France

class=”MuiTypography-root-134 MuiTypography-h1-139″>Energy workers in France threaten power cuts over retirement age

France's energy union has threatened mass power cuts over Emmanuel Macron's plans to raise the retirement age after months of violent street protests. The powerful CGT union has already cut power to an airport and school that the president was visiting this month.

The WorldMay 3, 2023 · 3:00 PM EDT

• By Theo Merz

Tear gas canisters land on Place de la Nation where protester arrive during a demonstration, May 1, 2023, in Paris. Across France, thousands marched in what unions hope are the country's biggest May Day demonstrations in years, mobilized against President Emmanuel Macron's recent move to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64.

Thibault Camus/AP

France has been rocked by months of protests against Emmanuel Macron’s deeply unpopular decision to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64.

The president has forced the change through Parliament, and his government hopes it will be implemented by the fall.

But the battle is far from over.

On Monday — International Workers’ Day — hundreds of thousands took to the streets in major demonstrations. And workers in the energy sector are now threatening mass power cuts unless Macron reverses course.

Such cuts could disrupt major events planned for coming months — including the Cannes Film Festival, the French Open tennis tournament and the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix.

France’s largest energy union declared Wednesday a “national day of anger.”

Members of the CGT Energy Union, and other groups, gathered in Paris’s La Defense business district.

Frederic Probel, a representative of the CGT Union at the protest, defended the threat of power cuts.

“Politicians must be made to understand the energy sector’s value,” he said.

“If we don’t work, there’s no light … And we can’t carry on working until we’re in our mid-60s. That’s the message we’re trying to convey as calmly but forcefully as possible.”

Millions of people from all walks of life have taken part in more than a dozen national protest days since the pension-reform plans were announced.

Transport workers have gone on strike and rubbish collectors have let trash pile up in the streets.

But energy workers say they will be particularly hard hit.

Probel explained that the reforms will remove a special dispensation that allows those working certain jobs in electricity and gas to retire five years early.

When they do retire under the new system, their payments will be less, he said. And this means that fewer young people will be willing to join the industry.

Power cuts are a relatively common protest tactic in France. Last month, workers cut electricity at an airport and school that Macron was visiting in the south of the country.

The president’s official residence has also been targeted along with the offices of politicians who support the reforms.

At the same time, unions say they are providing free power to some schools, hospitals and other buildings — in what they call “Robin Hood” actions as energy prices rise.

“It’s good to cut politicians’ electricity,” said Guillaume, a member of an energy union at the demonstration, who declined to give his last name because of concerns about his work.

“It’s so that they can understand what life is like for real people — for people in poverty and those in precarious situations.”

Members of Macron’s government have branded such protests illegal. Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne has urged the national grid to file criminal complaints against anyone found carrying them out.

Those at the protest on Wednesday say they were well aware of the legal risks but would do whatever it takes to force Macron’s hand.

The president has called for a period of reconciliation after the unrest of the past few months. With power cuts planned and more nationwide protests already scheduled, this seems unlikely. 

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class=”MuiTypography-root-142 MuiTypography-h1-147″>A bakers’ rebellion looms in France to defend baguettes

Due to soaring electricity costs, bakers in France can’t afford to turn on their ovens to bake bread. They’re demanding help from the government and threatening the unthinkable — to turn off their ovens.

The WorldJanuary 6, 2023 · 11:45 AM EST

• By Gerry Hadden

Baker David Buelens puts the baguettes into a basket at a bakery, in Versailles, west of Paris, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022. 

Michel Euler/AP

A bakers’ rebellion is looming in France as they prepare to defend their beloved baguettes. Making bread, croissants and other pastries has become next to impossible, they say, due to soaring electricity prices. 

Now, they’re demanding help from the government. And if it doesn’t arrive soon, they’re threatening the unthinkable — to turn off their ovens.

Take French baker Phillipe Mendez. The sound of his electric ovens whirring to life used to be music to his ears. Now, it’s a source of stress.

“My electricity bill has gone up four-fold in the last eight months,” he said. “That’s besides the price hikes for my basic ingredients. The situation,” he added, “is becoming very complicated.”

Mendez opened his artisanal bakery nine years ago in the small Alpine village of Embrun. Business was good, until now. Inflation, the war in Ukraine and the Europe-wide energy crunch have Mendez at wit's end.

"My wife, Nathalie, has had to come in to work," he said, "as we’ve been forced to reduce our staff."

"What’s happening is a real shame," Nathalie said as she sliced bread on the electric slicer. "All of our bread is homemade. We strive for quality. But because of what’s happening,” she said, “our hands are tied."

