Weather
English
RocksNews

International news in seven languages

Advertisement
Advertisement

Topic

French

World

The hunting lobby: Behind France's rural power

After football and fishing, France's third-favourite pastime is hunting. The ancestral activity is popular but also divisive, with passions running high between those who defend hunting traditions and a growing number of animal rights activists. Though it's become statistically safer, a majority of French people say they don’t feel secure walking in nature during hunting season. So what steps has the government taken to regulate hunting? And why is the hunting lobby so strong and influential? We take a closer look in this edition of French Connections.

Politics

Hundreds held, dozens wounded as French school protests escalate

French security forces on Wednesday detained over 600 people while dozens of police and gendarmes were wounded as protests that have seen blockades of high schools and violent clashes escalated, the interior minister said. Since last week, students have staged protests outside schools over grievances ranging from timetables, class sizes and a shortage of teachers to overheated classrooms during this year's heatwaves. FRANCE 24's Caroline Baum reports from Paris.

World

Gender-based violence: French proposed bill aims to strengthen protections

French lawmakers are set to debate a bill against gender-based and sexual violence. It aims to strengthen the entire process – from reporting crimes and investigation to protection and compensation for victims. The bill also targets online sexual abuse, including non-consensual content and AI-generated deepfakes. FRANCE 24's Claire Paccalin reports.

World

Behind the scenes of Céline Dion's high-tech gig - Tech 24

🎤 #CélineDion is making her great comeback with a 16-day residency in #France after years of illness. To keep her stage quiet and her voice crisp, her team is using both AI and high-tech sound systems. #FRANCE24's Peter O'Brien went behind the scenes at the invitation of French audio company L-Acoustics ☝️

Politics

French PM presents belt-tightening 2027 budget, including frozen wages and new taxes

French Prime ​Minister ‌Sébastien Lecornu ⁠on Thursday presented a belt-tightening government budget for 2027, with savings predicted to come from freezing wages in the public sector and all but the lowest ‌pensions. A series of targeted tax measures were also predicted, though the country's independent fiscal watchdog said the plans to reduce the deficit were "limited" in light of the challenge facing the government.

Politics

Why are French students blocking their school entrances?

🇫🇷 🎒 🪧 High schoolers across #France continued to blockade their #schools on Thursday, trying to form a "blocus" at the entrances of their schools in #protest. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said that 625 people, mostly students, had been detained during blockade attempts on Wednesday, noting "an expansion of the movement". But what are they asking for? FRANCE 24's Tanishk Saha explains.

World

Transport suspended in some French cities as school protests continue

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu convened a crisis meeting Thursday as students staged new protests against understaffing, onerous schedules and overheated classrooms, with public transport affected in several cities. More than 600 people, most of them students, have been detained and dozens of police injured amid the increasingly violent protests.

World

Clashes between French teens, police as school blockades intensify

French teenagers on Tuesday set fire to rubbish bins and threw projectiles at police who responded with batons and tear gas, with hundreds detained across the country over the blockades and protests demanding better conditions at schools. Since last week, students have staged protests outside hundreds of schools over grievances including timetables, class sizes and a shortage of teachers as well as overheated classrooms during this year's heatwaves. FRANCE 24's Rachel Griffiths reports.

Advertisement
World

France to unveil 2027 budget as debt hits record high

As the French government prepares to unveil its latest budget, the country's debt is at a record high and growing every day. France's public debt currently stands at nearly 3.6 trillion euros, nearly 60 billion of that added in the last three months alone.

World

UK-France 'one in, one out' migrant exchange deal is scrapped

A British-French agreement aimed at reducing the number of people trying to cross the English Channel in small boats has been scrapped, London said Wednesday. The pilot programme was intended to break the business model of "people smugglers" by exchanging undocumented migrants who had made the crossing for people who legally applied for asylum.

Politics

'People have been buying into the detoxification of the National Rally', French politics expert says

A French politics observer says the allegations of anti-Semitism against the head of France's far-right National Rally have really damaged the party. Andrew Smith from Queen Mary University of London says people have been buying into the detoxification of the party, despite its legacy as an anti-Semitic and racist outfit. But that makes this week's allegations against Jordan Bardella even more shocking. Bardella is accused by the investigative news website Mediapart of sending a series of anti-Semitic remarks from 2013 to 2015. Andrew Smith spoke to us in Perspective.

Politics

Macron says UK’s return to EU would be ‘excellent news’

Speaking alongside Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday, French President Emmanuel Macron said that it would be "a good decision" if the UK decided to rejoin the European Union. The two leaders met at the Moncloa Palace in Madrid on the second day of Macron's two-day state visit to Spain.

Politics

Attention turns to economy on final day of Macron’s visit to Spain

President Emmanuel Macron is in Spain for the final day of his two-day state visit, the first by a French president to the country since 2009. After being welcomed with a banquet at the Royal Palace by King Felipe VI on Tuesday, on today's agenda is the opening of the Franco-Spanish economic forum and a meeting with Spain's leftist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. Once economically ahead of Spain, France is now seeing Spain grow faster, as the Spanish economy has outpaced its French neighbour in recent years.

Advertisement
Politics

Still the same far right? Le Pen's National Rally denies fresh anti-Semitism claims

A minor bump on the French far right's road to power, or a car crash that wipes out years of rebranding? Bombshell allegations of past anti-Semitic tropes by the man Marine Le Pen has touted as her future prime minister could test her years-long effort to convince French voters that the National Rally is a party of government, rather than the fringe far-right National Front of old.

Politics

French civil servants strike, demand additional budgetary resources

French civil servants were mobilising in large numbers on Tuesday, with more than 170 rallies planned across France. A coalition of unions are demanding additional budgetary resources for schools, hospitals, and other public services. Among those on strike are firefighters, pushed to their limits by the summer's historic wildfires. Here's a look at one of the protests in Lyon.

Topic: French | RocksNews