijab ban needed to be implemented gradually. Watch | Gravitas: France Elections: Marine Le Pen accused of embezzlement In his opinion, the ban should begin with state-run services and then be gradually expanded. Echoing Le Pen's words, he said "there will be a debate in parliament and then the choice will be made." On Monday, another Le Pen supporter, David Rachline, mayor of the Mediterranean town of Frejus, also appeared to modify his stance. "We don't want to attack people," he stated, adding that "all those women wearing a hijab are not Islamists." Le Pen has tried to soften her image in recent years, however, she has not abandoned her far-right objectives. "People who are present on our territory, who respect our laws, who respect our values, who have sometimes worked in France, have nothing to fear from the policy I want to pursue," Le Pen said on France Bleue radio. Also read | French elections: Le Pen says 'victory has never been so near', urges France to defeat the 'elitist bloc' An encounter on Friday left Le Pen looking sheepish. As she faced the cameras, a hijab-clad woman approached her, asking her to "leave the Muslims alone", adding "We are French, we love this country". The next day, Le Pen admitted that the problem was complicated. However, she said that parliament would have a role in the choice and that any unwanted legislation could be repealed. (With inputs from agencies)

France elections 2022: Le Pen, allies try to appease voters by softening stance on hijab ban

France's far-right candidate Marine Le Pen has been accused of embezzling $148,000 in E.U. funds. EU's anti-fraud office OLAF claims Le Pen used the money for political purposes in France. Molly Gambhir tells you more.

Gravitas: France Elections: Marine Le Pen accused of embezzlement

The final week of the French Presidential race: Le Pen allies tone down Hijab Rhetoric

French Presidential election in underway and rivals are gearing up for debate. Now, the climate change has become a key talking point.

French Presidential election 2022: Climate change becomes a key talking point

A dragon-horse was spotted in France! But this dragon-horse is made of wood and steel. It breathes fire and spits water too. Long-Ma blows smoke from the nostrils and even growls. Long Ma is created by François Delaroziere & the Compagnie La Machine. The dragon has previously been in Beijing, Ottawa, Nantes, & Calais. Crowd of several thousand people gathered to watch the 45-ton dragon. There are multiple operators controlling Long Ma, the mechanical dragon-horse.

This 45-ton dragon-horse amazes crowd in France. How does it work?

In less than a week to go for the second phase of the French polls and the race to the Elysee palace is now heating up. With both the candidates centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right Marine Le Pen pulling all the stops to ensure they come out on top.

French Presidential election 2022: Emmanuel Macron & Le Pen gearing up for debate on April 20

As second round of French elections inches closer, thousands of anti-far right demonstrators marched across the country. As opponents of the presidential candidate Marine Le Pen with the goal of preventing her from winning elections against the incumbent Macron.

French Elections: Anti-far right protests across France, Le Pen calls demonstrations anti-democratic

The Muslim headscarf debate is heating up in France amid the presidential elections 2022. People are protesting against Marine Le Pen and Muslim women said don't politicise our headscarves.

French election 2022: 'Don't politicise our headscarves,' says Muslim women to Le Pen

As run-off election to assume France's top office come nearer, French President Emmanuel Macron's main contender Marine Le Pen on Friday (April 15) expressed confidence saying she could win the election. She was visiting a pro-Macron town in southern France.

Le Pen got a mixed response as she was greeted by supporters and protesters alike. Protesters called her family "racist" and told her to go away. Le Pen appeared to project an optimist face as she said that odds of her victory were proportional to hate she has been getting.

"I have the people behind me and that’s the most important thing in a democracy," she told the press.

Le Pen has also been a candidate in past two presidential elections. Opinion polls show that she more popular than ever in France. A far-right candidate, Le Pen has been able to soften her image. She has pegged her campaign on cost-of-living issues.

Just nine days ahead of a runoff election that will determine who will lead the European Union's second-largest economy for the next five years, opinion polls show centrist President Emmanuel Macron is slightly ahead of Le Pen.