"The French, deprived of their bread, would die,” jokes French baker Phillipe Mendez. Mendez is one of thousands of artisanal bakers warning they may need to unplug their ovens because it's too expensive to operate due to rising electricity costs. 

Credit:

Gerry Hadden/The World

At the end of this week the Mendezes said they’ll have to raise prices by about 10%. They said they can only hope their customers will still come by. Because it's France, good bread isn’t some luxury item — it’s like water — you have it with every meal.

Local worker Julien Breniere picked up two baguettes on his way home from work. He said he can’t start his day without them.

“They’re actually mini-baguettes,” he said. “Ficelles. In the morning,” he said, rubbing his stomach, “I toast them and eat them with butter and jam.”

“Our bread is very important,” 80-year-old customer Giselle Van Overberk said. “It’s well known,” she said, “that the French baguette is the best in the world.”

You could chalk up such comments to national pride. But French bakers sell some 6 billion baguettes a year. In December 2022, the United Nations granted baguette-baking world heritage status. And each week on French TV, there’s a reality show — just for baking bread.

On the latest episode of “The Best Bakeries in France,” two stern-looking judges weigh in on a spinach and Brebis cheese loaf baked somewhere in the Pyrenees — 8 points out of 10, they declared  — with room for improvement.  

Beloved bakers in France are not immune to the energy woes gripping the country. Electricity prices are set to rise further this winter, as the government struggles to compensate for the loss of natural gas from Russia. In fact, the government warns, there could be temporary blackouts later this month. But its message to bakers is, “We’ve got your backs.”

“We will not let our bakeries fail,” said France’s Minister of Finance Bruno Le Maire on the radio this week. “We’ll stand by them,” he said. “Helping with concrete measures.”

Those measures include tax breaks and emergency subsidies. But French bakers say they need more. 

“They speak of an emergency bail-out check,” baker Mendez said. But red tape is a problem. 

“I had to file an application about 6 inches thick,” he said. “And I still don’t know if I’m getting anything.”

Mendez said he can hang on for another couple of months. After that, he said, he’ll bake up his last batch of baguettes, then unplug his ovens for good. And that, he said, would be an existential catastrophe.

"The French,” he half-jokes, “will die without their bread."

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class=”MuiTypography-root-134 MuiTypography-h1-139″>A vegan bacon revolution takes hold in France

La Vie, a plant-based food startup in France, is on a mission to start a vegan bacon revolution and has tested products that taste almost like the real thing. Pork lobbyists are not too happy about it. 

The WorldSeptember 14, 2022 · 5:30 PM EDT

• By Rebecca Rosman

In a hot pan, the streaky bacon made by La Vie starts curling within minutes, bubbling and crisping just like bacon.

Rebecca Rosman/The World

It’s not easy being vegan in France. Especially when you’ve been raised a meat lover. 

“In France, you don’t have too many vegans,” said Nicolas Schweizer, 35, who’s been vegan for about a year now. 

“There’s so much social pressure to just stick with meat on every single meal.”  

Schweizer is also the co-founder of La Vie, a plant-based food startup on a mission to start a vegan bacon revolution of sorts not just in France, but all over Europe. And some pork lobbyists are not too happy about it. 

La Vie’s white-walled, fluorescent-lit labs test two flagship products: American-style streaky bacon and French lardons, which Schweizer likens to pancetta or bacon bites. 

“We are convinced that animal fat is a big part of what makes animal meat so delicious,” Schweizer said. 

Nicolas Schweizer, 35, has been vegan for about a year now and founded La Vie, a plant-based startup hoping to revolutionize vegan meat. 

Credit:

Rebecca Rosman/The World

He and his team have spent years trying to mimic that fatty layer using plant based proteins. But it’s almost impossible, he explained, because plant-based fats are usually oils that melt when heated. 

Years of testing in the lab seems to have paid off.  

In a sizzling hot pan, the streaky bacon starts curling within minutes, bubbling and crisping — just like bacon. 

And sure enough, the bacon is salty, fatty and crispy — successfully mimicking the texture that’s so difficult to re-create. 

It’s pretty close to the real thing. 

In a third-party survey La Vie ran, 250 meat eaters were invited to compare their vegan beacon to pork bacon, and 75% said they found the taste was “equivalent or superior [to pork bacon],” Schweizer said.

And 60% said they would be willing to swap pork bacon for La Vie bacon on a regular basis, he added. 

But this feat has gotten La Vie into trouble with France’s pork lobby, known as INAPORC. 

Earlier this year, INAPORC served La Vie with a formal notice for unfair competition for its veggie lardons which, they said, risked “deceiving customers” into thinking they were buying pork lardons. 

