US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Paris, hoping to contain the fallout from the AUKUS deal. France has agreed to send their envoy back to Australia with the intention of mending ties. Palki Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas: Blinken in France to contain AUKUS fallout

A landmark ruling by Poland's top court rejecting the supremacy of EU law marks an attack on the European Union, France's Europe Minister Clement Beaune said on Friday.

"It is very serious there is the risk of a de-facto exit" of Poland from the EU, he told the BFM-TV broadcaster in an interview, adding "I do not want the exit of Poland".

"This is an attack on the EU by a constitutional court that was modelled by the Polish government," Beaune said.

The court on Friday ruled that some EU treaty articles were "incompatible" with the Polish constitution and warned EU institutions not to "act beyond the scope of their competencies" by interfering with Poland's judiciary.

Poland and the EU are at odds over judicial reforms introduced by Poland's governing right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party which Brussels warns threaten the country's democracy.

Also Read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/france-inquiry-reveals-216000-cases-of-paedophilia-by-catholic-priests-since-1950-418328">&nbsp;France: Inquiry reveals 216,000 cases of paedophilia by Catholic priests since 1950</a>

"This is not a technical or a legal question. This is a highly political topic that adds to a long list of provocations aimed at the EU," Beaune said of the Polish ruling.

"When you join a club you sign a contract that is called a treaty, which was ratified by referendum in Poland. This was the choice of the Polish people," he said.

Beaune said Poland's government "does not respect the values and fundamental principles of the EU, women's rights, minority rights, or the independence of the judiciary and the media," he said.

"There are 80 million Polish people and they want to remain in the EU. They did not want this," Beaune said.

The EU Commission said on Thursday it would use all the tools available to ensure the primacy of EU law in Poland.

A landmark ruling by Poland's top court rejecting the supremacy of EU law marks an attack on the European Union, France's Europe Minister Clement Beaune said on Friday.

A landmark ruling by Poland's top court rejecting the supremacy of EU law marks an attack on the European Union, France's Europe Minister Clement Beaune said on Friday. "It is very serious there is the risk of a de-facto exit" of Poland from the EU, he told the BFM-TV broadcaster in an interview, adding "I do not want the exit of Poland". "This is an attack on the EU by a constitutional court that was modelled by the Polish government," Beaune said. The court on Friday ruled that some EU treaty articles were "incompatible" with the Polish constitution and warned EU institutions not to "act beyond the scope of their competencies" by interfering with Poland's judiciary. Poland and the EU are at odds over judicial reforms introduced by Poland's governing right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party which Brussels warns threaten the country's democracy. Also Read | France: Inquiry reveals 216,000 cases of paedophilia by Catholic priests since 1950 "This is not a technical or a legal question. This is a highly political topic that adds to a long list of provocations aimed at the EU," Beaune said of the Polish ruling. "When you join a club you sign a contract that is called a treaty, which was ratified by referendum in Poland. This was the choice of the Polish people," he said. Beaune said Poland's government "does not respect the values and fundamental principles of the EU, women's rights, minority rights, or the independence of the judiciary and the media," he said. "There are 80 million Polish people and they want to remain in the EU. They did not want this," Beaune said. The EU Commission said on Thursday it would use all the tools available to ensure the primacy of EU law in Poland.

France calls Poland court ruling 'attack against EU'

Ending weeks of diplomatic protest over Canberra's decision to scrap a contract to buy French submarines, France announces return of its ambassador to Australia.

France announces return of its ambassador to Australia

France is returning its ambassador to Australia to repair the damage caused by a canceled submarine contract. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told parliament the ambassador would now return to Canberra with "two objectives".

France returns ambassador to Australia after submarine row with two goals

Taiwan is playing host to senators from France and the former Australian Prime Minister in order to build allies and counter growing Chinese aggression.

Taiwan President meets French senators

France and Greece are cementing a deeper strategic partnership. Greece is set to buy 3 French warships. The deal between both the countries is worth 3.5 million.

France and Greece cement deeper strategic partnership

A delegation of French senators led by a former defence minister arrived on Wednesday in Taiwan, where they will hold talks with President Tsai Ing-wen, despite strong protests from China.

Beijing opposes Taipei having any official diplomatic exchanges and has aggressively tried to dissuade politicians from visiting in recent years.

The Chinese embassy warned that the visit would damage the interests of China, Chinese-French relations and "the image of France" in recent comments on its website.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ready-to-abide-by-taiwan-agreement-says-biden-after-speaking-to-chinese-president-xi-418504">Ready to abide by Taiwan agreement, says Biden after speaking to Chinese President Xi</a>

France's foreign ministry has dismissed China's protests, saying the senators were free to make their own decisions about their travel plans.

The delegation will meet Tsai on Thursday before wrapping up their trip on Sunday, according to Taiwan's foreign ministry.

"The senators are making the visit despite threats from the Chinese ambassador to France, showing their steadfast commitment to the spirit of freedom and democracy," the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

The Chinese ambassador wrote to the leader of the French delegation, Alain Richard, in February, saying his visit would "clearly violate the one-China principle and send the wrong signal to pro-independence forces in Taiwan".

Richard chairs the French senate's Taiwan Friendship Group and previously visited the island in 2015 and 2018.

Beijing has ramped up pressure on self-ruled democratic Taiwan since Tsai came to power in 2016, as she views the island as a de facto sovereign nation and not part of its territory. 
&nbsp;

A delegation of French senators led by a former defence minister arrived on Wednesday in Taiwan, where they will hold talks with President Tsai Ing-wen, despite strong protests from China.

A delegation of French senators led by a former defence minister arrived on Wednesday in Taiwan, where they will hold talks with President Tsai Ing-wen, despite strong protests from China. Beijing opposes Taipei having any official diplomatic exchanges and has aggressively tried to dissuade politicians from visiting in recent years. The Chinese embassy warned that the visit would damage the interests of China, Chinese-French relations and "the image of France" in recent comments on its website. Also Read | Ready to abide by Taiwan agreement, says Biden after speaking to Chinese President Xi France's foreign ministry has dismissed China's protests, saying the senators were free to make their own decisions about their travel plans. The delegation will meet Tsai on Thursday before wrapping up their trip on Sunday, according to Taiwan's foreign ministry. "The senators are making the visit despite threats from the Chinese ambassador to France, showing their steadfast commitment to the spirit of freedom and democracy," the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday. The Chinese ambassador wrote to the leader of the French delegation, Alain Richard, in February, saying his visit would "clearly violate the one-China principle and send the wrong signal to pro-independence forces in Taiwan". Richard chairs the French senate's Taiwan Friendship Group and previously visited the island in 2015 and 2018. Beijing has ramped up pressure on self-ruled democratic Taiwan since Tsai came to power in 2016, as she views the island as a de facto sovereign nation and not part of its territory.

French senators visit Taiwan despite China protests

216,000 minors were abused by the French catholic clergy in the last 70 years. The church failed to report these cases and take action against them.

French catholic clergy abused 216,000 minors, reveals new report

An independent report has found that 216,000 minors were abused by French Catholic clergy in the last 70 years. The report says the French church had over 3,000 paedophiles. Will the Vatican compensate their victims? Palki Sharma brings you a report.

Gravitas: Report: 216,000 minors abused by French Catholic clergy

France has threatened to cut the United Kingdom off from energy supplies over post-Brexit fishing licenses, saying bilateral cooperation between London and Paris could also be at risk.

France threatens to cut UK energy supply in fishing row

While the world is coming together to help each other in these tough times of the coronavirus pandemic, France may have stolen millions of Covid vaccine doses from the UK.<o:p></o:p>

As per some reports, France allegedly stole nearly five million Covid vaccines from the UK by plotting a scheme with European Union chiefs.<o:p></o:p>

French President&nbsp;Emmanuel Macron&nbsp;has been accused of plotting with the chiefs of European Union and taking the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">vaccines</a> that were meant for Boris Johnson-ruled country.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/three-vatican-swiss-guards-resign-over-covid-vaccination-mandate-says-report-418499">Three Vatican Swiss Guards resign over Covid vaccination mandate, says report</a></o:p>

As per reports, AstraZeneca's boss Rudd Dobber had stated that a large shipment of millions of doses was expected to arrive from Holland. However, that shipment never reached there as it was diverted to the EU.<o:p></o:p>

UK’s local media house, The Sun, reported that a source from the UK government has said that this 'outrageous' disruption of supply of Covid vaccine system was equivalent to an ‘act of war’.<o:p></o:p>

"The French stole our vaccines at the same time as they were slagging them off in public and suggesting they weren't safe to use," the source was quoted saying by The Sun. "It was an outrageous thing to do and not the action of an ally, which was made very clear to them."