On Thursday (April 14), Le Pen held a major rally in the town of Avignon. While addressing some 4000 supporters, she said, ""victory has never been so near."

As run-off election to assume France's top office come nearer, French President Emmanuel Macron's main contender Marine Le Pen on Friday (April 15) expressed confidence saying she could win the election.

As run-off election to assume France's top office come nearer, French President Emmanuel Macron's main contender Marine Le Pen on Friday (April 15) expressed confidence saying she could win the election. She was visiting a pro-Macron town in southern France. Le Pen got a mixed response as she was greeted by supporters and protesters alike. Protesters called her family "racist" and told her to go away. Le Pen appeared to project an optimist face as she said that odds of her victory were proportional to hate she has been getting. "I have the people behind me and that’s the most important thing in a democracy," she told the press. Le Pen has also been a candidate in past two presidential elections. Opinion polls show that she more popular than ever in France. A far-right candidate, Le Pen has been able to soften her image. She has pegged her campaign on cost-of-living issues. Just nine days ahead of a runoff election that will determine who will lead the European Union's second-largest economy for the next five years, opinion polls show centrist President Emmanuel Macron is slightly ahead of Le Pen. On Thursday (April 14), Le Pen held a major rally in the town of Avignon. While addressing some 4000 supporters, she said, ""victory has never been so near."

I can win this election, says France's Le Pen

Main square in central Paris faced forced closure due to protest by climate change activists. The protests were against environmental programes proposed by France's remaining presidential candidates.

The Extinction Rebellion (XR) had said on its website that it planned to block a major Parisian location to disrupt the electoral cycle and its "business as usual" attitude.

In French presidential elections this time, the top theme is cost of living. Energy policies have also found resonance. Incumbent President Emmanuel Macron and his far-right challenger Marine Le Pen have put forward very different policies on the renewables sector in particular.

"We are blocking this Paris square to rebel against alternatives that we don't have. This election leaves us with no choice between a far-right candidate with repugnant ideas ... and a candidate who during five years cast the ecology issue aside and lied," Lou, 26, a history teacher, who joined the Extinction Rebellion movement two years ago told Reuters.

Hundreds of people gathered in 9th district in Paris. They carried banners targetting the candidates. Some of them chanted slogans such as "their inaction leads to our rebellion", or lay on the floor in protest.

Just eight days ahead of a runoff that will determine who will lead the European Union's second-largest economy for the next five years, polls show the centrist president is slightly ahead of his far-right rival, but the contest promises to be tight.

(With inputs from agencies)

Main square in central Paris faced forced closure due to protest by climate change activists. The protests were against environmental programes proposed by France's remaining presidential candidates.

Main square in central Paris faced forced closure due to protest by climate change activists. The protests were against environmental programes proposed by France's remaining presidential candidates. The Extinction Rebellion (XR) had said on its website that it planned to block a major Parisian location to disrupt the electoral cycle and its "business as usual" attitude. In French presidential elections this time, the top theme is cost of living. Energy policies have also found resonance. Incumbent President Emmanuel Macron and his far-right challenger Marine Le Pen have put forward very different policies on the renewables sector in particular. "We are blocking this Paris square to rebel against alternatives that we don't have. This election leaves us with no choice between a far-right candidate with repugnant ideas ... and a candidate who during five years cast the ecology issue aside and lied," Lou, 26, a history teacher, who joined the Extinction Rebellion movement two years ago told Reuters. Hundreds of people gathered in 9th district in Paris. They carried banners targetting the candidates. Some of them chanted slogans such as "their inaction leads to our rebellion", or lay on the floor in protest. Just eight days ahead of a runoff that will determine who will lead the European Union's second-largest economy for the next five years, polls show the centrist president is slightly ahead of his far-right rival, but the contest promises to be tight. (With inputs from agencies)

Climate change protesters block Paris square decrying election candidates

With just 9 days to go for the final face-off in France, both Emmanuel macron and far-right candidate Marine Le Pen have hit the campaign trail hard this time.