The pork lobby also said La Vie’s advertising violated the terms of a forthcoming law which bans plant-based food manufacturers from using words traditionally associated with meat products on their labels such as “sausage” “steak” and “bacon.”

La Vie's plant-based bacon tastes pretty close to the real thing. 

Credit:

Rebecca Rosman/The World

In response, La Vie took out a full-page ad in the newspaper Le Parisien thanking INAPORC for the compliment and asking the pork lobby to consider changing its recipes.

The ad also featured a postcard cutout addressed to INAPORC, inviting La Vie fans to send it to the pork lobby. 

Over the summer, the Supreme Court agreed to put the label law, set to take effect this October, on hold.

La Vie hopes the law will at least be modified.

INAPORC declined to comment, saying it didn’t want to speak publicly about an ongoing case.

The pork butchers at the former Les Halles market near Rue Montorgueil in central Paris aren’t as tight-lipped.

Laura Spencer, a butcher at Les Terroirs d’Avenir, which sells local organic produce, cheeses, meats and other products, calls the whole debacle silly. 

“This all gets a little bit too far-fetched and it's just trying to create an even bigger gap between those who do eat meat and those who don't eat meat,” she said. 

But she also said she’s not a fan of plant-based meat alternatives.

“You can do so many other things with vegetables and get the same results without having to recreate false burgers and sausages and stuff like that.”

But Schweizer said the issue is that many vegans — like him — love the taste of meat.

“To have an option to retrieve all the pleasure that you get from meat — from a taste perspective — without all those negative impacts is amazing,” he said. 

La Vie's plant-based bacon has upset the pork lobby in France. 

Credit:

Rebecca Rosman/The World

Indeed, animal farming is responsible for 18% of all greenhouse gas emissions today. 

He hopes that eventually the meat industry will be phased out entirely. 

Along with coal and other industries that are damaging for the environment, he said it’s time for our society to transition to something that’s more sustainable. 

class=”MuiTypography-root-134 MuiTypography-h1-139″>The state of religion in France

For years, people have been questioning the concept of laicité — France's strict form of secularism — and how it plays into religious freedom. In this special hour of The World airing on Saturday, Paris-based reporter Rebecca Rosman takes a trip across France where she speaks to Catholics, Jews, Muslims and atheists about their right to believe, or not to believe.

The WorldAugust 26, 2022 · 7:00 AM EDT

• By Rebecca Rosman

A Virgin Mary in a public square in France.

Rebecca Rosman/The World

Does France’s strict form of secularism violate religious freedoms?

It’s hardly a novel question these days. For years, people have been questioning the concept of laicité — France's strict form of secularism — and how it plays into religious freedom.

In recent years, French President Emmanuel Macron has tightened the government’s grip on laicité, causing people of all faiths to accuse his administration of sometimes going too far.

That’s especially true for French Muslims.

Last summer, French lawmakers adopted a highly controversial “anti-separatism” bill.

For Macron, who spearheaded the bill, the legislation is designed to stop “Islamist separatism,” by reinforcing French secularist principles.

But for many Muslims, the law — which contains 51 articles aimed at curbing radicalization — targets their ability to practice their religion freely.

Jean-Paul Héraudeau stands in front of a statue of the Virgin Mary in a town in France.

Credit:

Rebecca Rosman/The World

But it’s not just Muslims who say they sometimes feel hindered in their ability to practice their religion openly.

In this special hour of The World, Paris-based reporter Rebecca Rosman takes a trip across France where she speaks to Catholics, Jews, Muslims and atheists about their right to believe, or not to believe, in France today.

There’s the story of one town’s battle to keep a statue of the Virgin Mary standing in a public square.

One man’s plan to create a “French Islam” and the backlash behind it.

The French Jews who say they don’t feel safe practicing their religion at home.

The guiding principles behind the right to commit blasphemy.

And much more.

Related: Sacred Nation series on Evangelicals in Brazil

Plot World History with Andrey Sidorchik

The main problem of modern politicians and public figures is that a significant part of them do not consider it necessary to study this or that phenomenon in depth at all. It is enough to throw in a statement that becomes the banner of another campaign.

“Greetings to the lovers of the USSR”

A former municipal deputy, a former member of the Yabloko party, a blogger recognized by the Russian Ministry of Justice as a blogger-foreign agent, Maxim Kats now zealously supports the Ukrainian authorities during a special military operation, condemning the “unrighteous” Russian actions. At the same time, the rhetoric of Katz's speeches suggests that he understands about nothing about the subject of Russian-Ukrainian relations and the history of the conflict.

But, in order to better understand the level of a bright representative of the camp of those who promise to lead Russia away from “Putin's Russia”; before “democratic prosperity”, it is worth turning to yogurt.