<o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/erratic-covid-19-rules-could-delay-recovery-says-iata-418550">WATCH |</a></o:p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/erratic-covid-19-rules-could-delay-recovery-says-iata-418550/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

This action by France, the source claims, could and may have led to lost of lives of several people who were waiting for first or second dose of the vaccine to safeguard themselves from the deadly coronavirus.<o:p></o:p>

It has also been reported that the French leader may have also softly threatened the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson about its power to cut off the supply of Pfizer. If Macron had acted on cutting off Pfizer supply, UK’s vaccine rollout would have suffered a major setback. This has also, reportedly, brought bad blood between the two leaders.<o:p></o:p>

Allegedly, Macron also labelled AstraZeneca vaccine as "quasi-ineffective"&nbsp;and claimed that it "doesn’t work the way we were expecting to".<o:p></o:p>

While the world is coming together to help each other in these tough times of the coronavirus pandemic, France may have stolen millions of Covid vaccine doses from the UK.

While the world is coming together to help each other in these tough times of the coronavirus pandemic, France may have stolen millions of Covid vaccine doses from the UK. As per some reports, France allegedly stole nearly five million Covid vaccines from the UK by plotting a scheme with European Union chiefs. French President Emmanuel Macron has been accused of plotting with the chiefs of European Union and taking the vaccines that were meant for Boris Johnson-ruled country. Also read | Three Vatican Swiss Guards resign over Covid vaccination mandate, says report As per reports, AstraZeneca's boss Rudd Dobber had stated that a large shipment of millions of doses was expected to arrive from Holland. However, that shipment never reached there as it was diverted to the EU. UK’s local media house, The Sun, reported that a source from the UK government has said that this 'outrageous' disruption of supply of Covid vaccine system was equivalent to an ‘act of war’. "The French stole our vaccines at the same time as they were slagging them off in public and suggesting they weren't safe to use," the source was quoted saying by The Sun. "It was an outrageous thing to do and not the action of an ally, which was made very clear to them." WATCH | This action by France, the source claims, could and may have led to lost of lives of several people who were waiting for first or second dose of the vaccine to safeguard themselves from the deadly coronavirus. It has also been reported that the French leader may have also softly threatened the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson about its power to cut off the supply of Pfizer. If Macron had acted on cutting off Pfizer supply, UK’s vaccine rollout would have suffered a major setback. This has also, reportedly, brought bad blood between the two leaders. Allegedly, Macron also labelled AstraZeneca vaccine as "quasi-ineffective" and claimed that it "doesn’t work the way we were expecting to".

France 'stole' millions of Covid vaccines from UK in an 'act of war': Report

In a shocking development, an independent inquiry has found that sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests and other clergymen has had 216,000 victims between 1950 and 2020. This has been called a "massive phenomenon" that was hushed up by a "veil of silence".

The landmark report was released on Tuesday. The investigation took two and a half years. It was launched after widespread outrage over string of paedophilia claims and prosecutions against Church officials worldwide. 
&nbsp; 
This is tip of an iceberg as when sexual abuse by lower members of the Church like teachers at Catholic schools are included, number of child abuse victims over seven decades climbs up to 330,000.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/europes-social-democrats-show-signs-of-life-but-france-poses-a-roadblock-417473">Europe’s social democrats show signs of life, but France poses a roadblock</a>

"Until the early 2000s the Catholic Church showed a profound and even cruel indifference towards the victims," the president of the investigative committee, Jean-Marc Sauve, said at a press conference.

He denounced the "systemic character" of efforts to shield clergy from paedophilia claims.

Meanwhile, French Catholic bishops have asked for forgiveness from victims of the sexual abuse. &nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/macron-wants-calming-down-in-algeria-relations-418305">Macron wants 'calming down' in Algeria relations</a>

Monsignor Eric de Moulins-Beaufort, head of the French conference of bishops, said he and his fellow bishops wanted to express to victims their shame at the abuse revealed in the report.

The report of the inquiry,&nbsp;at nearly 2,500 pages, found that the "vast majority" of victims were pre-adolescent boys from a wide variety of social backgrounds.

"The Catholic Church is, after the circle of family and friends, the environment that has the highest prevalence of sexual violence," the report said.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a shocking development, an independent inquiry has found that sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests and other clergymen has had 216,000 victims between 1950 and 2020.

In a shocking development, an independent inquiry has found that sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests and other clergymen has had 216,000 victims between 1950 and 2020. This has been called a "massive phenomenon" that was hushed up by a "veil of silence". The landmark report was released on Tuesday. The investigation took two and a half years. It was launched after widespread outrage over string of paedophilia claims and prosecutions against Church officials worldwide. This is tip of an iceberg as when sexual abuse by lower members of the Church like teachers at Catholic schools are included, number of child abuse victims over seven decades climbs up to 330,000. Also Read | Europe’s social democrats show signs of life, but France poses a roadblock "Until the early 2000s the Catholic Church showed a profound and even cruel indifference towards the victims," the president of the investigative committee, Jean-Marc Sauve, said at a press conference. He denounced the "systemic character" of efforts to shield clergy from paedophilia claims. Meanwhile, French Catholic bishops have asked for forgiveness from victims of the sexual abuse. Also Read | Macron wants 'calming down' in Algeria relations Monsignor Eric de Moulins-Beaufort, head of the French conference of bishops, said he and his fellow bishops wanted to express to victims their shame at the abuse revealed in the report. The report of the inquiry, at nearly 2,500 pages, found that the "vast majority" of victims were pre-adolescent boys from a wide variety of social backgrounds. "The Catholic Church is, after the circle of family and friends, the environment that has the highest prevalence of sexual violence," the report said. (With inputs from agencies)

France: Inquiry reveals 216,000 cases of paedophilia by Catholic priests since 1950

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday he hoped that tensions with Algeria could ease after a row over visas and critical comments by Paris towards Algiers.

"My wish is for a calming down because I think it's better to talk and to make progress," Macron told the France Inter broadcaster, adding that his relations with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune were "truly cordial".

Algeria over the weekend recalled its ambassador from Paris and banned French military planes from its airspace, which France regularly uses to reach its forces battling jihadists in the Sahel region.

That came after a bitter row over visas, followed by media reports that Macron had told descendants of Algeria's war of independence that the North African country was ruled by a "political-military system" that had "totally re-written" its history.

Algeria said the reported remarks were an "interference" in its internal affairs.

Algiers was also angered last week after France said it would sharply reduce the number of visas it grants to citizens of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia.

Paris said the decision had been made necessary by the former colonies' failure to do enough to allow illegal migrants in France to be returned.

The latest row came two weeks after Macron apologised on behalf of his country for abandoning Algerians who fought alongside France in their country's war of independence, which was waged on both sides with extreme brutality, including widespread torture.

During his presidency, Macron has taken steps to defuse lingering tensions with Algeria linked to their colonial history, and face up to France's methods to retain control of its north African colony, which won independence in 1962.

In 2018, he admitted that France had created a "system" that facilitated torture during the war and acknowledged that French mathematician Maurice Audin, a Communist pro-independence activist, was murdered in Algiers.

In July last year, he tasked French historian Benjamin Stora with assessing how France has dealt with its colonial legacy in Algeria.

"We've said things that are not easy to hear. I have not sugarcoated our own history," Macron told France Inter.

More than 60 years since France started its nuclear tests in Algeria, their legacy also continues to poison relations between the North African nation and its former colonial ruler. &nbsp;

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday he hoped that tensions with Algeria could ease after a row over visas and critical comments by Paris towards Algiers.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday he hoped that tensions with Algeria could ease after a row over visas and critical comments by Paris towards Algiers. "My wish is for a calming down because I think it's better to talk and to make progress," Macron told the France Inter broadcaster, adding that his relations with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune were "truly cordial". Algeria over the weekend recalled its ambassador from Paris and banned French military planes from its airspace, which France regularly uses to reach its forces battling jihadists in the Sahel region. That came after a bitter row over visas, followed by media reports that Macron had told descendants of Algeria's war of independence that the North African country was ruled by a "political-military system" that had "totally re-written" its history. Algeria said the reported remarks were an "interference" in its internal affairs. Algiers was also angered last week after France said it would sharply reduce the number of visas it grants to citizens of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. Paris said the decision had been made necessary by the former colonies' failure to do enough to allow illegal migrants in France to be returned. The latest row came two weeks after Macron apologised on behalf of his country for abandoning Algerians who fought alongside France in their country's war of independence, which was waged on both sides with extreme brutality, including widespread torture. During his presidency, Macron has taken steps to defuse lingering tensions with Algeria linked to their colonial history, and face up to France's methods to retain control of its north African colony, which won independence in 1962. In 2018, he admitted that France had created a "system" that facilitated torture during the war and acknowledged that French mathematician Maurice Audin, a Communist pro-independence activist, was murdered in Algiers. In July last year, he tasked French historian Benjamin Stora with assessing how France has dealt with its colonial legacy in Algeria. "We've said things that are not easy to hear. I have not sugarcoated our own history," Macron told France Inter. More than 60 years since France started its nuclear tests in Algeria, their legacy also continues to poison relations between the North African nation and its former colonial ruler.