French Elections: Macron, Le Pen on fierce campaign trail

Recently, Le Pen has accused the incumbent President Macron of being outdated. While polls show Macron is leading at 53%, Le Pen is at 47%. To get more perspective, we're joined by WION's correspondent Ross Cullen.

French Election 2022: Polls show Macron leading at 53% vs Le Pen's 47%

The presidential challenger Marine Le Pen pitches her foreign policy agenda. While Le Pen wants closer NATO-Russia ties, her agenda sent shockwaves across Europe.

French Election 2022: Marine Le Pen's agenda sends shockwaves through Europe

The presidential challenger and far-right candidate Marine Le Pen pitches her foreign policy agenda. Le Pen wants closer NATO-Russia ties. To get more details, we're joined by William Courtney of RAND corporation.

French election 2022: Marine Le Pen wants France out of NATO

France has finished the installation of its first offshore wind turbine. It has been set up in the Saint-Nazaire offshore wind farm and is expected to be commissioned as early as May.

France completes installation of first offshore wind turbine

The French Presidential election 2022 have entered its next phase. Emmanuel Macron & Marine Le Pen have emerged victorious in Round 1. They will face each other in Round 2 on April 24. Who has better chances of winning? Palki Sharma Upadhyay reports.

Gravitas: France Election: Macron & Le Pen win Round 1

After winning the first round of the Presidential elections incumbent French president Emmanuel Macron and far-right candidate Marine Le Pen have made an aggressive start to the next phase of the campaign ahead of the country's presidential runoff vote on the 24th of April.

French Presidential Election 2022: France's Macron & Le Pen trade barbs ahead of runoff

A day after Marine Le Pen, the far-right leader, emerged as his challenger for the final round of France’s presidential election in less than two weeks, President Emmanuel Macron immediately set about Monday to build the “dam.”

Dams are the mainstream French voters who, time and again, have put political differences aside in the second round and voted for anyone but a Le Pen in a so-called “Republican front” to deny the far right the presidency.

But after Sunday’s first round, when 32% of French voters supported candidates on the extreme right — a record — the dam may be more precarious than ever.

Macron, widely criticized for a listless campaign, moved quickly Monday to shore it up, directly challenging Le Pen and her party, the National Rally, in the economically depressed north where she dominated Sunday.

In Denain, a city won by Le Pen, Macron spoke of the worries of the youth in Denain and other social issues. He tried to remind voters of the extremist roots of Le Pen’s party, referring to it by its old name, the National Front.

At a campaign stop of her own in a rural area, Yonne, Le Pen said that the dam was a dishonest strategy to win an election, adding that “it’s a way to save yourself when you don’t deserve it.’’

In a triumphant speech against the majestic backdrop of the Louvre Museum five years ago, Macron had launched his presidency by pledging to unite the French so that there would be “no reason at all to vote for the extremes.’’

But in addition to Le Pen’s second-place finish, with 23% of the vote, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the leftist veteran, won 22% of Sunday’s votes to finish a strong third.

Mélenchon’s supporters — split in their attitudes toward Macron and Le Pen — could now help determine the election’s final outcome April 24.

After five years of Macron, who trounced Le Pen in the 2017 runoff, the far-right leader emerged stronger than ever. She has softened her image in a successful process of “undemonizing’’ and focused relentlessly on ordinary voters’ economic hardship.

In Yonne, Le Pen hammered away at the themes that carried her through to the second round. Meeting with a cereal farmer, she spoke of how rising prices of fuel and fertilizers following the war in Ukraine would raise the cost of staples at supermarkets and hurt the most vulnerable.

The far right’s record performance Sunday resulted from a combination of factors, including Le Pen’s own efforts to revamp her image, a successful cultural battle waged by conservative forces in recent years and a series of Islamic militant attacks in France since 2015.

But critics say that it also reflected Macron’s continued strategy of triangulating France’s electoral landscape. While Macron was regarded as a center-left candidate five years ago, he shifted rightward during his presidency, sensing that his main challenge would come from Le Pen.

