Could Bruno Retailleau become France's next president?
The disdain is mutual. A poll conducted in the wake of the President's interminable television interview found that 71 per cent of the people consider him to be a 'bad' president. As to the idea that Macron might stand for re-election in 2032 (the French constitution precludes an incumbent serving three consecutive terms), 84 per cent of people expressed their opposition to the idea.
'Macronism' is on its last legs and the question for France is what follows.
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The Guardian
6 hours ago
- The Guardian
Britain is great at muddling through. But imagine if its leaders knew where they were heading
Like a chronic ailment, strategic incoherence gnaws at everything Britain does in the world. Keir Starmer's real achievement in resetting relations with mainland Europe – witness the recent visits of the French president Emmanuel Macron and the German chancellor Friedrich Merz – does not obscure, and in a way even highlights, this deeper confusion. After 1945, Winston Churchill envisioned Britain's global role at the intersection of three circles: the British Commonwealth and (then still) empire; the Europe whose postwar recovery and unification he strongly supported; and the United States. As Commonwealth countries have formed stronger ties elsewhere, the first circle is no longer of strategic significance. Having committed itself in the 1970s to the most developed political and economic form of the second circle, now the European Union, Britain has withdrawn from it. With the revolutionary nationalism of President Donald Trump, the third circle is also fading fast. So here's an 80-year countdown of Britain's strategic circles: three … two … one, going on none. Instead of being at the intersection of three circles, Britain finds itself caught between three elephants. 'There are three elephants in the room and we just have to be careful we don't get trampled' is how one British official described to the Financial Times Starmer's attempt to navigate between the global economic powers of the US, EU and China. Just like Tony Blair a quarter-century ago, this government has talked of Britain being a 'bridge' between Europe and the US. But what kind of a bridge can it be today, when the UK is outside the EU and Trump is putting in question the whole transatlantic relationship, with a special animus towards the EU? There was only ever one way to take Brexit to its logical conclusion, and that was to become an offshore Greater Switzerland, a north European Singapore. To seek profit wherever you could find it, whatever those states were doing to their neighbours or their own citizens; to be a nation with the morals of a hedge fund. Ironically enough, the European country that comes closest to this cynical 'multialigning' is Viktor Orbán's Hungary, a full member state of the EU. But this was never a serious option even for the majority of Brexiters, who had five or six different (and generally vague) visions of what a post-Brexit Britain should be. For most Britons, it would be completely incompatible with our sense of what Britain should do and be in the world. With Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Britain's Churchillian instincts kicked in again and have brought us to a place where we are working shoulder to shoulder with countries such as France, Germany and Poland for the defence of Ukraine and Europe as a whole. Merz and Starmer have just signed a German-British treaty that gives a framework for enhanced cooperation in many areas. Faced with uncertainty about Trump's commitment to nuclear deterrence on Nato's eastern flank, Macron's state visit to the UK produced the unprecedented announcement that Europe's only two nuclear-weapon powers will 'coordinate' their nuclear deterrents and 'there is no extreme threat to Europe that would not prompt a response by both nations'. This takes us back to the strategic question. If we are prepared to risk even our very national existence for the defence of Europe, wouldn't it make sense to have some say in how that Europe develops? And if you're a government that has staked everything domestically on economic growth, as Starmer's has, wouldn't it help to get closer to your largest single market? The situation now is that Britain is fully committed to the defence of Europe but has none of the economic advantages of belonging to the EU. Indeed, it even has to pay a price – for example, in concessions to the French on fishing – for the privilege of contributing to the rest of Europe's security. Addressing British parliamentarians, Macron said: 'The European Union was stronger with you, and you were stronger with the European Union.' True on both counts. But of the two sides, Britain is definitely the more weakened. In the language of diplomacy, Britain is now the demandeur wherever it turns, wanting something from the other party. Indeed its diplomatic triumphs, be they in the 'reset' with the EU or the trade deal with Trump, largely consist in the removal of obstacles that didn't even exist before. The only strategically coherent long-term answer to this conundrum would be for Britain to rejoin the EU, painfully swallowing its pride and accepting that the new membership terms would be less favourable than those it had before. Halfway houses, such as the UK-EU customs union proposed by Britain's Liberal Democrats, would bring some modest economic advantage. Only full EU membership would give the large-scale economic benefits and the political influence in shaping the future of Europe – and, through Europe, the world. In a jungle full of elephants, you'd better be – or at least ride on – one yourself. Any British government seriously committed to advancing the national interest should keep in mind that long-term strategic logic. But British politics is