Macron wants 'calming down' in Algeria relations

More than two weeks after the shock scrapping of a submarine contract with Australia, France is in no hurry to mend ties with Canberra as it weighs up whether to extract a cost for its ally’s “betrayal”.Watch this report for more details.

France in no hurry to mend Australia ties

Algeria has recalled its ambassador to France for consultations after what it called "irresponsible" comments attributed to French President Emmanuel Macron, Algeria's presidency said on Saturday. Watch this report for more details.

Algeria recalls ambassador to France for consultations

France is facing a sperm donation crisis. This is mainly because the country does not allow the import of sperms. Watch this report to know more.

France faces sperm donation crisis

France will freeze natural gas and electricity costs for consumers for the coming months amid growing concern about rising global energy prices, the prime minister announced.

Europe consuming more power due to onset of winter

USA is reaching out to France as relations between the two takes a hit after AUKUS deal. US Secretary Antony Blinken will travel to Paris to meet top French officials.

US Secretary Antony Blinken to visit France amid AUKUS row

For France’s venerable Socialist Party, languishing at 4% support before next year’s presidential elections, news of a surprise win last Sunday by its center-left counterpart in Germany offered a glimmer of hope.

The slim victory by Olaf Scholz and Germany’s Social Democratic Party, along with the expected return to power of Norway’s Labor Party following a recent win, have underscored the recent success of Europe’s long-embattled social democrats. If Scholz succeeds in forming a government, social democrats in Europe’s most powerful nation will join center-left governments in Spain, Portugal and the Nordic nations of Sweden, Denmark and Finland, as well as Norway.

Attention will then turn to France, where presidential elections are scheduled for next April. But in France, experts say, the social democrats’ hopes of a continentwide revival are likely to dim.

Socialist Party officials were nevertheless quick to seize on the German results as a sign that Europe’s political tides may be turning.

“Never assume the battle’s already lost,” the Socialists’ leader, Olivier Faure, said in a Twitter post. The party’s presidential candidate, Anne Hidalgo, noted that Scholz “had beaten the odds” thanks to policies common to both social democratic parties.

But it will take more than that to reverse the fortunes of a party that not so long ago utterly dominated French politics.

After months of hinting that she would run for president, Hidalgo, 62, the second-term mayor of Paris, finally announced her candidacy in mid-September. But instead of getting an expected bounce in the polls, her approval ratings have drifted lower.

Her polling is now far below not only the two favorites to meet in a showdown — President Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen, of the far-right National Rally — but also well below candidates from the center-right and Éric Zemmour, a writer and TV star known for his far-right views, who is not yet an official candidate.

On the other side of the political spectrum, she trails the far-left Jean-Luc Mélenchon and is neck and neck with the newly designated presidential candidate of the Greens, Yannick Jadot, polls show.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/even-as-activists-accuse-country-of-illegal-deportation-greek-pm-says-essentially-crushed-migrant-smugglers-417461">Even as activists accuse country of illegal deportation, Greek PM says 'essentially crushed' migrant smugglers</a>

The Socialists’ collapse is even more noteworthy because, less than a decade ago, under the Socialist President François Hollande, the party controlled the Élysée Palace, both chambers of Parliament, a majority of big cities and nearly all the regions.

“Nine years ago, this party held all the cards,” said Pascal Delwit, a political scientist specializing in social democracy at the Free University of Brussels. “Nine years later, it has none.”

In what became a symbol of its fall, the Socialist Party had to abandon its longtime headquarters, in one of the toniest neighborhoods of Paris, for cheaper real estate in a suburb, or banlieue, that many members never bothered visiting.

Alain Bergounioux, a historian who is an expert on the Socialist Party, said that beyond crumbling at the ballot box, Socialists seem to have lost the ability to push forward their ideas and themes in a fast-moving political landscape.

“They really don’t influence the national debate any longer, as public opinion has shifted to the right,” Bergounioux said.

He added, “If it was premature to say that social democracy was dead, it would be overstating it to say that there is a renaissance.”

Seven months before the presidential elections, issues dear to the right — like immigration, crime and national identity — are dominating the political discourse. While Macron ran as a centrist in 2017, he has tacked right in a bid for the biggest slice of the electorate.

The focus on these themes has only increased in recent weeks, with the intense news media attention on a possible candidacy by Zemmour. Styling himself as a Trump-like populist outsider, he has been visiting different regions on a book tour that has doubled as a campaign. A poll released this week showed that his support among potential voters in the first round of the elections has kept climbing, to 13%, or just 3 percentage points below Le Pen.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/artificial-intelligence-completes-beethovens-unfinished-tenth-symphony-417463">Artificial intelligence completes Beethoven's unfinished tenth symphony</a>

France is an extreme, though revealing, example of the problems afflicting social democratic parties across Europe, experts say.

While social democratic parties have lost support nearly everywhere amid the political fragmentation on the continent, France’s Socialist Party was also decimated by Macron’s successful creation of his centrist La République en Marche party. Some Socialist leaders abandoned their old party to join Macron, who had served as Hollande’s economy minister. In forming his government, Macron also poached from the center-right, which was less weakened than the center-left and remains a force in French politics.

For decades, social democratic parties appealed to a core base of unionized, industrial workers and urban professionals with a vision of social justice and an equitable economy.

But many longtime French supporters felt betrayed by Hollande’s business-friendly policies as French Socialists, like their counterparts elsewhere, were unable to protect their traditional base from globalization.

While French Socialists hark back to their traditional values and now emphasize their commitment to the environment, their vision for society lacks a “strong spine,” Bergounioux said. In France, like elsewhere, the constituencies supporting social democratic parties tend to be made up of “aging, loyal voters who have voted for them their entire lives,” Delwit said.

In Germany and elsewhere in Europe, the recent success of social democratic parties rested on successful jockeying — and not on the attraction of a fresh social democratic vision, experts said.

Ernst Stetter, a member of the Social Democratic Party in Germany and former secretary-general of the Foundation for European Progressive Studies, an umbrella group of social democratic think tanks across the continent, said the party’s victory last Sunday was “first and foremost a strategic victory” by Scholz.

As vice chancellor and finance minister in the government of Chancellor Angela Merkel, Scholz offered “change in continuity by offering a little bit more social programs, a little bit more on the environment and continuity in European and international affairs,” said Stetter, who is also an analyst at the Fondation Jean-Jaurès research institute in Paris.

Narrow as it was, Scholz’s victory represented “the center of the Social Democratic Party, not the left,” said Daniel Cohn-Bendit, a French-German politician and former Green member of the European Parliament.

Socialists in Spain, Portugal and the Nordic nations also owed their success to responding to local needs, not a common vision of social democracy, Cohn-Bendit said.

“On immigration policy, social democrats in Denmark are to the right of many centrist parties,” Cohn-Bendit said, referring to a series of hard-line immigration measures adopted by Denmark’s Social Democrats.

Following years of a rise in right-wing parties, social democrats now lead governments in Sweden, Finland and Denmark, and are poised to do so in Norway. But their hold on power is far more tenuous than in the past.

In Norway, the Labor Party, led by Jonas Gahr Stoere, came in first in last month’s parliamentary election, but won only a little more than one-quarter of the total seats, one of the party’s lowest scores on record. After talks to form a broad center-left coalition failed in recent days, Stoere is now expected to become prime minister of a minority government.

“There isn’t a new definition yet of what social democracy could be in today’s world,” Cohn-Bendit said.

Stetter said he, too, was skeptical of a broad revival of social democracy. Over the past decade, social democrats had worked unsuccessfully for a revival under the banner of the “Next Left,” he said.

Still, Stetter said he hoped that last Sunday’s election results in Germany could presage positive developments for social democrats in Europe.

“If Scholz succeeds in forming a government as a social democratic chancellor, there would be a dynamic force at the heart of Europe, and that could give energy to the French Socialist Party in the campaign period before the presidential elections in April,” Stetter said. “We have to remain optimistic.”

For France’s venerable Socialist Party, languishing at 4% support before next year’s presidential elections, news of a surprise win last Sunday by its center-left counterpart in Germany offered a glimmer of hope.

