French Socialist Faure Reelected as Party Head by Narrow Margin
French Socialist Olivier Faure was reelected as head of the party in a narrow ballot win, signaling the group may be less willing to join no-confidence motions likely to be filed against Prime Minister Francois Bayrou during crucial budget negotiations over the coming months.
While Faure, 56, was seen as the more left-leaning candidate in the party leadership contest, the strong showing by Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, who had criticized the party leader's decision to build an alliance with the hard-left France Unbowed party, suggests Faure may be pushed to tack closer to the more moderate wing of the Socialists in future policy negotiations with the government. Faure won the ballot with 50.9% of the vote, compared with 49.1% for his rival.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Thousands defy ban to join Pride march in Budapest
If Hungary's authorities thought banning this year's Pride march would keep people off the streets, they were wrong. Thousands turned out in Budapest, defying a law which said events like this should be cancelled to protect children. The crowd was determined to fight for their rights. "This is a special march, not just because it was the 30th, but also because it was banned," said Orsi, who proudly wore a rainbow headband and waved a rainbow flag. "I mean that's all the more reason to go out on the street and show that Budapest and is a place where everybody is welcome, where love is equal," she added. Attendees had been warned that just being there could mean a 500 euro fine or prison time for the organisers. They were told police would use facial recognition cameras to identify them, but they didn't care. Orsi said it was worth a fine. Leonas had travelled from Poland to show his support and was also happy to take the risk. "LGBT rights are attacked across the whole world, and we need to defend each other and work with each other," he said. government has repeatedly pitched family values against LGBTQ+ rights. "The mother is a woman, the father is a man and leave our kids alone," he told conservative audiences in the past. He says he is protecting Hungary's Christian values, but critics say this is just part of a wider attack on democracy which has happened during his 15 years in control. The Pride ban is just the latest . In 2020, the country abolished its legal recognition of transgender people, and in 2021, politicians passed a law banning the depiction of homosexuality to under-18s. While many were outraged by the attempt to cancel the Pride march, a small number of far-right activists organised demonstrations to show their support: "Hungary and the Hungarian nation don't want the aggressive LGBTQ+ propaganda. They are dangerous for our families, they are dangerous for our kids," said Gabor Kelemen, a member of the 64 Counties Youth Movement. However, the packed streets showed many disagree. At one point, as far as the eye could see, the march snaked through streets and across the city's bridges. The sound of drums and whistles mixing with gay anthems blaring out of speakers. The organisers said they believed this will be the largest Pride march ever in Budapest. Read more from Sky News: The crowd was eclectic, with Hungarians from different communities joining a demonstration which many believe is now part of a fight for Hungary's future. "This is not only about the complexity of Pride, not only about love or equality... for Hungarians, it's about sticking together, supporting each other, showing the government that we believe in a different kind of Hungary. We believe in freedom, we believe in democracy," said activist Adam Kanicsar. Despite the ban, today Pride attendees were celebrating a victory. But make no mistake, many in Hungary do not support the parade or what they see as an attack on traditional values. Next year, the country will hold a general election, a vote which will expose how divided Hungary really is.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Biggest-ever Budapest Pride defies Orban ban in Hungary
Record numbers of people marched in the Budapest Pride parade Saturday, defying a government ban that marked a major pushback against LGBTQ rights in the European Union. Organisers estimated up to 200,000 people had taken part in the 30th parade in the Hungarian capital, which was held in a festive atmosphere with rainbow flags flying high. Those numbers far exceed the previous record turnout of 35,000 people and come in spite of a police ban imposed by Prime Minister Viktor Orban's nationalist government. The governing coalition amended its laws and the constitution this year to prohibit the annual celebration, justifying his years-long clampdown on LGBTQ rights on "child protection" grounds. But the opposition-run Budapest city hall decided to co-host the march so it could go ahead. "I am proud to be gay... and I am very scared that the government wants to bring us down," one participant, 66-year-old Zoltan, told AFP. I am very surprised that there are so many people, I want to cry," he added. He declined to give his full name. - 'Big embarrassment' - Orban said Friday that while police would not break up the Pride march, those who took part should be aware of "legal consequences". Parade organisers risk up to a year in prison, and attendees can face fines up to 500 euros ($590). The latest legal changes also empower the authorities to use facial-recognition technology to identify those taking part, and cameras have recently been installed on lamp posts along the parade route. Szabolcs Pek, lead analyst at research centre Iranytu Institute, said it would be difficult for Orban's Fidesz party to respond to the high turnout. "This is a big embarrassment for Fidesz," he told AFP. The march began chaotically under a scorching sun. Marchers repeatedly had to pause to wait for police to stop traffic, according to AFP journalists at the scene. "I definitely wanted to come, if only to show my solidarity, and to show how important this issue is -- not only to me, but to almost everyone living in Budapest," economics student Marcell Szanto, 22, told AFP. Dozens of European lawmakers also attended in defiance of the ban. - 'Love can't be banned' - "Freedom and love can't be banned," read one huge poster put up near city hall, the gathering point for the march. Earlier this week, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen called on the Hungarian authorities to reverse the ban. Thirty-three nations, including most EU countries, have also released a statement in support of the march. And at a news conference Saturday, several French MEPs called on the EU to take tougher measures against Orban's government over the crackdown on civil rights and other rule-of-law issues. Since Orban's return to power in 2010, the country of 9.6 million people has been steadily rolling back LGBTQ rights. It is the first EU nation to ban a Pride march, and Orban has said he has been emboldened by the anti-diversity push by US President Donald Trump. Some people also gathered along the route to protest LGBTQ rights, in demonstrations called by far-right groups, one of which featured a wooden cross adorned with protest messages. But opposition leader Peter Magyar said on Facebook that the government "scored not a goal, but a huge own goal with their attempt to ban today's event". Budapest mayor Gergely Karacsony in a post noting the big turnout thanked Orban "for advertising for a more tolerant society". One woman, who gave only her first name, Katalin, told AFP she agreed with the ban though she hoped there would be no clashes. "Disgusting... it's become a fad to show off ourselves," she said. ros-bg-jza/jj
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Outgoing Polish President Duda says he supports Ukraine joining EU and NATO after meeting Zelenskyy
Polish leader Andrzej Duda said Saturday that he supports Ukraine's accession to the EU and NATO during a news conference in Kyiv.
