His decision was taken at the end of a rollercoaster day during which the French president himself made no public remarks, but was spotted pacing alone along the banks of the Seine, cutting a solitary figure and apparently weighing up the future of France. Ultimately, the outcome of his deliberations was underwhelming and appears doomed…
The conservative Les Républicains, led by the hardline outgoing Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, wanted guarantees that Retailleau would retain his post and would be granted full control over issuing visas and limiting access to medical care for undocumented people. The party, which had supported the previous two minority governments, also wanted assurances that Lecornu would…
Le Pen herself has rejected the term far right as she seeks to normalize her National Rally party and bolster her electoral chances. She fiercely opposes immigration and is one of the most famous far-right politicians in Europe. Bruce pointed to U.S. Vice President JD Vance’s fiery speech at the Munich Security Conference in February,…
Barnier’s minority government, backed by a fragile coalition of conservative and centrist lawmakers, does not have the votes needed to pass its legislation outright without the far right’s tacit support. Under the French constitution, the government can pass legislation without parliamentary approval. However, lawmakers can then challenge this through a motion of no confidence, which,…