For France’s venerable Socialist Party, languishing at 4% support before next year’s presidential elections, news of a surprise win last Sunday by its center-left counterpart in Germany offered a glimmer of hope. The slim victory by Olaf Scholz and Germany’s Social Democratic Party, along with the expected return to power of Norway’s Labor Party following a recent win, have underscored the recent success of Europe’s long-embattled social democrats. If Scholz succeeds in forming a government, social democrats in Europe’s most powerful nation will join center-left governments in Spain, Portugal and the Nordic nations of Sweden, Denmark and Finland, as well as Norway. Attention will then turn to France, where presidential elections are scheduled for next April. But in France, experts say, the social democrats’ hopes of a continentwide revival are likely to dim. Socialist Party officials were nevertheless quick to seize on the German results as a sign that Europe’s political tides may be turning. “Never assume the battle’s already lost,” the Socialists’ leader, Olivier Faure, said in a Twitter post. The party’s presidential candidate, Anne Hidalgo, noted that Scholz “had beaten the odds” thanks to policies common to both social democratic parties. But it will take more than that to reverse the fortunes of a party that not so long ago utterly dominated French politics. After months of hinting that she would run for president, Hidalgo, 62, the second-term mayor of Paris, finally announced her candidacy in mid-September. But instead of getting an expected bounce in the polls, her approval ratings have drifted lower. Her polling is now far below not only the two favorites to meet in a showdown — President Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen, of the far-right National Rally — but also well below candidates from the center-right and Éric Zemmour, a writer and TV star known for his far-right views, who is not yet an official candidate. On the other side of the political spectrum, she trails the far-left Jean-Luc Mélenchon and is neck and neck with the newly designated presidential candidate of the Greens, Yannick Jadot, polls show. ALSO READ | Even as activists accuse country of illegal deportation, Greek PM says 'essentially crushed' migrant smugglers The Socialists’ collapse is even more noteworthy because, less than a decade ago, under the Socialist President François Hollande, the party controlled the Élysée Palace, both chambers of Parliament, a majority of big cities and nearly all the regions. “Nine years ago, this party held all the cards,” said Pascal Delwit, a political scientist specializing in social democracy at the Free University of Brussels. “Nine years later, it has none.” In what became a symbol of its fall, the Socialist Party had to abandon its longtime headquarters, in one of the toniest neighborhoods of Paris, for cheaper real estate in a suburb, or banlieue, that many members never bothered visiting. Alain Bergounioux, a historian who is an expert on the Socialist Party, said that beyond crumbling at the ballot box, Socialists seem to have lost the ability to push forward their ideas and themes in a fast-moving political landscape. “They really don’t influence the national debate any longer, as public opinion has shifted to the right,” Bergounioux said. He added, “If it was premature to say that social democracy was dead, it would be overstating it to say that there is a renaissance.” Seven months before the presidential elections, issues dear to the right — like immigration, crime and national identity — are dominating the political discourse. While Macron ran as a centrist in 2017, he has tacked right in a bid for the biggest slice of the electorate. The focus on these themes has only increased in recent weeks, with the intense news media attention on a possible candidacy by Zemmour. Styling himself as a Trump-like populist outsider, he has been visiting different regions on a book tour that has doubled as a campaign. A poll released this week showed that his support among potential voters in the first round of the elections has kept climbing, to 13%, or just 3 percentage points below Le Pen. ALSO READ | Artificial intelligence completes Beethoven's unfinished tenth symphony France is an extreme, though revealing, example of the problems afflicting social democratic parties across Europe, experts say. While social democratic parties have lost support nearly everywhere amid the political fragmentation on the continent, France’s Socialist Party was also decimated by Macron’s successful creation of his centrist La République en Marche party. Some Socialist leaders abandoned their old party to join Macron, who had served as Hollande’s economy minister. In forming his government, Macron also poached from the center-right, which was less weakened than the center-left and remains a force in French politics. For decades, social democratic parties appealed to a core base of unionized, industrial workers and urban professionals with a vision of social justice and an equitable economy. But many longtime French supporters felt betrayed by Hollande’s business-friendly policies as French Socialists, like their counterparts elsewhere, were unable to protect their traditional base from globalization. While French Socialists hark back to their traditional values and now emphasize their commitment to the environment, their vision for society lacks a “strong spine,” Bergounioux said. In France, like elsewhere, the constituencies supporting social democratic parties tend to be made up of “aging, loyal voters who have voted for them their entire lives,” Delwit said. In Germany and elsewhere in Europe, the recent success of social democratic parties rested on successful jockeying — and not on the attraction of a fresh social democratic vision, experts said. Ernst Stetter, a member of the Social Democratic Party in Germany and former secretary-general of the Foundation for European Progressive Studies, an umbrella group of social democratic think tanks across the continent, said the party’s victory last Sunday was “first and foremost a strategic victory” by Scholz. As vice chancellor and finance minister in the government of Chancellor Angela Merkel, Scholz offered “change in continuity by offering a little bit more social programs, a little bit more on the environment and continuity in European and international affairs,” said Stetter, who is also an analyst at the Fondation Jean-Jaurès research institute in Paris. Narrow as it was, Scholz’s victory represented “the center of the Social Democratic Party, not the left,” said Daniel Cohn-Bendit, a French-German politician and former Green member of the European Parliament. Socialists in Spain, Portugal and the Nordic nations also owed their success to responding to local needs, not a common vision of social democracy, Cohn-Bendit said. “On immigration policy, social democrats in Denmark are to the right of many centrist parties,” Cohn-Bendit said, referring to a series of hard-line immigration measures adopted by Denmark’s Social Democrats. Following years of a rise in right-wing parties, social democrats now lead governments in Sweden, Finland and Denmark, and are poised to do so in Norway. But their hold on power is far more tenuous than in the past. In Norway, the Labor Party, led by Jonas Gahr Stoere, came in first in last month’s parliamentary election, but won only a little more than one-quarter of the total seats, one of the party’s lowest scores on record. After talks to form a broad center-left coalition failed in recent days, Stoere is now expected to become prime minister of a minority government. “There isn’t a new definition yet of what social democracy could be in today’s world,” Cohn-Bendit said. Stetter said he, too, was skeptical of a broad revival of social democracy. Over the past decade, social democrats had worked unsuccessfully for a revival under the banner of the “Next Left,” he said. Still, Stetter said he hoped that last Sunday’s election results in Germany could presage positive developments for social democrats in Europe. “If Scholz succeeds in forming a government as a social democratic chancellor, there would be a dynamic force at the heart of Europe, and that could give energy to the French Socialist Party in the campaign period before the presidential elections in April,” Stetter said. “We have to remain optimistic.”

Europe’s social democrats show signs of life, but France poses a roadblock

Turkey on Friday lashed out at a multibillion-euro warship deal between France and regional foe Greece, warning the agreement would threaten regional stability by isolating Ankara. &nbsp;&nbsp;

France and Greece on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding that will see Athens buy three French warships, an accord hailed by French President Emmanuel Macron as a major boost to the EU's defence ambitions.

But Turkey, which has an uneasy history and relationship with its NATO neighbour Greece, criticised the agreement as being aimed against Ankara.

"Greece's armament and the isolating and alienating of Turkey, instead of cooperation, is a problematic policy that will harm Greece and the EU, and that threatens regional peace and stability," Turkey's foreign ministry spokesman said.

On Tuesday, Macron said the frigate sale was not meant to be seen as a threat against Ankara, calling it a means to jointly ensure security in the Mediterranean as well as in North Africa, the Middle East and the Balkans.

France and Greece have forged closer ties in recent years, while each country's relationship with Turkey has been strained.

Greek-Turkish relations have a history of war and conflict.

Last year, the two countries were involved in a standoff when their gunboats collided while shadowing each other during a Turkish push into disputed eastern Mediterranean waters.

Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Tanju Bilgic on Friday suggested that the warship deal with France was part of Greece's effort to bolster what he called "maximalist maritime zone and air space claims" that were "contrary to international law".&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Turkey on Friday lashed out at a multibillion-euro warship deal between France and regional foe Greece, warning the agreement would threaten regional stability by isolating Ankara.

Turkey on Friday lashed out at a multibillion-euro warship deal between France and regional foe Greece, warning the agreement would threaten regional stability by isolating Ankara. France and Greece on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding that will see Athens buy three French warships, an accord hailed by French President Emmanuel Macron as a major boost to the EU's defence ambitions. But Turkey, which has an uneasy history and relationship with its NATO neighbour Greece, criticised the agreement as being aimed against Ankara. "Greece's armament and the isolating and alienating of Turkey, instead of cooperation, is a problematic policy that will harm Greece and the EU, and that threatens regional peace and stability," Turkey's foreign ministry spokesman said. On Tuesday, Macron said the frigate sale was not meant to be seen as a threat against Ankara, calling it a means to jointly ensure security in the Mediterranean as well as in North Africa, the Middle East and the Balkans. France and Greece have forged closer ties in recent years, while each country's relationship with Turkey has been strained. Greek-Turkish relations have a history of war and conflict. Last year, the two countries were involved in a standoff when their gunboats collided while shadowing each other during a Turkish push into disputed eastern Mediterranean waters. Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Tanju Bilgic on Friday suggested that the warship deal with France was part of Greece's effort to bolster what he called "maximalist maritime zone and air space claims" that were "contrary to international law".

Turkey warns Greece-France arms deal threatens 'stability'

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was handed a one-year prison sentence by a Paris court on Thursday after being found guilty of illegal campaign financing over his failed 2012 re-election bid.

Sarkozy, 66, is unlikely to go to jail. He decided to appeal the sentence, a move that in effect suspends it, and the judge said he could serve the sentence at home with an electronic tag.

