https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Europe in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Will this summer's repeated fatal heatwaves and enormous wildfires cause French politicians to get serious about tackling climate change? Don't bet on it, says John Lichfield. https://www.thelocal.com/20260729/opinion-french-politicians-are-failing-their-trial-by-wildfire Wed, 29 Jul 2026 09:26:19 +0200 opinion-french-politicians-are-failing-their-trial-by-wildfire Marine Le Pen has appealed against her second conviction for fraud but the appeal is itself deceitful, writes John Lichfield. The high priestess of “anti-system” French politics is trying to game the system. https://www.thelocal.com/20260722/opinion-why-le-pen-may-lose-if-she-wins-but-could-win-if-she-loses Wed, 22 Jul 2026 10:51:01 +0200 opinion-why-le-pen-may-lose-if-she-wins-but-could-win-if-she-loses Talented French footballers - many drawn from the multi-racial suburbs - have become a net export for the country. France itself could learn a great deal from the success of its grassroots sports operation, writes John Lichfield. https://www.thelocal.com/20260714/opinion-france-should-learn-from-the-success-of-its-wonderful-multi-racial-football-team Tue, 14 Jul 2026 12:08:32 +0200 opinion-france-should-learn-from-the-success-of-its-wonderful-multi-racial-football-team The field for France's presidential election in 2027 currently resembles the starting line-up at the Paris or London marathon, writes John Lichfield. https://www.thelocal.com/20260624/opinion-crowded-field-in-frances-2027-election-wont-necessarily-hand-victory-to-the-far-right Wed, 24 Jun 2026 11:04:11 +0200 opinion-crowded-field-in-frances-2027-election-wont-necessarily-hand-victory-to-the-far-right Russian propaganda and pro-Kremlin talking points, once veiled, have become overt in certain sections of the French media, writes John Lichfield. So why have the Putin-supporters come out into the open now, and what does it mean for French politics? https://www.thelocal.com/20260617/opinion-russia-is-stepping-up-its-propaganda-helped-by-a-french-billionaire Wed, 17 Jun 2026 09:19:03 +0200 opinion-russia-is-stepping-up-its-propaganda-helped-by-a-french-billionaire Jordan Bardella has stumbled upon reality - writes John Lichfield. A dangerous thing for a populist politician. https://www.thelocal.com/20260610/opinion-the-french-pension-crisis-could-be-a-landmine-for-jordan-bardella Wed, 10 Jun 2026 10:24:38 +0200 opinion-the-french-pension-crisis-could-be-a-landmine-for-jordan-bardella The Champions League win of Paris Saint-Germain football club was followed by widespread rioting with almost 900 people arrested and three deaths. John Lichfield looks at how a French football victory leads to these kind of scenes. https://www.thelocal.com/20260603/opinion-why-french-football-victories-lead-to-riots Wed, 03 Jun 2026 09:10:16 +0200 opinion-why-french-football-victories-lead-to-riots With almost a year of his presidency left to run, Emmanuel Macron has effectively lost control of his government and his succession - John Lichfield looks at where it all went wrong for the young man once touted as the future for France. https://www.thelocal.com/20260527/opinion-emmanuel-macron-where-did-it-all-go-wrong Wed, 27 May 2026 10:10:48 +0200 opinion-emmanuel-macron-where-did-it-all-go-wrong The story of the French film producers, the Breton billionaire and the blacklist is complicated but - argues John Lichfield - should be taken seriously as a genuine danger to France's culture. https://www.thelocal.com/20260520/opinion-bollores-influence-on-french-cinema-tv-and-media-is-dangerous Wed, 20 May 2026 09:50:24 +0200 opinion-bollores-influence-on-french-cinema-tv-and-media-is-dangerous In the final part of his mini series on the forthcoming French presidential elections, John Lichfield looks at the chances of the Far Right. Despite their runaway lead in polling for Round One, they could yet lose in the second round of the election in 2027. https://www.thelocal.com/20260513/opinion-the-french-far-right-have-a-runaway-poll-lead-but-may-yet-lose-the-2027-election Wed, 13 May 2026 10:06:28 +0200 opinion-the-french-far-right-have-a-runaway-poll-lead-but-may-yet-lose-the-2027-election In the latest in his series of profiles on candidates for the 2027 