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France 24
16-07-2025
- Politics
- France 24
France in revolt over PM's proposition to abolish two public holidays as part of budget cuts
In a much-anticipated speech on Tuesday, French Prime Minister François Bayrou proposed a range of measures to tackle France's exploding deficit, saying that the country's debt is increasing by €5,000 every second. "It's late but there is still time," Bayrou said, warning that France was facing a "moment of truth". Bayrou's plan includes limiting tax breaks for the wealthy and slashing civil service jobs, but it was his plan to revoke two public holidays that garnered the most headlines. He suggested scrapping Easter Monday and May 8 – Victory Day in France, marking Nazi Germany's surrender in 1945 – but said he was open to suggestions. The announcement immediately provoked outrage from the French public – three out of four opposed the change in a poll published Wednesday – as well as politicians from across France's political spectrum. Jordan Bardella, leader of the far-right Rassemblement National party, called the proposal a "direct attack on our history, our roots and French workers". Lionel Benharous, mayor of the town of Les Lilas – home to the Romainville fort, where thousands of Resistance fighters were detained during World War II – spoke out against the 'dangerous recklessness' of such a proposal in the current climate. 'At a time when racism and anti-Semitism are regaining a deeply alarming following, when our republican values are being undermined, and when the far right is in power or approaching power in so many countries, deciding that May 8 will no longer be a public holiday is not just an economic measure, but is exacerbating the threats to our democracy,' Benharous said in a Facebook post. Sophie Binet, leader of the Confédération Générale du Travail (CGT) – one of France's oldest and largest trade unions – also spoke out out against removing national holiday status from May 8, saying it would be a "very serious" decision to stop marking "the day of victory over Nazism". Not always a public holiday But despite the heated reactions and attachment that many in France demonstrated in reaction to the proposals, some have pointed out that marking these dates has a complex history. "The commemoration of May 8 has not always been a public holiday," French historian Denis Peschanski pointed out in a Facebook post. He pointed out that commemorations celebrating the German surrender in 1945 and the end of hostilities was initially "supposed to take place on a Sunday, so either May 8, if it fell on a Sunday, or the following Sunday". It wasn't until 1953 that the government decided to make May 8 a public holiday to honour the Resistance movement, explained Peschanski. Six years later, General Charles de Gaulle decided to abolish the public holiday but kept it as a national day of commemoration. 'He chose instead to highlight June 18 (when de Gaulle urged the French to resist Nazi occupation) and the Resistance movement, even though he never made the day of the appeal a public holiday,' Peschanski said. One of his successors, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, went a step further in 1975 by scrapping the commemoration altogether in the name of European unity and Franco-German friendship – a move that sparked strong reactions from former Resistance fighters and deportees and the associations representing them. During his presidency, François Mitterrand decided to reinstate the day of commemoration and make it a public holiday once again. For Peschanski, there are other dates from the war that even more symbolic, notably the Allied landings at Normandy on D-Day a month later. "May 8, whether a public holiday or not, has never been a key date in the commemoration of World War II," he said. "The same cannot be said for June 6, 1944, which became an international commemoration under François Mitterrand in 1984, but has never been a public holiday." Few nations mark May 8 Peschanski's colleague Raphaël Spina, also a specialist in World War II, noted in a Facebook post that France is only one of three nations that officially commemorate May 8 nationwide. "Many countries do not mark May 8 as a public holiday, in particular the United Kingdom and the United States, who aren't accused of scorning the anti-Nazi struggle of which they were key players, or major victims," he wrote. May 8 is a public holiday in only two other European countries apart from France: the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Bulgarian Armed Forces Day is marked with military parades on May 6 and the Netherlands celebrates Liberation Day and the end of Nazi occupation on May 5. Luxembourg celebrates Europe Day on May 9 while in Slovenia, April 27 is the Day of Uprising Against Occupation. Spina also highlighted that while public holidays are supposed to be used for visiting the war memorial, there are hardly any people present at these sites on May 8, 'apart from schoolchildren taken there by their teachers'. "At this rate, what's the point of having a public holiday when a media event and an official ceremony would be just as useful for remembrance?" he asked. By the process of "elimination", Spina said, there are not many other holidays that France could abolish. "Nobody is going to propose abolishing the public holiday status of family celebrations such as Christmas, Easter [Sunday] or All Saints' Day, or religious holidays such as the Feast of Ascension and Assumption Day (commemorating the Virgin Mary's ascent into heaven)," he said. 'No religious significance' for Easter Monday Bayrou has justified his proposal to abolish Easter Monday as a public holiday by saying it has "no religious significance". Legally a public holiday since 1886, Easter Monday is not marked by any state-sanctioned religious celebration. Some see Easter Monday as a remnant of the Octave of Easter, in which a mass is repeated each of the eight days following Easter Sunday, one of the most important days for Christians. Easter Monday became a public holiday in France in 1886 and is now celebrated as such in 23 of the 27 EU countries. While some consider it a key part of Catholic tradition to mark Easter over more than just one Sunday, others agree with Bayrou. The Monday after Easter "has no religious significance today", says religious historian Odon Vallet. A distraction? As the debate rages about whether to abolish public holidays, some observers are calling it a political distraction. "Bayrou's proposal to abolish two public holidays is a red rag so that it's all we'll be talking about for days on end, without the French people realising all the other reductions announced today in health and public services," wrote Marine Tondelier, leader of France's Green Party, in a post on X. France has 11 public holidays, just shy of the European Union average of 11.7 national holidays a year (Lithuania has the most, with two independence days). Workers in EU countries benefit from between nine and 16 public holidays, according to the European labour authority EURES, excluding those that fall on a Sunday.