But the second conviction this year for Sarkozy is a stunning fall from grace for the man who led France from 2007 to 2012 and retains influence among conservatives.

The two convictions could force Sarkozy to play a more discreet role in next year's presidential election. He had not planned to be a candidate but, as a popular figure on the right, he would be expected to support his party's candidate.

Sarkozy's conservative party, prosecutors said, spent nearly double the 22.5 million euros (currently $19.2 million) allowed under electoral law on extravagant campaign rallies and then hired a friendly public relations agency to hide the cost.

Sarkozy has denied wrongdoing. He said he was not involved in the logistics of his campaign for a second term as president or in how money was spent during the election run-up.

"Can you imagine me going into a meeting to discuss the cost of flags?" he told the court in June. "I had too much to do."

"From the moment I was told things were in order, I had no reason to give it more thought."

But the court said Sarkozy was made aware of the overspending, that he did not act on it, and that it was not necessary for him to approve each individual spending to be responsible.

Second conviction

Several others who faces charges were found guilty of fraud over the campaign financing and sentenced to up to 3-1/2 years in jail and hefty fines.

Sarkozy was found guilty in a separate trial in March of trying to bribe a judge and peddle influence in order to obtain confidential information on a judicial inquiry. He also denied any wrongdoing in that case.

The former president was sentenced to three years in jail in that trial - two of which were suspended - but has not spent time in prison yet, while his appeal is pending.

That did not stop would-be presidential candidates vying for the vote of his supporters.

Conservatives Xavier Bertrand, Valerie Pecresse and Michel Barnier - who all hope to be endorsed as the conservatives' candidate - each sent "a message of friendship" to Sarkozy via Twitter, saying they backed his decision to lodge an appeal.

"He knows he can count on me," said Bertrand, who leads his rivals in opinion polls.

The son of a Hungarian immigrant father, Sarkozy debuted in politics as mayor of the wealthy district of Neuilly outside central Paris, before serving as President Jacques Chirac's finance minister.

As president, Sarkozy's high-energy style and abrasive manner polarised voters. His modest attempts at tax and labour reforms and limited success in creating jobs disenchanted both free-marketeers and centrist voters.

Outside France, he brokered a ceasefire to the Russia-Georgia war in 2008, and in 2011 championed a NATO-led military intervention in Libya to support an uprising against its autocratic leader, Muammar Gaddafi.

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was handed a one-year prison sentence by a Paris court on Thursday after being found guilty of illegal campaign financing over his failed 2012 re-election bid.

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was handed a one-year prison sentence by a Paris court on Thursday after being found guilty of illegal campaign financing over his failed 2012 re-election bid. Sarkozy, 66, is unlikely to go to jail. He decided to appeal the sentence, a move that in effect suspends it, and the judge said he could serve the sentence at home with an electronic tag. But the second conviction this year for Sarkozy is a stunning fall from grace for the man who led France from 2007 to 2012 and retains influence among conservatives. The two convictions could force Sarkozy to play a more discreet role in next year's presidential election. He had not planned to be a candidate but, as a popular figure on the right, he would be expected to support his party's candidate. Sarkozy's conservative party, prosecutors said, spent nearly double the 22.5 million euros (currently $19.2 million) allowed under electoral law on extravagant campaign rallies and then hired a friendly public relations agency to hide the cost. Sarkozy has denied wrongdoing. He said he was not involved in the logistics of his campaign for a second term as president or in how money was spent during the election run-up. "Can you imagine me going into a meeting to discuss the cost of flags?" he told the court in June. "I had too much to do." "From the moment I was told things were in order, I had no reason to give it more thought." But the court said Sarkozy was made aware of the overspending, that he did not act on it, and that it was not necessary for him to approve each individual spending to be responsible. Second conviction Several others who faces charges were found guilty of fraud over the campaign financing and sentenced to up to 3-1/2 years in jail and hefty fines. Sarkozy was found guilty in a separate trial in March of trying to bribe a judge and peddle influence in order to obtain confidential information on a judicial inquiry. He also denied any wrongdoing in that case. The former president was sentenced to three years in jail in that trial - two of which were suspended - but has not spent time in prison yet, while his appeal is pending. That did not stop would-be presidential candidates vying for the vote of his supporters. Conservatives Xavier Bertrand, Valerie Pecresse and Michel Barnier - who all hope to be endorsed as the conservatives' candidate - each sent "a message of friendship" to Sarkozy via Twitter, saying they backed his decision to lodge an appeal. "He knows he can count on me," said Bertrand, who leads his rivals in opinion polls. The son of a Hungarian immigrant father, Sarkozy debuted in politics as mayor of the wealthy district of Neuilly outside central Paris, before serving as President Jacques Chirac's finance minister. As president, Sarkozy's high-energy style and abrasive manner polarised voters. His modest attempts at tax and labour reforms and limited success in creating jobs disenchanted both free-marketeers and centrist voters. Outside France, he brokered a ceasefire to the Russia-Georgia war in 2008, and in 2011 championed a NATO-led military intervention in Libya to support an uprising against its autocratic leader, Muammar Gaddafi.

France's Sarkozy likely to avoid jail despite new conviction

French experts say they have measured Mont Blanc, the tallest mountain in western Europe, at almost a metre lower than its previous official height. Watch this report for more details.

Global warming effects: France's highest peak Mont Blanc shrinks

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy will find out Thursday whether he faces a second jail term when a court returns its verdict over massive overspending on his 2012 re-election campaign. Watch this report for more details.

France: Nicolas Sarkozy remains popular with right

France is set to sell 52 Caesar artillery guns to the Czech Republic in a deal worth 257 million euros ($301 million) as Paris pushes for greater European defence autonomy, an Armed Forces Ministry official said on Wednesday.

President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday that Europe needed to stop being naive when it comes to defending its interests and must build its own military capacity after sealing a 3 billion euros ($3.5 billion) frigate deal with Greece and penning a cooperation agreement.

Paris was plunged into a dispute with the United States, Australia and Britain earlier this month over a trilateral nuclear security deal which sank a multi-billion dollar French-designed submarine contract with Canberra.

"This (Czech deal) comes after a period of rapprochement with the Czech Republic that was marked on a strategic level, but also a vision that is closer to what European defence policy should be and should bring us," the official told reporters ahead of a visit by Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly to Prague on Thursday to sign the contract.

Most of the guns will be assembled in the Czech Republic.

France has also sought to bring European allies into military operations in the Sahel region of Africa where it has some 5,000 counter-terrorism troops fighting Islamist militants as part of efforts to encourage a broader European military strategy.

The Czechs are one of nine countries that has contributed special forces to a European contingent.

France is set to sell 52 Caesar artillery guns to the Czech Republic in a deal worth 257 million euros ($301 million) as Paris pushes for greater European defence autonomy, an Armed Forces Ministry official said on Wednesday.

France is set to sell 52 Caesar artillery guns to the Czech Republic in a deal worth 257 million euros ($301 million) as Paris pushes for greater European defence autonomy, an Armed Forces Ministry official said on Wednesday. President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday that Europe needed to stop being naive when it comes to defending its interests and must build its own military capacity after sealing a 3 billion euros ($3.5 billion) frigate deal with Greece and penning a cooperation agreement. Paris was plunged into a dispute with the United States, Australia and Britain earlier this month over a trilateral nuclear security deal which sank a multi-billion dollar French-designed submarine contract with Canberra. "This (Czech deal) comes after a period of rapprochement with the Czech Republic that was marked on a strategic level, but also a vision that is closer to what European defence policy should be and should bring us," the official told reporters ahead of a visit by Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly to Prague on Thursday to sign the contract. Most of the guns will be assembled in the Czech Republic. France has also sought to bring European allies into military operations in the Sahel region of Africa where it has some 5,000 counter-terrorism troops fighting Islamist militants as part of efforts to encourage a broader European military strategy. The Czechs are one of nine countries that has contributed special forces to a European contingent.

In European push, France to sell artillery guns to Czech Republic

After being pelted with an egg by an outraged protester, French President Emmanuel Macron extended a long line of world leaders who have faced political indignation that has evolved into physical attacks.

Take a look at some of the leaders who have faced a physical attack in public.

US President George W Bush

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Bush dodges flying shoes <a href="https://t.co/uHBWaq87OW">pic.twitter.com/uHBWaq87OW</a>
— Vera Milicevic (@queen_safari) <a href="https://twitter.com/queen_safari/status/1257623283781918721?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 5, 2020</a></blockquote>
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During a visit to Baghdad in 2008, then US president George W Bush was pelted with shoes by an Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi. “This is a farewell kiss from the Iraqi people, you dog,” he yelled in Arabic.

But the president swiftly ducked both shoes, which flew over his head.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard

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When former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard visited a school in Queensland in 2013, a youngster tossed Vegemite sandwiches at her.

School officials identified the culprit as 16-year-old Kyle Thomson.

