French far-right leader goes on trial

French far-right leader goes on trial

The French far-right figurehead Marine Le Pen has gone on trial for embezzlement in Paris. She and 26 other National Rally party politicians deny misusing European Union funds. Ross Cullen reports. According to the Associated Press, Le Pen denied violating any rules. The veteran politician told journalists that she remained confident. She vowed to present the judges with “extremely serious and extremely solid arguments.″

September 30, 2024 24

World

‘One inch from a potential civil war’ – near miss in Trump shooting is also a close call for American democracy

U.S. Secret Service agents help former President Donald Trump offstage during a rally on July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images By Arie Perliger, UMass Lowell With an assassination attempt on Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024, the U.S. experienced another violent episode in its increasingly polarized politics. Former President Trump, who’s about to formally become the GOP nominee for […]

July 15, 2024 24

World

200 candidates quit French runoff, aiming to block far right: AFP tally

At least 200 candidates have stood down ahead of France's runoff election as President Emmanuel Macron and a left-wing coalition seek to block the far right, an AFP tally showed on Tuesday. On Sunday, France votes in the decisive final round of the snap legislative polls Macron called after his camp received a drubbing in European elections last month. The rivals are hoping that tactical withdrawals […]

July 2, 2024 38

World

The far-right has surged to the lead in France’s elections. But forming a government remains a tall order

By Romain Fathi, Australian National University Exit polls after the first round of the French legislative elections indicate the far-right National Rally party leading with about 34% of the vote. The New Popular Front (a coalition of parties from the far left to the moderate left) was in second with about 28% and President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist coalition was a distant third with about […]

July 1, 2024 21

World

France to try suspects over false Brigitte Macron transgender claim

Two women are to be tried this week over false claims that France's first lady Brigitte Macron was transgender, which sparked online rumour-mongering by conspiracy theorists and the far-right. In 2022, Brigitte Macron filed a complaint for libel against two women who posted a YouTube video in December 2021 alleging she had once been a man named "Jean-Michel". The claim went viral just weeks before the 2022 […]

June 18, 2024 296

World

French bosses fear far right’s vague economic plans

By Katia Dolmadjian French business leaders have been pitched into fresh uncertainty by snap elections called by President Emmanuel Macron that risk strengthening the far right. Federations are treading lightly with their public comments, aware that they could be sitting across the table from National Rally (RN) ministers if the party scores a major breakthrough in the June 30 and July 7 ballots. […]

June 11, 2024 18

World

Macron urges French to make ‘right choice’ in poll gamble

By Alice Hackman and Stuart Williams President Emmanuel Macron said Monday he was confident the French would make the "right choice" in snap elections he called after the far right crushed his centrist alliance in Sunday's EU ballot. His surprise move came after mainstream centrist parties kept an overall majority in the European Parliament in Sunday's poll, but the far right notched up a string of […]

June 10, 2024 19

World

Far-right surge in EU elections

Far-right parties were big winners in the European elections, securing particularly strong performances in France and Germany. But the centrist grouping held firm with the European People's Party remaining the biggest player in the European Parliament. William Denselow reports from Brussels.

June 10, 2024 25