nowhere near this point. Not even the Liberal Democrats advocate Breturn and the political running is being made by the country's most successful anti-European politician, Nigel Farage. People in the EU see this and are themselves in no mood to start thinking about remarriage. The wounds of Brexit are still sore and the disjuncture between security and economics works better for them than it does for Britain. Anyway, the EU has more than enough on its plate already. So what's left? Muddling through. Fortunately, muddling through is something of a British speciality. Some years ago I read an article about Britain in a German magazine which talked of die Philosophie des Durchmuddelns. (Only Germany could turn muddling-through into a philosophy.) Strangely maladroit in domestic politics, Starmer has been remarkably adept at forging good relationships with leaders such as Macron, Merz and Ursula von der Leyen, as well as Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He has shown real leadership on Ukraine and certainly delivered on his promise to Make Britain Serious Again. His cabinet is full of individuals who, like him, seem well-intentioned, competent and decent. A little boring perhaps – but a glance at the Trump administration shows you there are worse things than that. The UK has a heap of problems, but so does every European country I know. British democracy has survived the stress test of Brexit better than US democracy is surviving that of Trump. Socially and culturally, there is still much to be said for Britain's everyday tolerance, creativity and humour. So if anyone can make a success of muddling-through, Britain can. But Britain would muddle through better if it had a clearer idea of where in the world it wants to be in 10 years' time. As I believe it says in the Talmud: if you don't know where you want to go, any road is good. Timothy Garton Ash is a historian, political writer and Guardian columnist
The Sun
21 hours ago
- The Sun
How Brigitte Macron fell for ‘crazy boy' in daughter's class as kids reveal why they backed her… & slam ‘born male' slur
WHEN Brigitte Macron first fell for the French President she was his teacher - and he was a schoolboy in the same class as her daughter. Their affair sparked a huge scandal and even now, decades later, an army of vicious trolls and conspiracy theorists are still set on making her life hell. 13 13 13 13 A torrent of fresh online abuse has ramped up in recent days following a shock court ruling in which judges made the startling decision to allow outlandish claims that Brigitte, 72, was "born a man" and had "sexually abused" her future husband when he was a boy. Brigitte and her husband, President Emmanuel, 47, have been forced to defend the wicked slurs. Their marriage was already under pressure as the First Lady was recently seen appearing to ignore - and even shoving - her husband. But the couple had hoped the end of this long-running and increasingly bitter legal wrangle would finally bring a close to the years of torment they have endured. Instead the new ruling this week led to a fresh wave of hate, and sources say Madame Macron is "absolutely devastated". The Paris Appeal Court sensationally cleared two of her biggest critics - Amandine Roy, a 53-year-old clairvoyant, and blogger Natacha Rey, 49. The pair had posted a video on YouTube in December 2021 making a series of poisonous claims which led to them initially being found guilty of libel when Brigitte first took action against them. But the pair fought back and won their latest challenge, with the court deciding the claims were "made in good faith" and were already in the public domain. Throughout the agonising ordeal, Brigitte has had the loyal support of the three children she shares with her first husband, banker André-Louis Auzière, who died in 2019. Her daughter Tiphaine furiously laid into the women at the centre of the row, who claimed that her mother was a trans woman whose name at birth was Jean-Michel - the name of Brigitte's brother. 13 13 Tiphaine said at the time: 'I don't feel any pain, just anger at the misinformation. "I worry about the level of society when I hear what is circulating on social networks about my mother being a man. 'Anyone can say anything about anyone, and it takes time to get it withdrawn.' Tiphaine likened her mum's fight for justice to Kate Middleton 's brave cancer battle when arguing she was right to use the law to challenge the relentless onslaught of online misinformation about her. Last year Tiphaine praised the way Kate had handled intense pressure from the public to reveal the reason she underwent surgery. I worry about the level of society when I hear what is circulating on social networks about my mother being a man Tiphaine Auziere Tiphaine said: "You have the really clear victims like my mother and the Princess of Wales, and then you have others who have been whipped up and muddled by the misinformation. "I was so incredibly touched by Kate's video. I found it so moving. "There she is, asking people to leave her alone so that she can get on with her medical treatment in peace. 