Marine Le Pen
The method to François Bayrou’s madness
By staking out such a maximalist position on the budget, the French PM may be giving himself room to negotiate a deal in the fall.
Macron praises ‘courage’ and ‘audacity’ of Bayrou’s budget
EU court rejects Le Pen heirs’ appeal over misused expenses
Le Pen will topple French PM Bayrou if he sticks to Tuesday’s spending plan
French billionaire interrogated as part of probe into National Rally campaign financing
ECHR rejects Le Pen’s emergency request to overturn French election ban
French police raid far-right National Rally’s headquarters
The far right’s climate power grab
The Patriots for Europe, a new far-right force in Brussels, has won the right to lead the European Parliament’s 2040 climate target discussions.
Le Pen asks European Court of Human Rights to help her quash election ban
The far-right leader once advocated for France to leave the Strasbourg-based court.
EU prosecutors launch probe into far-right MEP group over alleged misuse of funds
A confidential European Parliament audit found irregular spending by now-defunct Identity and Democracy group.
Macron just regained the power to call a snap election. Will he dare do it again?
Despite a public denial of another election, his government is in such trouble that the French president seems tempted by another high-stakes gamble.
French PM Bayrou survives no-confidence vote (again) but finds himself at Le Pen’s mercy
The center-left Socialist Party brought forth the measure after retirement reform talks fell apart last week.
Europe’s politicians suffer through heat wave — with or without air conditioning
While some politicians go red in the face trying to make their contemporaries pay attention to climate change, others are trying to make political hay while the sun is shining.
Top of Eiffel Tower closed due to extreme heat
Paris landmark’s highest level shut as France swelters.
French government pours cold water on Le Pen’s mass air conditioning scheme
Marine Le Pen accused the government of forcing ordinary people to suffer the heat.
Le Pen vows ‘major air conditioning equipment plan’ as France swelters
The far-right leader wants her country to embrace AC as temperatures rise due to climate change.
US State Department adviser wanted to boost French far-right leader Marine Le Pen
Samuel Samson, a political appointee, made the explosive recommendation as Le Pen eyes the presidency in 2027, two State Department officials tell POLITICO.
France to cut extra €4.7B in spending this year as debt hits new record
Government says new spending cuts are required to keep budget deficit down.
Von der Leyen can’t go far with the far right
Socialists and liberals are rebelling against the Commission president, but she has no easy fix in working with parties further to the right.
French PM Bayrou gets temporary lifeline from far right
The National Rally is still threatening to get rid of the prime minister during fall budget talks.
Von der Leyen’s huge gamble puts her biggest policies at risk
The Common Agricultural Policy reform, new rules for deportations and revised environmental standards could all be hit by a recent decision to pull the greenwashing law.
How Europe would fill an America-shaped hole in NATO
The likeliest replacement for the U.S. is a grouping of France, the U.K., Germany and Poland, but it would be much more vulnerable than an America-led alliance.
Von der Leyen faces political crisis after groups threaten to withdraw support
Socialists and liberals outraged that EPP sided with far right in pulling greenwashing legislation and could now block EU’s law-making process.
Le Pen and Bardella staging kiss-and-make-up moment
Are Le Pen and Bardella running mates or rivals?
Macron grasps for right tone after teen stabbing
The French president’s delicate balancing act isn’t assuaging concerns about public safety.
Beer-soaked nationalist rally in rural France turns into Marine Le Pen love-fest
Europe’s nationalist leaders offer Le Pen kind words and a ceremonial title as she fights to stay center stage.
Macron dissolved the French parliament a year ago. How will he surprise us again?
POLITICO makes its super-serious predictions for the French president’s next big surprise.
French far-right lawmakers accused of joining racist content-filled Facebook group
Online publication Les Jours alleges that nine National Rally lawmakers were members of the group.
French court strips Marine Le Pen of her local mandate
The decision is another reminder of how the far-right leader’s judicial woes are affecting her political career.
Macron’s succession problem
France’s recent elections all had surprises, but each time the contest’s basic structure was still foreseeable. That isn’t the case now.