French President Emmanuel Macron

On June 8 this year, the French president was attacked by an angry man in Tain-l'Hermitage while on a tour to "check the country's pulse" during the coronavirus pandemic.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Macron?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Macron</a> se fait gifler en direct de <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tain?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tain</a> <a href="https://t.co/tsXdByo22U">pic.twitter.com/tsXdByo22U</a>
— ⚜️ (@AlexpLille) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexpLille/status/1402237903376367627?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The man began shouting, “À bas la Macronie!” or “Down with Macronia!” at Macron before he delivered a sharp slap across the leader’s left cheek. 
 
French President Emmanuel Macron hit by egg thrown from crowd in Lyon

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Former Prime Minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi 
 
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Silvio Berlusconi, the former Italian prime minister, was not so fortunate. When he was hit with a metal replica of Milan's cathedral after a demonstration in 2009. He lost half a litre of blood after the attack.

Brazil's far-right President Jair Bolsonaro

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&nbsp;

Jair Bolsonaro, the far-right president of Brazil, was stabbed while campaigning for the 2018 election. The former army officer's rise to prominence was aided by widespread public support. While Bolsonaro healed swiftly, his assailant, who claimed to be "on a mission from God," was sent to a mental hospital.

Former German chancellor Helmut Kohl

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After being pelted with eggs, tomatoes, and paint during a walkabout in Halle, eastern Germany in 1991, ex-German chancellor Helmut Kohl exchanged punches with demonstrators and had to be pushed back by his security guards.

After being pelted with an egg by an outraged protester, French President Emmanuel Macron extended a long line of world leaders who have faced political indignation that has evolved into physical attacks.

After being pelted with an egg by an outraged protester, French President Emmanuel Macron extended a long line of world leaders who have faced political indignation that has evolved into physical attacks. Take a look at some of the leaders who have faced a physical attack in public. US President George W Bush Bush dodges flying shoes pic.twitter.com/uHBWaq87OW — Vera Milicevic (@queen_safari) May 5, 2020 × During a visit to Baghdad in 2008, then US president George W Bush was pelted with shoes by an Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi. “This is a farewell kiss from the Iraqi people, you dog,” he yelled in Arabic. But the president swiftly ducked both shoes, which flew over his head. Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard × When former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard visited a school in Queensland in 2013, a youngster tossed Vegemite sandwiches at her. School officials identified the culprit as 16-year-old Kyle Thomson. French President Emmanuel Macron On June 8 this year, the French president was attacked by an angry man in Tain-l'Hermitage while on a tour to "check the country's pulse" during the coronavirus pandemic. #Macron se fait gifler en direct de #Tain pic.twitter.com/tsXdByo22U — ⚜️ (@AlexpLille) June 8, 2021 × The man began shouting, “À bas la Macronie!” or “Down with Macronia!” at Macron before he delivered a sharp slap across the leader’s left cheek. French President Emmanuel Macron hit by egg thrown from crowd in Lyon × Former Prime Minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi Silvio Berlusconi, the former Italian prime minister, was not so fortunate. When he was hit with a metal replica of Milan's cathedral after a demonstration in 2009. He lost half a litre of blood after the attack. Brazil's far-right President Jair Bolsonaro × Jair Bolsonaro, the far-right president of Brazil, was stabbed while campaigning for the 2018 election. The former army officer's rise to prominence was aided by widespread public support. While Bolsonaro healed swiftly, his assailant, who claimed to be "on a mission from God," was sent to a mental hospital. Former German chancellor Helmut Kohl × After being pelted with eggs, tomatoes, and paint during a walkabout in Halle, eastern Germany in 1991, ex-German chancellor Helmut Kohl exchanged punches with demonstrators and had to be pushed back by his security guards.

Watch: From egg, and slap, to Macron to flying shoe at George W Bush — When world leaders were at the receiving end

Anger grows in the French town of Cherbourg as residents fear hundreds of job losses after Australia terminated a $40-billion submarine deal abruptly last week. The submarine design work was underway in Cherbourg. Watch this report for more details.

Anger grows in French town of Cherbourg over termination of France-Australia submarine deal

The quiet French coastal city of Cherbourg has suddenly become the epicenter of an international trade dispute. This after Australia revealed that it is scrapping the 40 billion dollar submarine border.

Stabbed in the back? Australia terminates $40 billion submarine deal with France

France&nbsp;will&nbsp;double&nbsp;the number of&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;doses&nbsp;it will send to&nbsp;poorer&nbsp;countries&nbsp;to 120 million, President Emmanuel Macron pledged on Saturday, in a video broadcast during the Global Citizen concert in Paris.

"The injustice is that in other continents, obviously, vaccination is very late," he said. "We have to go faster, stronger.&nbsp;

"France&nbsp;pledges to&nbsp;double&nbsp;the number of&nbsp;doses&nbsp;it is giving," he added. "We will pass from 60 million to 120 million&nbsp;doses&nbsp;offered."

That amounted to more than the&nbsp;doses&nbsp;so far administered in&nbsp;France, he said.

On Wednesday, the United States announced that it would be doubling its donation of&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;doses, bringing its total contribution to 1.1 billion.

President Joe Biden described the pandemic as an "all-hands-on-deck crisis," adding "we need other high-income&nbsp;countries&nbsp;to deliver on their own ambitions".&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/swiss-to-vote-on-allowing-same-sex-marriage-in-referendum-416076">Also read |&nbsp;Swiss to vote on allowing same-sex marriage in referendum</a>

The European Union has committed to distributing 500 million&nbsp;doses.

And China's President Xi Jinping, in a video message broadcast to the UN on Tuesday, pledged a total of two billion&nbsp;doses&nbsp;by the end of the year, repeating a figure already given by the Chinese authorities.

It was not made clear how many of those would be sold and how many donated.

More money for Africa: Macron&nbsp;

In his statement, Macron also said that&nbsp;France&nbsp;would work with the UN's children's organisation UNICEF in their efforts to help African&nbsp;countries&nbsp;organise their vaccination roll-out.

France&nbsp;would also redirect 20 percent of the special funding it received from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) towards projects designed to restart the economies of African&nbsp;countries, said Macron.

"If all the major powers do the same as&nbsp;France, we will reach 100 billion dollars for Africa," he added.

Finally, Macron pledged that&nbsp;France&nbsp;would spend 330 million euros to promote education in&nbsp;France.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of the World Health Organization, has repeatedly denounced the injustice of the massive imbalance in the distribution of&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;doses&nbsp;in rich and poor&nbsp;countries.

"I will not stay silent when the companies and&nbsp;countries&nbsp;that control the global supply of&nbsp;vaccines&nbsp;think the world's poor should be satisfied with leftovers," he said earlier this month.

African leaders pleaded for the chance to buy&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;doses&nbsp;for their people during a meeting of the African Union earlier this month.

According to an AFP tally drawn from official sources, Africa's 53&nbsp;countries, with a population of more than 1.3 billion people, has had a total of 10&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;doses&nbsp;per 100 people.

In contrast, the United States and Canada, with a population of just over 368 million people, has had 120&nbsp;doses&nbsp;per hundred people.

France will double the number of vaccine doses it will send to poorer countries to 120 million, President Emmanuel Macron pledged on Saturday, in a video broadcast during the Global Citizen concert in Paris.

France will double the number of vaccine doses it will send to poorer countries to 120 million, President Emmanuel Macron pledged on Saturday, in a video broadcast during the Global Citizen concert in Paris. "The injustice is that in other continents, obviously, vaccination is very late," he said. "We have to go faster, stronger. "France pledges to double the number of doses it is giving," he added. "We will pass from 60 million to 120 million doses offered." That amounted to more than the doses so far administered in France, he said. On Wednesday, the United States announced that it would be doubling its donation of vaccine doses, bringing its total contribution to 1.1 billion. President Joe Biden described the pandemic as an "all-hands-on-deck crisis," adding "we need other high-income countries to deliver on their own ambitions". Also read | Swiss to vote on allowing same-sex marriage in referendum The European Union has committed to distributing 500 million doses. And China's President Xi Jinping, in a video message broadcast to the UN on Tuesday, pledged a total of two billion doses by the end of the year, repeating a figure already given by the Chinese authorities. It was not made clear how many of those would be sold and how many donated. More money for Africa: Macron In his statement, Macron also said that France would work with the UN's children's organisation UNICEF in their efforts to help African countries organise their vaccination roll-out. France would also redirect 20 percent of the special funding it received from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) towards projects designed to restart the economies of African countries, said Macron. "If all the major powers do the same as France, we will reach 100 billion dollars for Africa," he added. Finally, Macron pledged that France would spend 330 million euros to promote education in France. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of the World Health Organization, has repeatedly denounced the injustice of the massive imbalance in the distribution of vaccine doses in rich and poor countries. "I will not stay silent when the companies and countries that control the global supply of vaccines think the world's poor should be satisfied with leftovers," he said earlier this month. African leaders pleaded for the chance to buy vaccine doses for their people during a meeting of the African Union earlier this month. According to an AFP tally drawn from official sources, Africa's 53 countries, with a population of more than 1.3 billion people, has had a total of 10 vaccine doses per 100 people. In contrast, the United States and Canada, with a population of just over 368 million people, has had 120 doses per hundred people.