'But it really touched me. I thought she was so brave to do that. Because in the end she was forced to do it; there was so much pressure. "This, despite her having so many more important things to think about, yet everything was polluted with fake news, each piece of misinformation worse than the one before." Colourful love life The age gap between Brigitte and her second husband continues to raise eyebrows, but Tiphaine, 41, has a pretty colourful love life of her own. It emerged in March that she is allegedly dating a "bearded bad boy" who blames her stepfather for axing his controversial TV show that peddled conspiracy theories. Tiphaine's rumoured lover, Cyril Hanouna, 50, is the former host of Don't Touch My TV Set, a sensationalist hard right talk show which was cancelled earlier this year. But Hanouna, whose nickname is Baba, railed against Macron after the French media watchdog Arcom decided not to renew the licence for Channel C8, which broadcast his shock-jock show. 13 13 Some cynical commentators have even suggested he is only dating Tiphaine out of a desire for revenge. News of the couple's whirlwind romance is said to have shocked the Presidential Palace. Tiphaine, a lawyer and writer, is the mother of two children, aged eight and nine, with consultant physician Antoine Choteau, although it is thought the couple broke things off in January this year. La Pointe magazine said the timing of the romance was too suspicious for it to be authentic, and quoted a source close to Hanouna, who cast doubt on the relationship after they were spotted at a restaurant together. They said: "There are no revealing photos in the report. And frankly, Cyril very often invites certain members of the team to dinner in the evening, after the show, it's his habit. It's nothing new." Another source pointed out that the pair left the restaurant separately and said that the TV personality seemed "more intent on eating his pasta" than showing any signs of affection to his date. Users on social media have also floated the theory that the entire relationship was made up to distract viewers' attention away from a newly-released 2023 recording of Cyril allegedly insulting and threatening violence towards a columnist on his show. The show had already come under fire for homophobia, racial insults and out of control political brawls. Scandalous affair 13 13 13 Back in 1974, long before any of today's controversies, Brigitte married Tiphaine's father. At first Brigitte appeared to be every inch the picture perfect wife and mother, with three children and a prestigious job at a local private school. But their idyllic family life was blown apart when she had a scandalous affair with a pupil. Her children - Laurence, now a cardiologist, Sebastian, an engineer, and Tiphaine - had their life rocked to the core when Brigitte, then a literature teacher at La Providence school in the city of Amiens, fell for Emmanuel. She was 42 and he was just 15 years old. They met when he was a member of her French and Latin classes and grew closer when Emmanuel joined Brigitte's drama club. Tiphaine was just nine years old when she made the startling discovery that her mother was having a fling with a schoolboy. She recalled Laurence coming home from school one day and announcing: "Mummy, there is a crazy boy in our class who knows everything about everything." Brigitte was said to be instantly captivated by that boy's "exceptional intelligence". She gushed that Emmanuel was so gifted that it was as though "I was working with Mozart". Instantly captivated But it was a tough time for the kids - Tiphaine later revealed how she had to endure judgement and "backbiting" as news of the scandalous romance spread like wildfire around their local community. She recalled: "The attacks, the backbiting, the judgements. It was not yet the era of social networks, but we were in a small provincial town. Everything is known." Years later Paris Match magazine reported: "Young Emmanuel often rang the bell at the Auzière home and the rumours grew. "Rumours which naturally had an impact on the three children of the household." In a bid to quash the budding romance, Emmanuel's alarmed parents took drastic action. He was sent away to study in Paris by his concerned parents – both doctors – but he always told Brigitte: "Whatever you do, I will marry you." The couple finally wed in 2007, a decade before Mr Macron sensationally came from nowhere to win the French presidency as an independent candidate. His sexuality became an attack point for political enemies, with some claiming his wife was a "cover" for a secret gay life. Brigitte revealed in November 2023 that she had put off marrying Emmanuel for ten years out of concern for her children, adding that she suspected he would 'fall in love with someone his own age". 'The only obstacle was my children,' she told Paris Match. 'I took time so I would not wreck their lives. That lasted 10 years, the time to put them on the rails. "You can imagine what they were hearing. But I didn't want to miss out on my life.' But Tiphaine has never held a grudge against her mother or stepfather for their age gap relationship. She said previously: 'A family break-up can be both a heartbreak and an opportunity. Mixing families together can be enriching. "I have an adored mother and stepfather."
Powys County Times
a day ago
- Powys County Times
French riot police in early morning clash with migrants in coastal town
Clashes broke out between French riot police and migrants in the early hours of the morning in a northern coastal town. Pictures and footage captured by the PA news agency shows a group throwing rocks from afar in the direction of the officers early on Friday, while small fires are alight in the road near a park in Gravelines. The scene between the men – two seen by PA wearing life jackets – and the Gendarmerie and Police Nationale officers, who were equipped with shields, helmets and tear gas, lasted for about 20 minutes at around 5.30am. It came after migrants were filmed running into the water and boarding a dinghy at Gravelines beach on Thursday morning. More than 22,500 people have arrived in the UK after crossing the English Channel so far in 2025, a record for this point in the year. Last week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed a one in, one out migrant returns deal in a bid to crack down on the crossings and the people smuggling gangs who operate them. Sir Keir met with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Thursday where he also praised Berlin's plans to strengthen laws to disrupt small boat crossings by the end of the year.
