The Local France

Maverick Montebourg enters French presidential race

Mon, 22 Aug 2016 11:20:30 +0200

Former French economy minister Arnaud Montebourg on Sunday joined the race to become French president in next May's election, effectively signalling the start of the campaign season.

France blasts Germany for 'austerity policy'

Sun, 24 Aug 2014 12:47:00 +0200

French Economy Minister Arnaud Montebourg on Saturday criticised German austerity measures and warned France would no longer "be pushed around" by the EU's economic powerhouse.

Angry French workers protest US takeover bid

Thu, 07 Nov 2013 14:02:00 +0100

Workers protesting against the planned closure of a loss-making Goodyear factory in northern France on Thursday used a pile of burning tyres to blockade the plant, and had a colourful message for US company Titan, whose takeover bid could save the factory.

Mittal hits out at 'irrational' minister

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 11:49:13 +0100

ArcelorMittal chief Lakshmi Mittal has lashed out at French minister Arnaud Montebourg, accusing him of making "irrational" comments and said talk of nationalization of industry was "a setback".

France could nationalize Rio Tinto plant

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 17:40:11 +0100

France is considering nationalising an aluminium plant owned by Anglo-Australian mining group Rio Tinto, Le Monde newspaper reported on Wednesday.

Mittal seen as winner in steel plant deal

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 23:05:08 +0100

Lakshmi Mittal has emerged as a clear winner in his battle with the heavyweights of French politics according to ringside observers of the Indian tycoon's bruising bout over the future of a threatened steel plant.

Unions scream betrayal over ArcelorMittal deal

Sat, 01 Dec 2012 10:40:00 +0100

French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault has announced a deal with steel giant ArcelorMittal which he said saved part of a massive plant threatened with closure.

ArcelorMittal takeover threat called 'blackmail'

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 13:56:00 +0100

The head of France's largest employers' group on Thursday slammed as "blackmail" a threat by the state to take over a plant owned by steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, amid outrage in Mittal's native India that he was a victim of racism.

Hollande threatens to nationalize Mittal plant

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 23:44:08 +0100

French President François Hollande is threatening to nationalize a plant owned by steelmaker ArcelorMittal in an increasingly heated dispute in which a minister has said the multinational is no longer welcome in the country.

London mayor makes hay over Arcelor-Mittal

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 16:06:00 +0100

London Mayor Boris Johnson joked Tuesday that left-wing revolutionaries had taken control of France and were driving investors away, adding that the British capital was happy to welcome fleeing businessmen.

Industry minister calls for ArcelorMittal's ouster

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 13:02:00 +0100

French Industrial Renewal Minister Arnaud Montebourg does not want steel giant ArcelorMittal in France anymore and is looking for an industrial partner with which to take the group's operations there over on a temporary basis, he said Monday in an interview.

French ministers demand answers over Facebook rumours

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 14:47:00 +0200

The French government said Tuesday it had summoned Facebook managers to explain rumours that some users' old private messages were being posted publicly on the social network.

Row after minister says nuclear is the future

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 20:18:00 +0200

French Greens reacted angrily on Monday after a government minister described nuclear power as the "energy of the future," casting doubt on a commitment to slash the country's number of reactors.

Top Socialist attacked by far-right thugs

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 13:39:00 +0100

A top figure in the Socialist party and his journalist partner were attacked by a crowd shouting anti-Jewish slogans and chanting support for the far-right National Front, they said on Wednesday.

Left-wing MP: ratings agencies are 'charlatans'

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:51:00 +0100

Arnaud Montebourg, who came third in recent elections to choose the Socialist presidential candidate, has angrily denounced ratings agencies as "charlatans" in an interview.

Merkel 'acting like Bismarck' - socialists

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 09:49:00 +0100

Two senior Socialists attacked Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday, with one complaining about her "Bismarck-style policies."

Politician likens parliament to a retirement home

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 11:16:00 +0100

Socialist member of parliament Arnaud Montebourg has called for an age limit to be placed on parliamentary candidates to stop the upper and lower houses becoming filled with the "retired."

Third-placed Socialist to vote for Hollande

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 17:59:00 +0200

The third-placed candidate in the first round of the French Socialist primary said on Friday he would vote for frontrunner Francois Hollande in the final vote but was not urging his supporters to follow suit.

Montebourg hesitates on backing candidate

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 14:25:00 +0200

Socialist politician Arnaud Montebourg, who caused a surprise when he finished third in the first round of voting to select the party's presidential candidate, has still not offered public support for either François Hollande or Martine Aubry in Sunday's final vote.

Marine Le Pen: 'Obama is more right-wing than me'

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 11:13:00 +0200

Marine Le Pen, the leader of the hard-line nationalist Front National, has compared her political views to a range of other politicians, claiming she is "neither right-wing nor left-wing."