The network remembers everything, including one of the posts that Mr. Katz published in 2018: “Do you know such a thing as yogurt? But your parents did not know until 1991. They appeared only under Gaidar, before that they did not exist in principle. The Soviet industry did not know how to make yogurt. Tank — please, yogurt — no way. Big hello to fans of the USSR.

Soviet hamburger of the Great Terror era

Katz is not lying — even in Moscow during the Soviet years, everyone had a rather vague idea of ​​what yogurt was. Although this fermented milk product has been known since antiquity, it was mentioned in the culinary books of the Russian Empire and the USSR, and since 1965 it has been produced in Riga at a local dairy plant in small batches.

But the masses in the Soviet Union did not consume yogurt. At the same time, for some reason, there was no suffering from yogurt either. “Sour milk”, unlike the same notorious “Coca-Cola”, no one deified or cursed.

To understand what's going on here, here's another example. Hamburgers in the Soviet Union first appeared not during perestroika, but at the height of the Great Terror, in 1937. Stalls appeared on the streets of Moscow and other Soviet cities, where they offered “Hot Moscow Patty with a Bun” for 50 kopecks, and in addition to it a carbonated drink. Yes, yes, this is such a Western fast food in the era of Comrade Stalin. The author of the innovation was Anastas Ivanovich Mikoyan, who, after a trip to the United States, diligently introduced interesting overseas know-how into the Soviet food industry.

Citizens accepted the Eskimo with a bang, but the “cutlet with a bun” alerted them. There was talk that a quality product cannot be sold like that, that it is generally some kind of wrong sandwich, etc. But Mikoyan did not lose heart and promised that the population would appreciate the hamburger. However, before the start of the war, the habit of fast food of this type was not fixed, and then it became not up to it. And it took another half a century for the hamburger to gain a foothold in our area.

The problem turned out to be not so much in the capabilities of the Soviet food industry, but in the eating habits of citizens.

France without cottage cheese: what the regime has brought

To prove this, let's look to the West, where the hamburger and yogurt have reigned for decades.

The fact that the attitude towards buckwheat, for example, in Russia and France is different, is not a secret for anyone. But the fact that Parisians until recently did not eat buckwheat porridge is not at all an indication of the weakness of the French food system. Buckwheat in France is used for flour or bird feed. However, recently, with an increase in the number of Russians in the country, local residents who love healthy food have begun to use the usual buckwheat porridge, and the cereal is sold in stores called Kasha.

But there is an even worse revelation. Once in Paris, the center of the civilized world, a Russian will be horrified to find that instead of the usual sour cream, he is offered a strange-tasting surrogate, and they don’t offer cottage cheese at all.

One goes, another comes

That is , all the power of France in the 21st century cannot give ordinary cottage cheese to people. Greetings to Paris lovers.

And the answer is simple — The French have different eating habits that change over time.

In the USSR, the mass consumer did not know what yogurt was, but he knew perfectly well what fruit kefir was. By an interesting coincidence, he disappeared from stores in the 1990s, simultaneously with the advent of yogurt. Modern fruit kefirs, produced in Russia, are a pale copy of the Soviet product. But this, too, does not cause a great tragedy for the Russians, and about “that” kefir is dreamed of mainly by older people, and young people are quite satisfied with yogurts.

In order to understand the mystery of the lack of yogurt in the USSR, you need to spend some time getting acquainted with the history of the issue. But then the loud thesis “tanks were made, but yogurts…” would disappear.

This does not mean that there were no problems in Soviet society. This means that today our past is branded by people with yogurt in their heads. One cannot figure out sour milk, another collects myths about Kolyma and the imprisoned ice cream maker, the third, looking at the Nazis point-blank, does not notice either the swastika or the corresponding slogans.

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Источник aif.ru

The Château de Vincennes houses the headquarters of the historical service of the French Ministry of Defense, which is responsible for the military archives. And access to the “military premises” of the ministry is closed to the Russians due to the events in Ukraine type=”image/webp” media=”(max-width: 320px) and (min-resolution: 192dpi)” >

View of the Vincennes castle

Due to the events in Ukraine, Russian citizens have been restricted access to the Château de Vincennes, the French Defense Ministry told AFP.

Vincennes— the largest royal fortified castle preserved in France. It was built in the 14th & 17th centuries. This castle is located in the commune of Vincennes in the eastern suburbs of Paris. It houses the headquarters of the Historical Defense Service of France, which is responsible for the management of military archives.

Tours are held in the castle— for security reasons, tourists are allowed inside with identification documents. Visitors can also access archival documents, but for this they must register on the website of this service and reserve the necessary documents in advance.