France to double COVID-19 vaccine doses for poorer countries

After Germans vote Sunday and a new government is formed, Chancellor Angela Merkel will leave office after 16 years as the dominant figure in European politics. It is the moment that French President Emmanuel Macron has been waiting for.

The German chancellor, although credited for navigating multiple crises, was long criticized for lacking strategic vision. Macron, whose more swaggering style has sometimes ruffled his European partners — and Washington — has put forward ideas for a more independent and integrated Europe, better able to act in its own defense and its own interests.

But as the Anglo-American “betrayal” in the Australian submarine affair has underscored, Macron sometimes possesses ambitions beyond his reach. Despite the vacuum Merkel leaves, a Macron era is unlikely to be born.

Instead, analysts say, the European Union is heading for a period of prolonged uncertainty and potential weakness, if not necessarily drift. No one figure — not even Macron or a new German chancellor — will be as influential as Merkel was at her strongest: an authoritative, well-briefed leader who quietly managed compromise and built consensus among a long list of louder and more ideological colleagues.

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That raises the prospect of paralysis or of Europe muddling through its challenges — on what to do about an increasingly indifferent America, on China and Russia, and on trade and technology — or even of a more dangerous fracturing of the bloc’s always tentative unity.

And it will mean that Macron, who is up for reelection in April and absorbed in that uncertain campaign, will need to wait for a German government that may not be in place until January or longer, and then work closely with a weaker German chancellor.

“We’ll have a weak German chancellor on top of a larger, less unified coalition,” said Mujtaba Rahman, managing director for Europe of the Eurasia Group, a political risk consultancy. “A weaker chancellor is less capable of exerting influence in Europe, and then with the Macron election, the political cycles of these two key countries will not be in sync.”

The uncertainty is likely to last until after the French parliamentary elections in June — and that is presuming Macron wins.

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Macron has argued forcefully that Europe must do more to protect its own interests in a world where China is rising and the United States is focusing on Asia. His officials are already trying to prepare the ground on some key issues, looking forward to January, when France takes over the rotating EU presidency. But given the likelihood of lengthy coalition talks in Germany, the window for accomplishment is narrow.

Macron will need German help. While France and Germany together can no longer run the European Union by themselves, when they agree, they tend to bring the rest of the bloc along with them.

So building a relationship with the new German chancellor, even a weaker one, will be a primary goal for Macron. He must be careful, noted Daniela Schwarzer, executive director for Europe and Eurasia of the Open Societies Foundations, not to scare off the Germans.

“Macron’s leadership is disruptive, and the German style is to change institutions incrementally,” she said. “Both sides will need to think through how they make it possible for the other side to answer constructively.”

French officials understand that substantive change will be slow, and they will want to build on initiatives already underway, like the analysis of Europe’s interests called “the strategic compass” and a modest but steady increase in military spending on new capabilities through the new European Defense Fund and a program called Pesco, intended to promote joint projects and European interoperability.

After the humiliation of the scuttled submarine deal, when Australia suddenly canceled a contract with France and chose a deal with Britain and the United States instead, many of his European colleagues are more likely now to agree with Macron that Europe must be less dependent on Washington and spend at least a little more in its own defense.

Few in Europe, though, want to permanently damage ties with the Americans and NATO.

“Italy wants a stronger Europe, OK, but in NATO — we’re not on the French page on that,” said Marta Dassu, a former Italian deputy foreign minister and director of European affairs at the Aspen Institute.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, whose voice is respected in Brussels, believes strongly in the trans-Atlantic relationship, Dassu said, adding, “We’re closer to Germany than to France, but without all the ambiguities on Russia and China.”

France also wants to become more assertive using the economic and financial tools Europe already has, especially trade and technology, the officials say. The point, they say, is not to push too hard too fast, but to raise the European game vis-à-vis China and the United States, and try to encourage a culture that is comfortable with power.

But France’s German partners will be going through a period of uncertainty and transition. A new German chancellor is expected to win only one-quarter of the vote and may need to negotiate a coalition agreement among three political parties. That is expected to take at least until Christmas, if not longer.

The new chancellor will also need to get up to speed on European issues, which barely surfaced in the campaign, and build credibility as the newcomer among 26 other leaders.

“So it’s important now to start thinking of concrete French-German wins during a French presidency that Macron can use in a positive way in his campaign,” Schwarzer said. “Because Berlin does not want to ponder a scenario in which Macron loses” to far-right Marine Le Pen or in which euroskeptics like Matteo Salvini take over in Italy.

Whoever wins, German policy toward Europe will remain roughly the same from a country deeply committed to EU ideals, cautious and wanting to preserve stability and unity. The real question is whether any European leader can be the cohesive force Merkel was — and if not, what it will mean for the continent’s future.

“Merkel herself was important in keeping the EU together,” said Ulrich Speck of the German Marshall Fund. “She kept in mind the interests of so many in Europe, especially Central Europe but also Italy, so that everyone could be kept on board.”

Merkel saw the European Union as the core of her policy, said a senior European official, who called her the guardian of true EU values, willing to bend to keep the bloc together, as evidenced by her support for collective debt, previously a German red line, to fund the coronavirus recovery fund.

“Merkel acted as mediator when there have been a lot of centrifugal forces weakening Europe,” said Thomas Kleine-Brockhoff, head of the Berlin office of the German Marshall Fund. “It’s less clear how the next chancellor will position himself or herself and Germany.”

Still, Mark Leonard, director of the European Council on Foreign Relations, noted that “whoever is the chancellor, Germany is still responsible for more than half of Chinese trade with Europe.” Germany is “vastly more important than the other countries on all the big issues, from how to handle China to the tech wars and climate change,” he said.

That means Macron “knows he has to channel German power behind his vision,” he said.

But French and Italian positions will be crucial, too, on important pending financial issues like fiscal and banking integration, trying to complete the single market and monitoring the pandemic recovery fund.

Merkel’s departure may provide an opportunity for the kinds of change Macron desires, even if in vastly scaled-down version. Merkel’s love of the status quo, some analysts argue, was anachronistic at a time when Europe faces so many challenges.

Perhaps most important is the looming debate about whether to alter Europe’s spending rules, which in practical terms means getting agreement from countries to spend more on everything, from defense to climate.

The real problem is that fundamental change would require a treaty change, said Guntram Wolff, director of Bruegel, a Brussels research institution. “You can’t have fiscal and defense integration by stealth,” he said. “It won’t have legitimacy and won’t be accepted by citizens.”

But the German election debates ignored these broad issues, he said.

“The sad news,” Wolff said, “is that none of the three chancellor candidates campaigned on any of this, so my baseline expectation is continued muddling forward.”

After Germans vote Sunday and a new government is formed, Chancellor Angela Merkel will leave office after 16 years as the dominant figure in European politics. It is the moment that French President Emmanuel Macron has been waiting for.