That shift was embodied by a series of laws toughening France’s stance on immigration, empowering the police and combating Islamic militant extremism. Many working French also felt that his economic policies unfairly favored the rich and have left them more adrift.

If Macron’s intention was to defuse Le Pen’s appeal by stripping her of her core issues, critics say the approach backfired by ushering the talking points of the far right deeper into the mainstream political debate.

Then, Le Pen also shifted her message to pocketbook issues that have now resonated even more broadly as energy prices spike because of the war in Ukraine.

Sacha Houlié, a lawmaker and a spokesperson for Macron’s campaign, said that the president was aiming to strengthen the dam strategy. He acknowledged that there have been “some mistakes” and “blunders,” noting that some government ministers had picked up themes and expressions promoted by the far right.

But Houlié denied that Macron had normalized far-right ideas, saying his government had mainly tried to respond to people’s growing concerns on crime and immigration.

“We cannot sweep the dust under the carpet,” he said, referring to the issues.

But many, especially Mélenchon’s supporters of the left, feel so betrayed that Macron may have a harder time in this next election persuading them to join his call for unity by building a dam against Le Pen, whom the president has called a danger to democracy.

Alexis Lévrier, a historian who has written about Macron’s relations with the news media, said that as Macron tried to reshape French politics around a strict divide between his mainstream movement and Le Pen, he “contributed to the rise in power of the far right.”

Unwittingly, “he’s a pyromaniac firefighter,” Lévrier said.

A resident of Guyancourt — a well-off, left-leaning city southwest of Paris where Mélenchon came in first Sunday — Stéphanie Noury said that, in 2017, she gave Macron her vote as part of a dam against the far right. But this time, she planned to stay home for the final round.

“Macron played into the hands of the extreme right,’’ said Noury, 55, a human resources manager who voted Sunday for Mélenchon. “He told himself that he would always win against the extreme right.’’

Compared to 2017, Le Pen’s share of the first-round vote went up by a couple of percentage points despite the direct challenge of a new rival, far-right TV pundit Éric Zemmour, who urged his supporters to vote for Le Pen in the upcoming showdown.

On Sunday, Le Pen, Zemmour and a third far-right candidate, Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, together got 32% of the vote. In 2017, Le Pen and Dupont-Aignan collected 26% in the first round.

Voters first formed a dam against the extreme right in 2002 when Le Pen’s father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, shocked the political establishment by making it into a runoff against Jacques Chirac. Another dam helped defeat Marine Le Pen in 2017.

To gain credibility on the right, in 2019, Macron gave his first long interview on the sensitive issues of immigration and Islam to Valeurs Actuelles, a magazine that straddles the right and far right.

“By talking to us, Emmanuel Macron came to seek some legitimacy on these subjects, from right-wing people who felt he was doing nothing,” said Geoffroy Lejeune, the publication’s editor. “He knows that by doing this, he’s sending a big signal.”

Aurélien Taché, a lawmaker once allied with Macron, said the president was elected in 2017 thanks to voters who put aside their political differences and united against Le Pen.

He said Macron should have taken those votes — mainly from the left — into account in his policies afterward.

“He did not consider them,” he said, adding that Macron instead worked to “set up this cleavage’’ between him and Le Pen, leading to a “high-risk rematch.”

“There have been, on a whole range of topics, very strong concessions made to the far right,” Taché said, also citing tougher immigration rules and the application of a stricter version of French secularism, called laïcité.

But Taché, who quit Macron’s party in 2020 over the president’s shift to the right, was especially critical of the government’s landmark law against separatism, which has been criticized inside and outside France, including by the U.S. envoy on international religious freedom.

The law amounted to “making Islam and Muslims invisible,” Taché said.

Some academics, political opponents and Muslim organizations have also criticized the law as discriminating against French Muslims by leading to the widespread closing of mosques, Muslim associations and schools.

That resentment may now also complicate Macron’s dam-building effort.

To be reelected, for instance, he will have to persuade voters in places likes Trappes, a working-class city with a large Muslim population southwest of Paris, to join the dam against Le Pen.