The castle is administered by both the Ministry of Culture (the building has been given the status of a historical monument) and the Ministry of Defense (because it is responsible for the historical defense service) of France.

As explained to the agency in the French Ministry of Defense, the Russians were limited access to the “military premises of the ministry” after the events in Ukraine. At the same time, they added that exceptions could be made for “requests regarding the work of journalists.”

According to AFP, two Russian women were denied entry to the Château de Vincennes in late July . One of the girls said that the guard at the metal detector asked her to show her passport, after which he said that she could not visit the castle.

Read on RBC Pro Pro “After 50/45/35 years there can be no career”: what top managers are afraid of Pro articles Eight tips for those who want to take meditation to a new level Pro instructions “I wake up while the world is sleeping”: why ex-Disney boss gets up at 4.15 am Articles Pro x The Economist 160% inflation: why the Turkish authorities can not contain the price increase Articles Pro “Playground for adults”: what it's like to work at Google – in 6 points He didn't let her in either. When asked what was the matter, the guards answered the visitor: “Because you are Russians.” According to AFP, the girl, a journalist by profession, left Russia and arrived in France five months ago, after the conflict in Ukraine began.

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The search for a compromise with the new composition of the government will become more difficult

On June 19, it became known that the coalition of French President Emmanuel Macron “Together!” did not receive an absolute majority of seats in the National Assembly in the second round of parliamentary elections. Political scientist Yuri Svetov believes that without the advantage in parliament of the ruling party, it will be more difficult for Macron to promote unpopular reforms.

Photo: Global Look Press

In an interview with Vechernyaya Moskva, Svetov explained that during the presidential elections Macron managed to stop the questions that the French had for him. In particular, this concerns questions about the standard of living and problems against the background of support for sanctions against Russia. According to the political scientist, the current president managed to reverse this trend, since Marine Le Pen became the main enemy. The expert noted that Macron played the game for the second time, that the French would collapse if they got Le Pen, but after the presidential elections there were no prospects for improving the situation.

In addition, according to Svetov, the French see Macron's involvement in the conflict in Ukraine and think that Ukrainians are more important for the president than their own people. The expert clarified that in the parliamentary elections, French citizens had the opportunity not to choose between “good and evil”, as was the case in the presidential elections.

The political scientist explained that Macron managed to gain an advantage in the elections and the most mandates, but not an absolute majority in parliament, and the number of mandates has significantly decreased compared to the previous elections. Moreover, according to Svetov, Mélenchon, who shared second and third place with Le Pen in the presidential election, has now received second place, and the French, who criticize the current government, have supported Le Pen. The expert was amazed at her results, noting that third place would allow her to create a faction and solve some problems.

According to the political scientist, for the previous five years, the authorities could dictate something, to which the “yellow vests” movement received, but now it won’t work out like that. Svetov believes that it will be difficult to push through, he will have to give in, Le Pen will not meet halfway, and it is difficult to agree with Mélenchon, and he may demand payment, which may even be the post of prime minister.

In addition, the political scientist noted that the situation in France is a warning to many politicians in the EU countries. In particular, according to Svetov, this concerns German Chancellor Scholz and his party, since elections to the parliaments of the states are planned in Germany. And also, as the expert noted, this is a serious “call” for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who after some time may resign, despite the vote won in the party after the vote of no confidence announced.

Svetov believes that the French government will have to reckon with the fact that many French people are dissatisfied with the amount of money that is being spent on Ukraine. The expert does not believe that this will affect the country's behavior regarding the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, since Mélenchon also supports Ukraine, and in any case, the key position is set by the United States. The political scientist added that the French are allowed a little initiative, but it's like a game of good and evil investigator, where France plays the role of a good investigator. However, according to Svetov, when it comes to sanctions, they are “right there”, and the country is also demonstrating its readiness to supply weapons.

Read also:The State Duma assessed the prospects for ending supplies of Western weapons to Ukraine

Источник www.mk.ru

The re-elected president promised to build a “stronger France” and expressed confidence that the country would show its best in “difficult times.” The ceremony was attended by his predecessors Sarkozy and Hollande

Emmanuel Macron

The inauguration of French President Emmanuel Macron took place at the Elysee Palace. He officially took office as head of state for the next five years.

The ceremony began at 11:00 local time (12:00 Moscow time), according to France24. In total, it was attended by about 450 guests, including former heads of state Francois Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy. According to tradition, 21 cannon shots were fired near the House of Invalids.

Video

Macron vowed to build a “stronger France” during his second term and “a more habitable planet,” reports RFI. He tweeted video clips of his speech and wrote that “France is doing its best in difficult times.”