After Germans vote Sunday and a new government is formed, Chancellor Angela Merkel will leave office after 16 years as the dominant figure in European politics. It is the moment that French President Emmanuel Macron has been waiting for. The German chancellor, although credited for navigating multiple crises, was long criticized for lacking strategic vision. Macron, whose more swaggering style has sometimes ruffled his European partners — and Washington — has put forward ideas for a more independent and integrated Europe, better able to act in its own defense and its own interests. But as the Anglo-American “betrayal” in the Australian submarine affair has underscored, Macron sometimes possesses ambitions beyond his reach. Despite the vacuum Merkel leaves, a Macron era is unlikely to be born. Instead, analysts say, the European Union is heading for a period of prolonged uncertainty and potential weakness, if not necessarily drift. No one figure — not even Macron or a new German chancellor — will be as influential as Merkel was at her strongest: an authoritative, well-briefed leader who quietly managed compromise and built consensus among a long list of louder and more ideological colleagues. ALSO READ | Developing countries to soon receive their long-promised funds for tackling climate crisis That raises the prospect of paralysis or of Europe muddling through its challenges — on what to do about an increasingly indifferent America, on China and Russia, and on trade and technology — or even of a more dangerous fracturing of the bloc’s always tentative unity. And it will mean that Macron, who is up for reelection in April and absorbed in that uncertain campaign, will need to wait for a German government that may not be in place until January or longer, and then work closely with a weaker German chancellor. “We’ll have a weak German chancellor on top of a larger, less unified coalition,” said Mujtaba Rahman, managing director for Europe of the Eurasia Group, a political risk consultancy. “A weaker chancellor is less capable of exerting influence in Europe, and then with the Macron election, the political cycles of these two key countries will not be in sync.” The uncertainty is likely to last until after the French parliamentary elections in June — and that is presuming Macron wins. ALSO READ | US: Gunman in deadly mass shooting at Kroger in Tennessee, identified as 29-year-old store vendor Macron has argued forcefully that Europe must do more to protect its own interests in a world where China is rising and the United States is focusing on Asia. His officials are already trying to prepare the ground on some key issues, looking forward to January, when France takes over the rotating EU presidency. But given the likelihood of lengthy coalition talks in Germany, the window for accomplishment is narrow. Macron will need German help. While France and Germany together can no longer run the European Union by themselves, when they agree, they tend to bring the rest of the bloc along with them. So building a relationship with the new German chancellor, even a weaker one, will be a primary goal for Macron. He must be careful, noted Daniela Schwarzer, executive director for Europe and Eurasia of the Open Societies Foundations, not to scare off the Germans. “Macron’s leadership is disruptive, and the German style is to change institutions incrementally,” she said. “Both sides will need to think through how they make it possible for the other side to answer constructively.” French officials understand that substantive change will be slow, and they will want to build on initiatives already underway, like the analysis of Europe’s interests called “the strategic compass” and a modest but steady increase in military spending on new capabilities through the new European Defense Fund and a program called Pesco, intended to promote joint projects and European interoperability. After the humiliation of the scuttled submarine deal, when Australia suddenly canceled a contract with France and chose a deal with Britain and the United States instead, many of his European colleagues are more likely now to agree with Macron that Europe must be less dependent on Washington and spend at least a little more in its own defense. Few in Europe, though, want to permanently damage ties with the Americans and NATO. “Italy wants a stronger Europe, OK, but in NATO — we’re not on the French page on that,” said Marta Dassu, a former Italian deputy foreign minister and director of European affairs at the Aspen Institute. Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, whose voice is respected in Brussels, believes strongly in the trans-Atlantic relationship, Dassu said, adding, “We’re closer to Germany than to France, but without all the ambiguities on Russia and China.” France also wants to become more assertive using the economic and financial tools Europe already has, especially trade and technology, the officials say. The point, they say, is not to push too hard too fast, but to raise the European game vis-à-vis China and the United States, and try to encourage a culture that is comfortable with power. But France’s German partners will be going through a period of uncertainty and transition. A new German chancellor is expected to win only one-quarter of the vote and may need to negotiate a coalition agreement among three political parties. That is expected to take at least until Christmas, if not longer. The new chancellor will also need to get up to speed on European issues, which barely surfaced in the campaign, and build credibility as the newcomer among 26 other leaders. “So it’s important now to start thinking of concrete French-German wins during a French presidency that Macron can use in a positive way in his campaign,” Schwarzer said. “Because Berlin does not want to ponder a scenario in which Macron loses” to far-right Marine Le Pen or in which euroskeptics like Matteo Salvini take over in Italy. Whoever wins, German policy toward Europe will remain roughly the same from a country deeply committed to EU ideals, cautious and wanting to preserve stability and unity. The real question is whether any European leader can be the cohesive force Merkel was — and if not, what it will mean for the continent’s future. “Merkel herself was important in keeping the EU together,” said Ulrich Speck of the German Marshall Fund. “She kept in mind the interests of so many in Europe, especially Central Europe but also Italy, so that everyone could be kept on board.” Merkel saw the European Union as the core of her policy, said a senior European official, who called her the guardian of true EU values, willing to bend to keep the bloc together, as evidenced by her support for collective debt, previously a German red line, to fund the coronavirus recovery fund. “Merkel acted as mediator when there have been a lot of centrifugal forces weakening Europe,” said Thomas Kleine-Brockhoff, head of the Berlin office of the German Marshall Fund. “It’s less clear how the next chancellor will position himself or herself and Germany.” Still, Mark Leonard, director of the European Council on Foreign Relations, noted that “whoever is the chancellor, Germany is still responsible for more than half of Chinese trade with Europe.” Germany is “vastly more important than the other countries on all the big issues, from how to handle China to the tech wars and climate change,” he said. That means Macron “knows he has to channel German power behind his vision,” he said. But French and Italian positions will be crucial, too, on important pending financial issues like fiscal and banking integration, trying to complete the single market and monitoring the pandemic recovery fund. Merkel’s departure may provide an opportunity for the kinds of change Macron desires, even if in vastly scaled-down version. Merkel’s love of the status quo, some analysts argue, was anachronistic at a time when Europe faces so many challenges. Perhaps most important is the looming debate about whether to alter Europe’s spending rules, which in practical terms means getting agreement from countries to spend more on everything, from defense to climate. The real problem is that fundamental change would require a treaty change, said Guntram Wolff, director of Bruegel, a Brussels research institution. “You can’t have fiscal and defense integration by stealth,” he said. “It won’t have legitimacy and won’t be accepted by citizens.” But the German election debates ignored these broad issues, he said. “The sad news,” Wolff said, “is that none of the three chancellor candidates campaigned on any of this, so my baseline expectation is continued muddling forward.”

Can Macron lead the European Union after Merkel retires?

The mobile phones of at least five French ministers and a diplomatic advisor to President Emmanuel Macron were infected by the Israeli-made Pegasus spyware, sources told AFP on Friday, confirming a report by the Mediapart investigative website.

French security services detected the software while inspecting the phones, with the intrusions believed to have taken place in 2019 and 2020, according to the report from Mediapart on Friday.&nbsp;

Pegasus, made by the Israeli firm NSO Group, can switch on a phone's camera or microphone and harvest its data, and was at the centre of a storm in July after a list of about 50,000 potential surveillance targets worldwide was leaked to the media.

The media consortium behind the revelations, including The Washington Post, The Guardian and France's Le Monde, reported at the time that one of Macron's phone numbers and those of many French cabinet ministers were on the leaked list of potential targets.

French authorities declined to comment on Friday.

The five ministers targeted are Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer, Territorial Cohesion Minister Jacqueline Gourault, Agriculture Minister Julien Denormandie, Housing Minister Emmanuelle Wargon and Overseas Territories Minister Sebastien Lecornu, Mediapart said.

Two French sources with knowledge of the investigation confirmed the veracity of the report, while asking not to be identified by name because they were not authorised to speak to the media.

"My phone is one of those checked out by the national IT systems security agency, but I haven't yet heard anything about the investigation so I cannot comment at this stage," Wargon told the L'Opinion website Friday.

One of her aides told AFP that "the minister doesn't have access to any state secrets, so we can't really see the point of spying on her."

In July, Le Monde reported that evidence of an attempted hacking was found on the phone of the former environment minister and close Macron ally Francois de Rugy, with the attempt allegedly originating in Morocco.

Morocco's intelligence services were also accused of being behind the hacking of journalists in France, but the kingdom's government has denied the claims and launched legal action alleging defamation.&nbsp;

The mobile phones of at least five French ministers and a diplomatic advisor to President Emmanuel Macron were infected by the Israeli-made Pegasus spyware, sources told AFP on Friday, confirming a report by the Mediapart investigative website.

The mobile phones of at least five French ministers and a diplomatic advisor to President Emmanuel Macron were infected by the Israeli-made Pegasus spyware, sources told AFP on Friday, confirming a report by the Mediapart investigative website. French security services detected the software while inspecting the phones, with the intrusions believed to have taken place in 2019 and 2020, according to the report from Mediapart on Friday. Pegasus, made by the Israeli firm NSO Group, can switch on a phone's camera or microphone and harvest its data, and was at the centre of a storm in July after a list of about 50,000 potential surveillance targets worldwide was leaked to the media. The media consortium behind the revelations, including The Washington Post, The Guardian and France's Le Monde, reported at the time that one of Macron's phone numbers and those of many French cabinet ministers were on the leaked list of potential targets. French authorities declined to comment on Friday. The five ministers targeted are Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer, Territorial Cohesion Minister Jacqueline Gourault, Agriculture Minister Julien Denormandie, Housing Minister Emmanuelle Wargon and Overseas Territories Minister Sebastien Lecornu, Mediapart said. Two French sources with knowledge of the investigation confirmed the veracity of the report, while asking not to be identified by name because they were not authorised to speak to the media. "My phone is one of those checked out by the national IT systems security agency, but I haven't yet heard anything about the investigation so I cannot comment at this stage," Wargon told the L'Opinion website Friday. One of her aides told AFP that "the minister doesn't have access to any state secrets, so we can't really see the point of spying on her." In July, Le Monde reported that evidence of an attempted hacking was found on the phone of the former environment minister and close Macron ally Francois de Rugy, with the attempt allegedly originating in Morocco. Morocco's intelligence services were also accused of being behind the hacking of journalists in France, but the kingdom's government has denied the claims and launched legal action alleging defamation.

Five French Ministers targeted by Israel's Pegasus spyware, says report

Wine production is expected to be historically low in France this year after frost and mildew fungus attacks ravaged vineyards across the country. As harvest gets underway, winemakers are burning large 'candles' to protect the vines from sharp spring frosts that ravaged other parts of his estate.

French wine producers using candles to save grand cru Chablis as frost ravages rest of vineyards

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