A longtime stronghold of Mélenchon supporters, Trappes strongly backed Macron in the 2017 runoff. But comments by voters Sunday suggested that the dam might not be as effective this time.

Frédéric Renan, 47, a computer programmer, said he would abstain or cast a blank vote in a showdown between Macron and Le Pen.

“Macron opened the door to the extreme right,’’ Renan said, adding that the president’s economic policies hurt the poor and fueled the rise of the far right.

“I don’t see how voting for Macron is a vote in a dam against the extreme right,” he said. “Some people will say that not participating in the dam against the extreme right is irresponsible, that the threat of the extreme right is greater than what Emmanuel Macron proposes, but I’m not convinced.’’

A day after Marine Le Pen, the far-right leader, emerged as his challenger for the final round of France’s presidential election in less than two weeks, President Emmanuel Macron immediately set about Monday to build the “dam.

A day after Marine Le Pen, the far-right leader, emerged as his challenger for the final round of France’s presidential election in less than two weeks, President Emmanuel Macron immediately set about Monday to build the “dam.” Dams are the mainstream French voters who, time and again, have put political differences aside in the second round and voted for anyone but a Le Pen in a so-called “Republican front” to deny the far right the presidency. But after Sunday’s first round, when 32% of French voters supported candidates on the extreme right — a record — the dam may be more precarious than ever. Macron, widely criticized for a listless campaign, moved quickly Monday to shore it up, directly challenging Le Pen and her party, the National Rally, in the economically depressed north where she dominated Sunday. In Denain, a city won by Le Pen, Macron spoke of the worries of the youth in Denain and other social issues. He tried to remind voters of the extremist roots of Le Pen’s party, referring to it by its old name, the National Front. At a campaign stop of her own in a rural area, Yonne, Le Pen said that the dam was a dishonest strategy to win an election, adding that “it’s a way to save yourself when you don’t deserve it.’’ In a triumphant speech against the majestic backdrop of the Louvre Museum five years ago, Macron had launched his presidency by pledging to unite the French so that there would be “no reason at all to vote for the extremes.’’ But in addition to Le Pen’s second-place finish, with 23% of the vote, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the leftist veteran, won 22% of Sunday’s votes to finish a strong third. Mélenchon’s supporters — split in their attitudes toward Macron and Le Pen — could now help determine the election’s final outcome April 24. After five years of Macron, who trounced Le Pen in the 2017 runoff, the far-right leader emerged stronger than ever. She has softened her image in a successful process of “undemonizing’’ and focused relentlessly on ordinary voters’ economic hardship. In Yonne, Le Pen hammered away at the themes that carried her through to the second round. Meeting with a cereal farmer, she spoke of how rising prices of fuel and fertilizers following the war in Ukraine would raise the cost of staples at supermarkets and hurt the most vulnerable. The far right’s record performance Sunday resulted from a combination of factors, including Le Pen’s own efforts to revamp her image, a successful cultural battle waged by conservative forces in recent years and a series of Islamic militant attacks in France since 2015. But critics say that it also reflected Macron’s continued strategy of triangulating France’s electoral landscape. While Macron was regarded as a center-left candidate five years ago, he shifted rightward during his presidency, sensing that his main challenge would come from Le Pen. That shift was embodied by a series of laws toughening France’s stance on immigration, empowering the police and combating Islamic militant extremism. Many working French also felt that his economic policies unfairly favored the rich and have left them more adrift. If Macron’s intention was to defuse Le Pen’s appeal by stripping her of her core issues, critics say the approach backfired by ushering the talking points of the far right deeper into the mainstream political debate. Then, Le Pen also shifted her message to pocketbook issues that have now resonated even more broadly as energy prices spike because of the war in Ukraine. Sacha Houlié, a lawmaker and a spokesperson for Macron’s campaign, said that the president was aiming to strengthen the dam strategy. He acknowledged that there have been “some mistakes” and “blunders,” noting that some government ministers had picked up themes and expressions promoted by the far right. But Houlié