https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from France in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Any insult targeted at a French mayor will now be treated as contempt - an offence that carries a maximum penalty of community service or a €7,500 fine - France's justice minister has announced. https://www.thelocal.fr/20200902/insulting-a-mayor-to-become-a-criminal-offence-says-french-justice-minister Wed, 02 Sep 2020 18:39:01 +0200 insulting-a-mayor-to-become-a-criminal-offence-says-french-justice-minister A French power couple who dominated politics in a wealthy suburb of Paris for decades were given jail terms Friday for money laundering, sealing their fall from grace after earlier convictions for tax fraud. https://www.thelocal.fr/20191019/paris-power-couple-given-jail-terms-for-money-laundering Sat, 19 Oct 2019 09:22:56 +0200 paris-power-couple-given-jail-terms-for-money-laundering As one French town said farewell to its mayor, who was killed while tackling fly-tippers, new figures have revealed the extent of violence and threats against local officials. https://www.thelocal.fr/20190812/the-rising-tide-of-violence-against-frances-local-mayors Mon, 12 Aug 2019 17:00:39 +0200 the-rising-tide-of-violence-against-frances-local-mayors A mayor in northwest France close to Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has resigned after several nude pictures of him were released by a woman who claims she was the victim of unwanted advances. https://www.thelocal.fr/20190322/french-mayor-resigns-after-nude-photos-releases-by-woman-who Fri, 22 Mar 2019 12:47:16 +0100 french-mayor-resigns-after-nude-photos-releases-by-woman-who A notorious French mayor has sparked outrage among rights groups after putting up anti-migrant posters warning that "they're coming". Some 40 migrants are due to be relocated in the town. https://www.thelocal.fr/20161012/theyre-coming-french-mayors-sick-anti-migrant-poster Wed, 12 Oct 2016 17:14:07 +0200 theyre-coming-french-mayors-sick-anti-migrant-poster A French mayor has been left frustrated, but better off, after a new law meant he had to accept double his salary even though it was against his will. https://www.thelocal.fr/20160122/french-mayor-forced-to-accept-doubled-salary-against-his-will Fri, 22 Jan 2016 16:40:08 +0100 french-mayor-forced-to-accept-doubled-salary-against-his-will Town officials in northern France have come under scrutiny after ordering ditches to be dug out in an effort to dissuade travellers from setting up camp there. https://www.thelocal.fr/20150818/outrage-over-anti-traveller-ditches-in-france Tue, 18 Aug 2015 12:21:27 +0200 outrage-over-anti-traveller-ditches-in-france A far-right mayor in the southern town of Fréjus is allegedly considering making a group of local artists mind children in exchange for the rent subsidies they receive. https://www.thelocal.fr/20150730/french-mayor-to-force-artists-to-mind-kids Thu, 30 Jul 2015 13:36:32 +0200 french-mayor-to-force-artists-to-mind-kids A French lawmaker who was caught on camera saying Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler "did not kill enough" Roma gypsies was fined €3,000 by an appeal court in France this week. https://www.thelocal.fr/20140812/mp-avoids-fine-prison-for Tue, 12 Aug 2014 18:40:00 +0200 mp-avoids-fine-prison-for A tiny French village in Normandy was in shock on Friday after the mayor was castrated and killed by a bitter love rival, who accused the elected official of having an affair with his partner. https://www.thelocal.fr/20140523/french-mayor-castrated-and-killed-by-love-rival Fri, 23 May 2014 13:26:00 +0200 french-mayor-castrated-and-killed-by-love-rival The first female mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo formally took office on Saturday with a pledge to alleviate a housing shortage in the French capital. https://www.thelocal.fr/20140406/first-female-mayor-of-paris-takes-office-2 Sun, 06 Apr 2014 16:02:32 +0200 first-female-mayor-of-paris-takes-office-2 Whether you like the result or not, Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoë has drastically altered life in the City of Light during his 12 years in power. As he steps down on Friday The Local looks at his projects that Parisians both loved and hated. https://www.thelocal.fr/20140404/what-we-love-or-hate-about-delanos-paris-2 Fri, 04 Apr 2014 19:25:00 +0200 what-we-love-or-hate-about-delanos-paris-2 At the age of 22 most young Frenchmen are still wondering what to do with their lives, but not the self-titled political 'crocodile', Robin Reda. Hailed as a political genius by some of the Right's top politicians, Reda has just been elected France’s youngest mayor. https://www.thelocal.fr/20140328/france-youngest-mayor-local-elections Fri, 28 Mar 2014 17:57:00 +0100 france-youngest-mayor-local-elections Ken Tatham is the only British mayor in France. But after 19 years at the helm of his Normandy village he is about to step down. Here he tells The Local why exapts should stop moaning about life in France and follow in his footsteps. https://www.thelocal.fr/20140124/why-more-expats-should-become-mayors-in-france Fri, 24 Jan 2014 17:41:00 +0100 why-more-expats-should-become-mayors-in-france Prosecutors in France are to examine whether one of the country's MPs can be charged with "justifying a crime against humanity" after he allegedly suggested "Hitler did not kill enough" Gypsies (Roma) during World War Two, during a heated row with a French traveller community. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130722/french-mayor-evokes-hitler Mon, 22 Jul 2013 21:00:00 +0200 french-mayor-evokes-hitler Every French mayor has their breaking point it seems and Alain Tharon is no different. The elected official in charge of a small French commune in eastern France was hardly the most democratic in his efforts to deal with a mob who had confronted him at his home. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130715/french-mayor-held-after-shooting-at-youth-mob Mon, 15 Jul 2013 20:44:00 +0200 french-mayor-held-after-shooting-at-youth-mob A mayor in south-western France has stoked controversy by refusing to marry two gay men, while declaring he “might marry two girls.” It's the latest development in a row brewing in France since the legalization of gay marriage in May. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130614/french-mayor-wont-marry-two-boys-but-maybe-two-girls Fri, 14 Jun 2013 16:06:00 +0200 french-mayor-wont-marry-two-boys-but-maybe-two-girls The French government may still be celebrating the victory of seeing its divisive gay marriage bill finally signed into law but the battle over the issue of same-sex unions in France now looks set to move from a national to a local level. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130521/gay-marriage-row-moves-on-to-frances-town-halls Tue, 21 May 2013 11:24:00 +0200 gay-marriage-row-moves-on-to-frances-town-halls A gay mayor in France has become the latest politician to be sent death threats as the row over gay marriage again revealed a more sinister side. A poll published on Friday revealed a majority of French people believe it is time to move on. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130503/gay-french-mayor-sent-death-threat-after-interview Fri, 03 May 2013 10:26:00 +0200 gay-french-mayor-sent-death-threat-after-interview There were contrasting scenes in Paris on Tuesday after the French parliament made history by voting gay marriage into law. While supporters celebrated on one side of the city, elsewhere opponents of the bill clashed violently with police. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130424/clashes-and-celebrations-after-gay-marriage-vote Wed, 24 Apr 2013 10:39:00 +0200 clashes-and-celebrations-after-gay-marriage-vote