Local France
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Local France
Inside France: Far-right police raids, Tour fever and French spelling
Inside France is our weekly look at some of the news, talking points and gossip in France that you might not have heard about. It's published each Saturday and members can receive it directly to their inbox, by going to their newsletter preferences or adding their email to the sign-up box in this article. So unfair? After Marine Le Pen's conviction for embezzlement back in March, a left-wing British paper ran a column exhorting people to stop gloating about her travails. To which I would reply 'but gloating is fun'. If you are a fellow gloating fan, this has been a good week for it, as her far right Rassemblement National party is now the subject of two more criminal investigations - one into campaign financing in France and one related to alleged misuse of European Parliament funds by the group that RN was part of. Meanwhile, the European Court of Human Rights rejected a plea by Le Pen to get involved in her own legal case. RN leader Jordan Bardella, reacting to a police raid on the party's Paris HQ, said: "Never has an opposition party been subjected to such relentless persecution under the Fifth Republic." That sort of ignores the fact the following political parties in France have all been subject to similar police raids as part of various enquiries over the last decade; the centre-left Parti Socialiste, the right-wing UMP (now Les Républicains), centrist MoDem and the hard-left La France Insoumise. Police also raided the office and home of then health minister Olivier Véran when the Covid inquiry was launched in 2020. In fact these police raids are a standard part of an investigation launch in France, designed to stop people or businesses shredding paperwork that may be vital to the inquiry. They look dramatic but don't necessarily mean that anyone is guilty of anything. For example the Covid inquiry, five years later, has concluded that Véran and two of his fellow former ministers have no case to answer . But don't let that get in the way of your sob story, Jordan . . . Advertisement Touring France This has been the week when France goes bike crazy as the Tour de France begins. I have pretty much zero interest in cycling, but it's hard not to get swept up in the atmosphere that the Tour generates, especially if it comes past your home. As John Lichfield points out in his column this week , the Tour is more or less unique among major global sports events in that it comes to you and it's free. That alone may explain its popularity, but of course it also has deep cultural resonances in France - although perhaps not every local business along the route needs to get involved in Tour-themed decorations. Pendant ce temps là, à Valenciennes. — Dans la Musette (@DansLaMusette) July 6, 2025 READ ALSO : 7 reasons to watch the Tour de France (even if you have no interest in cycling)✎ Obviously the best thing about the Tour, however, is that it employs a man whose actual job is to go ahead of the peloton and convert 'cock and balls' graffiti into cute cartoons of rabbits and butterflies before the TV cameras arrive - meet Patrick, the effaceur de zizis (willy eraser) . Advertisement Spelling mistakes This week a reader sent me a link to a very funny sketch about the insane complexity of French spelling - which has 12 different ways of spelling the sound 's' - by two Belgian linguists and comedians. There's also an interesting dive into the history of the Academie française and the political reasons why it became so prescriptive and French spelling so elaborate (and likely to catch out language learners). It ends with a deathless quote from an Academie member who wrote in 1673 that French spelling is complicated in order to distinguish "people of letters from ignoramuses and simple women". The full sketch is 18 minutes long (and in French) but well worth it if you have the time. Inside France is our weekly look at some of the news, talking points and gossip in France that you might not have heard about. It's published each Saturday and members can receive it directly to their inbox, by going to their newsletter preferences or adding their email to the sign-up box in this article.