denied that Macron had normalized far-right ideas, saying his government had mainly tried to respond to people’s growing concerns on crime and immigration. “We cannot sweep the dust under the carpet,” he said, referring to the issues. But many, especially Mélenchon’s supporters of the left, feel so betrayed that Macron may have a harder time in this next election persuading them to join his call for unity by building a dam against Le Pen, whom the president has called a danger to democracy. Alexis Lévrier, a historian who has written about Macron’s relations with the news media, said that as Macron tried to reshape French politics around a strict divide between his mainstream movement and Le Pen, he “contributed to the rise in power of the far right.” Unwittingly, “he’s a pyromaniac firefighter,” Lévrier said. A resident of Guyancourt — a well-off, left-leaning city southwest of Paris where Mélenchon came in first Sunday — Stéphanie Noury said that, in 2017, she gave Macron her vote as part of a dam against the far right. But this time, she planned to stay home for the final round. “Macron played into the hands of the extreme right,’’ said Noury, 55, a human resources manager who voted Sunday for Mélenchon. “He told himself that he would always win against the extreme right.’’ Compared to 2017, Le Pen’s share of the first-round vote went up by a couple of percentage points despite the direct challenge of a new rival, far-right TV pundit Éric Zemmour, who urged his supporters to vote for Le Pen in the upcoming showdown. On Sunday, Le Pen, Zemmour and a third far-right candidate, Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, together got 32% of the vote. In 2017, Le Pen and Dupont-Aignan collected 26% in the first round. Voters first formed a dam against the extreme right in 2002 when Le Pen’s father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, shocked the political establishment by making it into a runoff against Jacques Chirac. Another dam helped defeat Marine Le Pen in 2017. To gain credibility on the right, in 2019, Macron gave his first long interview on the sensitive issues of immigration and Islam to Valeurs Actuelles, a magazine that straddles the right and far right. “By talking to us, Emmanuel Macron came to seek some legitimacy on these subjects, from right-wing people who felt he was doing nothing,” said Geoffroy Lejeune, the publication’s editor. “He knows that by doing this, he’s sending a big signal.” Aurélien Taché, a lawmaker once allied with Macron, said the president was elected in 2017 thanks to voters who put aside their political differences and united against Le Pen. He said Macron should have taken those votes — mainly from the left — into account in his policies afterward. “He did not consider them,” he said, adding that Macron instead worked to “set up this cleavage’’ between him and Le Pen, leading to a “high-risk rematch.” “There have been, on a whole range of topics, very strong concessions made to the far right,” Taché said, also citing tougher immigration rules and the application of a stricter version of French secularism, called laïcité. But Taché, who quit Macron’s party in 2020 over the president’s shift to the right, was especially critical of the government’s landmark law against separatism, which has been criticized inside and outside France, including by the U.S. envoy on international religious freedom. The law amounted to “making Islam and Muslims invisible,” Taché said. Some academics, political opponents and Muslim organizations have also criticized the law as discriminating against French Muslims by leading to the widespread closing of mosques, Muslim associations and schools. That resentment may now also complicate Macron’s dam-building effort. To be reelected, for instance, he will have to persuade voters in places likes Trappes, a working-class city with a large Muslim population southwest of Paris, to join the dam against Le Pen. A longtime stronghold of Mélenchon supporters, Trappes strongly backed Macron in the 2017 runoff. But comments by voters Sunday suggested that the dam might not be as effective this time. Frédéric Renan, 47, a computer programmer, said he would abstain or cast a blank vote in a showdown between Macron and Le Pen. “Macron opened the door to the extreme right,’’ Renan said, adding that the president’s economic policies hurt the poor and fueled the rise of the far right. “I don’t see how voting for Macron is a vote in a dam against the extreme right,” he said. “Some people will say that not participating in the dam against the extreme right is irresponsible, that the threat of the extreme right is greater than what Emmanuel Macron proposes, but I’m not convinced.’’

Macron sets out to build a 'Dam' against Le Pen. Can it hold?

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