French presidential election, John Lichfield looks at whether the Centre can unite and, united, can beat the far right. https://www.thelocal.com/20260506/opinion-remains-of-macrons-centrists-still-have-the-best-chance-of-beating-the-far-right Wed, 06 May 2026 09:43:56 +0200 opinion-remains-of-macrons-centrists-still-have-the-best-chance-of-beating-the-far-right French history is littered with spectacular comebacks, from the Emperor Napoleon to Charles de Gaulle to Edith Piaf, writes John Lichfield. Could François Hollande, the cuddliest of politicians but tougher than he seems, return to the Elysée Palace nine years after his presidency fizzled into insignificance? https://www.thelocal.com/20260429/opinion-a-second-french-presidency-for-francois-hollande-really Wed, 29 Apr 2026 09:15:22 +0200 opinion-a-second-french-presidency-for-francois-hollande-really France's Les Républicains party - the conservative successors to Charles De Gaulle, Jacques Chirac and Nicolas Sarkozy - has picked its candidate for the 2027 presidential election. The choice speaks volumes, writes John Lichfield. https://www.thelocal.com/20260422/opinion-frances-traditional-conservatives-will-not-stop-the-far-right-in-2027 Wed, 22 Apr 2026 10:56:23 +0200 opinion-frances-traditional-conservatives-will-not-stop-the-far-right-in-2027 The Hungarian people have decisively rejected authoritarian leader Viktor Orban and France's Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella seem worried - so is this the beginning of an anti-populist wave in Europe? If only politics was so simple, writes John Lichfield. https://www.thelocal.com/20260415/opinion-orbans-demise-is-a-blow-for-french-far-right-but-not-a-fatal-one Wed, 15 Apr 2026 10:12:19 +0200 opinion-orbans-demise-is-a-blow-for-french-far-right-but-not-a-fatal-one France is being redrawn before our eyes - writes John Lichfield - the old political maps of Left-Right-Centre no longer make sense. Politicians are trying to re-invent them. https://www.thelocal.com/20260408/opinion-le-pen-pushes-to-cast-aside-far-right-label-as-france-redraws-political-map Wed, 08 Apr 2026 09:40:11 +0200 opinion-le-pen-pushes-to-cast-aside-far-right-label-as-france-redraws-political-map As attention in France shifts to the 2027 presidential elections, John Lichfield looks at how the candidates will be be narrowed down and whether France is indeed 'sleepwalking into a Far-Right presidency'. https://www.thelocal.com/20260401/opinion-primaries-cannot-save-france-from-a-trumpian-future Wed, 01 Apr 2026 10:18:39 +0200 opinion-primaries-cannot-save-france-from-a-trumpian-future This was a Mr Potato Head election - writes John Lichfield - pick different features of the municipal results on Sunday and you can give France the face of your choosing. https://www.thelocal.com/20260324/opinion-local-elections-show-french-far-right-is-beatable-but-not-by-this-fractured-and-squabbling-opposition Tue, 24 Mar 2026 10:52:20 +0100 opinion-local-elections-show-french-far-right-is-beatable-but-not-by-this-fractured-and-squabbling-opposition We are in dire straits, writes John Lichfield. Donald Trump wants allies like France, and even rivals like China, to pull his chestnuts out of the boiling oil in the Straits of Hormuz. https://www.thelocal.com/20260318/opinion-macron-is-having-a-good-war-but-there-is-no-good-end-to-the-iran-disaster Wed, 18 Mar 2026 09:40:29 +0100 opinion-macron-is-having-a-good-war-but-there-is-no-good-end-to-the-iran-disaster As France prepares for key local elections, John Lichfield looks at what the results can tell us about the strength of the 'republican front', the pact that voters can make to keep out the far right. https://www.thelocal.com/20260311/opinion-local-elections-will-show-if-france-still-has-the-will-to-resist-the-far-right Wed, 11 Mar 2026 09:52:31 +0100 opinion-local-elections-will-show-if-france-still-has-the-will-to-resist-the-far-right As the US launches strikes against Iran, Emmanuel Macron's reaction has been very different to his predecessor Jacques Chirac, who refused to join the British and American invasion of Iraq in 2003 - John Lichfield examines why. https://www.thelocal.com/20260304/opinion-why-macron-will-not-do-a-chirac-over-this-gulf-war Wed, 04 Mar 2026 09:23:15 +0100 opinion-why-macron-will-not-do-a-chirac-over-this-gulf-war