The presidential elections in France this year were held in two rounds. 12 candidates participated in them. In the second round, as during the 2017 elections, Emmanuel Macron and the leader of the “National Rally” Marine Le Pen. As a result, Macron won 58.54% of the vote and became the first French president since 2002 to win for the second time (the last time it was Jacques Chirac).

After his re-election, Macron promised the French to be a “president for all” ; and work towards a “more just society and equality between women and men”.

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Polls Predict Historically Low French Presidential Turnout

On Sunday, April 10, French people vote in the presidential election. Voting turnout may be historically low, according to opinion polls.

Photo: ruwikipedia

ahead of the French presidential election polls, 80% of those polled felt that the campaign was of “poor quality”, many complained about the lack of ideas or new vision, writes The Guardian.

According to pollsters and analysts, most French people believe that the 2022 presidential election campaign was of poor quality and never got off the ground, which could lead to a protest vote and a historically low turnout in the first round on Sunday.

An Ifop poll this month found that 80% of French people thought the campaign was “low quality.” Voters have complained about the lack of new political ideas or vision and few solutions to their problems after two years of the Covid pandemic, as well as the conflict in Ukraine and the cost of living crisis.

Emmanuel Macron is campaigning to become France's first re-elected president in 20 years, promising to continue cutting taxes, raising the retirement age to 65 and securing full employment in France after decades of mass unemployment. But he entered the race late, focusing instead on trying to resolve the crisis diplomatically between Russia and Ukraine, and his lead in opinion polls has slipped slightly in recent days, while far-right candidate Marine Le Pen closed the gap on Macron to second place.

Le Pen has focused on the cost of living crisis, and her anti-immigration agenda includes a ban on the Muslim hijab in all public places. Far-left candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon is also gaining momentum in the polls, promising to freeze prices and overhaul the presidential system.

Despite the main fears of French voters – the cost of living crisis, the armed conflict in Ukraine and the environment – public interest in this campaign turned out to be less than in the last presidential election, held five years ago. There were fewer rallies, and voters complained about the lack of direct televised debates between all candidates.

As the first round campaign approached its final week, 54% of French people said they thought it hadn't started yet. An unprecedented number of French voters say they are unsure who to vote for, and abstentions could reach a record high of 30% on Sunday, polls showed.

Incumbent President Macron tried to mobilize his voters, comparing the political mood to what it was in the UK before the Brexit vote in 2016.

“There is no certainty,” Macron warned at his only rally in Nanterre outside Paris, brushing aside his lead in the polls. “Don’t believe the polls or the commentators who sound unequivocal and tell you that … the elections have already taken place, that everything will be fine”

Later, Macron told a radio interviewer that, in his opinion, society was “tired of two years of Covid “and” stunned “by the events in Ukraine. He claimed that the campaign did discuss “real topics”, but acknowledged that there was “a collective question about whether voting makes sense”. At the same time, Macron argued that voting is crucial.

Opinion pollsters say the fact that this election has been seen as a foregone conclusion for months – that Macron will easily win – could affect turnout and choice, and make voters feel like they want to prove the predictions wrong. A total of 66% of French people now believe Macron will win, a figure that has declined in recent weeks due to rising support for Marine Le Pen.

The feeling of weariness and predestination brings to mind comparisons with the “earthquake” in the 2002 elections 20 years ago, when Le Pen's father, far-right politician Jean-Marie Le Pen, knocked out the left to reach the final against Jacques Chirac.

“Like today, in 2002 there was a constant feeling that the campaign was not working, which in turn created the temptation to hold a protest vote,” says François Miquet-Marty, head of polling at Viavoice. “Our poll shows that 75% of French people think there are no new ideas in this campaign. And at the same time, 76% of people are worried about the future of their children. There is a sense that the solutions offered by this campaign are not enough.”

French media and analysts have described the campaign as a lulling of voters in a country already plagued by crisis. Communist candidate Fabien Roussel said this week that the campaign is “as if on morphine.” Jean Lassalle, an MP from the country's southwest dealing with rural issues, didn't pick a word in February and said in a TV interview: “This campaign is crap,” and the clip has since gone viral among French people who apparently share this opinion.

As The Guardian recalls, the campaign actually began last fall amid a micron wave of Covid infections. Then the unexpected rise of far-right television pundit Eric Zemmour initially pushed the issue of national identity to the top of the agenda. But the conflict in Ukraine ended up dominating the media headlines. Macron has delayed the start of his campaign, initially capitalizing on a kind of “rallying around the flag.” Currently, Macron's approval ratings have declined, although he holds the lead, while Le Pen and Mélenchon's ratings have risen, and Zemmour has fallen again in the polls.

The presidential election has started in France: shots of charming candidates

See related photo gallery

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In France, April 10 will begin to elect a president. Current President Emmanuel Macron and his rival in the last election, Marine Le Pen, are leading in the polls. What is known about the main candidates and their programs – in RBC infographic

Polls show that none of the 12 candidates will win in the first round on April 12 will not succeed, so the name of who will occupy the Elysee Palace for the next five years is likely to become known after the second round, on April 24th. Race leader— current head of state Emmanuel Macron, his most likely rival in the second round— head of the “National Association” Marine Le Pen. If this couple enters the second round, they will repeat the scenario of the 2017 elections, when, following the results of the second day of voting, Macron became the youngest president in the history of the country.

Five years ago, Macron was a little-known politician, and in the current campaign acts as one of the leaders of the European Union. Since the beginning of the crisis between Russia and Ukraine, he has taken on the mission of one of the main mediators between Moscow and Brussels. The start of the Russian special operation disrupted the usual course of the campaign: Macron officially put forward his candidacy only on March 3, the last day legally possible. Most of his rivals, by contrast, have been campaigning since early autumn last year. Against the backdrop of the Russian military operation and its consequences for Europe, French presidential candidates talk more about security and the military budget, but do not forget about the traditional issues of preserving national identity and pension reform.

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AFP: France will put more than 9.5 thousand troops on alert because of the fighting in Ukraine According to AFP, France will mobilize 9.5 thousand troops because of the military operation in Ukraine. More than 1.5 thousand people will be engaged in strengthening the positions of NATO in Eastern Europe ” alt=”AFP learned about the mobilization of 9.5 thousand soldiers in France because of the Russian operation” />

In France, more than 9,500 troops will be mobilized or put on alert by the end of next week due to the Russian military operation in Ukraine, a source in the country's General Staff told AFP, Le Parisien reports.

« We will have more than 1,500 French soldiers who will be directly involved in missions to strengthen NATO's position on the eastern flank, — said the source of the agency. 8,000 military “are on alert as part of the NATO Rapid Reaction Force.”

France will send 500 troops to Romania, and another 100 people will escort the upcoming arrival of four Mirage 2000-5 fighters, which should “strengthen the air defense of the Baltic countries” in Estonia, said a source in the General Staff.

Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine on the night of February 24, President Vladimir Putin justified it by the need to protect the civilian population from “genocide”; by the authorities of the country. He called the decision a forced step and assured that Russia would not occupy the territory of a neighboring state. The Ministry of Defense claims that the shooting is carried out only on the military infrastructure of Ukraine.

According to the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, 198 people died during the hostilities, more than 1.1 were affected.

France urged Russia “immediately” stop the military operation. French President Emmanuel Macron also noted that Paris is in solidarity with Kiev and is cooperating with partners to end the armed conflict as soon as possible.

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French National Assembly rejects resolution calling for Assange asylum The MPs who introduced the resolution said that Assange has been subjected to political persecution by the United States for more than a decade, while France is a country that defends the freedom of the individual and the press

National Assembly France (the lower house of parliament) rejected a resolution calling on the country's government to grant political asylum to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and make it easier for people involved in similar activities to obtain asylum. This is reported by oopstop.com with reference to the parliament session.

According to the news portal, 17 deputies spoke in favor of the document, against— 31. The debate on the resolution continued throughout Friday and ended only late in the evening.

The initiative for consideration by the lower house of the French Parliament was made by a number of deputies, including Jennifer de Temmerman, Cédric Villany, François Ruffin, Jean Lassalle . They argued their call to grant Assange asylum in France by the fact that for more than ten years he has been subjected to judicial, and in fact political persecution by the United States, while France— a country that defends freedom of the press and the individual.

The US authorities accuse Julian Assange of espionage and computer hacking due to the publication on the WikiLeaks website of US official documents on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and diplomatic cables from 2010 & ndash; 2011.

investigation, Assange was an accomplice of defense analyst Chelsea Manning, who violated the law on espionage, hacked into computers and published materials that could harm US intelligence informants. If extradited, he faces up to 175 years in prison.

Assange was detained in April 2019 after spending several years hiding in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. Since then, the US government has demanded his immediate extradition.

In early January last year, a British court refused to extradite Assange to the United States because he suffers from depression and could commit suicide in a maximum security prison. However, already on December 10, the Court of Appeal ruled out this risk, as US lawyers said they would not hold Assange in harsh conditions, thereby allowing extradition.

Lawyers for the WikiLeaks founder said they believe in the promises of the American side. His fiancée called the court's decision dangerous and erroneous because they want to send Assange to a country that “plotted to kill him.” She later stated that during the trial, 50-year-old Assange had a transient ischemic attack, his right eyelid did not close, and his memory was fuzzy.

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Russian Senator Alexei Pushkov commented on his Telegram channel the latest statements of French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian concerning "principles regarding Russia".

photo frame from video

Earlier, the head of the French Foreign Ministry and his US counterpart Anthony Blinken described these principles as “deterrence, continued dialogue and increased transatlantic coordination”.

According to Pushkov, these principles of policy towards Russia are not new, moreover, France is far from being their “creator”; – the containment policy is broadcast from the USA.

“The three principles do not correlate with each other and doom France to a passive role,” stressed  Pushkov.

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class=”MuiTypography-root-228 MuiTypography-h1-233″>France lashes out at Britain's latest proposal on migrantsAssociated PressNovember 26, 2021 · 11:30 AM EST

A makeshift camp for migrants is set up along the river in Loon Plage, near Grande-Synthe, northern France, Nov. 26, 2021.

Rafael Yaghobzadeh/AP

France reacted with anger and dismay on Friday to Britain's latest proposals for dealing with the deadly flow of migrants between their shores, ramping up a battle of wills over dangerous crossings of the English Channel that killed 27 people in a sinking this week.

President Emmanuel Macron scolded the office of Prime Minister Boris Johnson for making public a letter that the British leader sent to the French leader on Thursday. Most notably, Johnson proposed that France take back migrants who illegally cross the English Channel — an idea that France quickly and summarily dismissed.

“I am surprised by methods when they are not serious," Macron said on a visit to Italy. “You don’t communicate from a leader to another on these matters via tweets and letters that are made public. We are not whistleblowers.”

“Come on, come on,” Macron added.

The letter and France's response were the latest crossing of swords in what has become an increasingly fractious relationship between the erstwhile European partners who are struggling to rebuild a working relationship in the wake of Britain's exit from the EU. They're arguing not only about migration but also about their post-Brexit agreements, including regulating fishing in waters where British and French boats both work.

Adding to the climate of tension were blockades that French fishing crews were planning Friday of French ports and traffic under the English Channel to disrupt the flow of goods to the UK and increase pressure on Britain for more post-Brexit fishing licenses.

The spat over Johnson's letter had an immediate, concrete repercussion: Macron's government spokesman said Britain’s Home Secretary Priti Patel was no longer welcome at a meeting Sunday of European ministers who'll explore ways to crack down on migrant-smuggling networks.

The spokesman, Gabriel Attal, portrayed Johnson's proposals as duplicitous, saying the letter “doesn’t correspond at all” with discussions that Johnson and Macron had Wednesday after the sinking of an inflatable craft laden with migrants, the deadliest migrant tragedy to date in the English Channel.

“We are sick of double-speak,” Attal said.

He dismissed the proposal that France take back migrants who cross illegally from French shores to Britain as “clearly not what we need to solve this problem."

Johnson also set out proposals that France has already rejected for British border officials to begin patrols on the beaches of northern France as early as next week. He also recommended joint or reciprocal maritime patrols in each other’s territorial waters and airborne surveillance by manned flights and drones.

British Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said Johnson made the proposals in “good faith.” He urged France to reconsider the decision to dis-invite Patel to Sunday's ministers' meeting. They are convening in Calais, one of French coastal towns where migrants gravitate to in their attempts to get across the busy stretch of sea separating France and Britain. It was also one of the ports being targeted Friday for blockades by French fishermen.

“I don’t think there is anything inflammatory to ask for close co-operation with our nearest neighbours,” Shapps told BBC radio. “The proposal was made in good faith. I can assure our French friends of that and I hope that they will reconsider meeting up to discuss it.”

Others in Johnson's Conservative Party were less conciliatory.

Tim Loughton, a lawmaker from Johnson’s Conservative Party, accused France of being petulant in its response to Johnson’s letter.

“The French have got to get real and recognise there are consequences from turning a blind eye rather than stopping the migrant boats at source and those consequences are tragedies like the one two days ago,” he said on Twitter. “Partnership working is the only way to find a solution not petulance.”

The deaths of 27 men, women and children in the dangerous waterway have brought to a head long-simmering French-British tensions that have sharpened in recent months.

UK officials have criticized France for rejecting their offer of British police and border officers to conduct joint patrols along the channel coast with French police. French authorities accuse Britain of stoking migration by ignoring the use by British employers of clandestine workers who crossed the Channel illegally.

More than 23,000 people have already entered the UK on small boats this year, up from 8,500 last year and just 300 in 2018, according to data compiled by the British Parliament.

By Associated Press writers Danica Kirka, John Leicester and Pan Pylas, with Leicester reporting from Le Pecq, France, and Pylas from London.