Spectator
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Spectator
Starmer announces ‘one in, one out' migrant deal
After days of intense discussions and slightly-less-intense boozy dinners, Keir Starmer has struck a 'one in, one out' migration deal with France's President Emmanuel Macron. The returns deal will allow up to 50 small boat migrants to be sent back to France each week, with the pilot to begin in the coming weeks. At a press conference this afternoon, the Prime Minister defended letting any migrants into Britain at all, telling reporters: 'We accept genuine asylum seekers because it is right that we offer a haven to those in most dire need. We simply cannot solve a challenge like stopping the boats by acting alone and telling our allies that we won't play ball.' Tackling illegal migration is crucial for both the UK and France as more migrants flood into Europe from overseas, heightening tensions across the continent. The issue has certainly given right-wing opposition parties plenty of ammunition – whether they are the Rassemblement National in France or Reform UK in Britain. Polling shows that 40 per cent of Reform supporters would consider voting for Labour next time if the number of small boat arrivals fell. But will this package be enough? This morning, Nigel Farage dismissed the deal as a 'complete insult' and a 'total humiliation' – while this afternoon, Starmer accused the Reform leader of just 'taking pictures of the problem'. Britain's separation from the EU bloc wasn't glossed over at the press conference. Despite all the talk of there being an 'entente cordiale', the French President still managed to slip a dig about Brexit into the presser. 'Many people in your country explained that Brexit would make it possible to fight more effectively against illegal immigration but in fact since Brexit the UK has no migratory agreement with the EU, nor a readmission scheme... Precisely the opposite of what Brexit promised.' On security, Macron has said a coalition of the willing peacekeeping force is 'ready to go' once a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire pact is agreed. The UK-France defence pact – dubbed the 'entente industrielle' – has been strengthened too. The two countries will have closer coordination on their nuclear deterrents – while work will be done to increase their missiles and anti-drone weapons. Macron also made clear during his trip that he is keen to end 'excessive dependency' on the US when it comes to security. YouGov polling today shows Brits are more in favour of closer relations to France than the US. It is imperative for Starmer's credibility as PM – and his party's prospects at the next election – that the migration agreement with France is effective, but it is unclear how exactly the PM will decide which migrants to deport and how the project's 'success' will be measured. The Labour leader has already had to fend off some rather unflattering reporting in the French press. Beforehand, Le Monde said the deal was merely 'symbolic', noting that it would translate to around 50 returns to France a week, which barely scratches the surface. There are plans on the UK side to increase removals from Britain, but a number of questions remain – including just how keen Macron is to scale up the plan. As James Heale writes on Coffee House, this deal, like Rwanda, faces a number of practical and political hurdles. Starmer's spokesperson insisted today that the migrant agreement with Macron will be more successful than the Rwanda scheme, but given the latter involved deporting four immigrants to Africa – all of whom went voluntarily – the bar is fairly low. With criticism coming in from all sides – refugee charity Care4Calais has branded the agreement as a 'grubby deal' while Farage blasted it an 'humiliation' – Labour has its work cut out.
LeMonde
10-07-2025
- Business
- LeMonde
New probe underlines recurring money problems of France's far-right RN
Where to find money? For the past decade, that question has been the primary concern of Marine Le Pen's far-right party, the Rassemblement National (RN). From daily operations to electoral campaigns, the search for funds has obsessed the party chaired by Le Pen's lieutenant Jordan Bardella since 2021. Its financial practices have again come under judicial scrutiny. The Paris prosecutor's office ordered searches at RN headquarters on Wednesday, July 9, as part of an investigation launched in 2024 into the party's extensive use of loans from private individuals. To justify a funding model unmatched by any other French party on such a scale, the RN has cited the lack of favorable responses from French banks to its requests for loans. On this issue, Le Pen and her supporters have repeatedly called for the creation of a "bank of democracy" to fund political parties without relying on private banks. "For us, it would be easier to have a single bank loan than to manage 200 contracts," said RN treasurer Kévin Pfeffer. "We employ one person full time just to manage these contracts and pay the interest," Pfeffer explained, arguing, "It's our last option for funding ourselves."
Irish Times
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
French police raid offices of Marine Le Pen's far-right party
French police have raided the headquarters of France's far-right Rassemblement National (RN) in an investigation into campaign funding, prompting complaints from the party that it was being targeted for political reasons. Party chief Jordan Bardella said in a post on X that about 20 armed officers of France's financial police brigade had raided the party's Paris office on Wednesday morning and seized emails, documents and accounting information that went back to 2022. 'The entirety of the files concerning the recent regional, presidential, parliamentary and European campaigns – all the party's electoral activity – are today in the hands of the judiciary,' Mr Bardella said. He said the officers were accompanied by two investigating judges. READ MORE The operation comes months after the RN's three-time presidential candidate Marine Le Pen and other party members were found guilty of embezzling EU funds, potentially blocking her from running for office in the 2027 presidential elections. She is appealing against the verdict and says she will still stand to succeed President Emmanuel Macron. The Paris prosecutor said the raid on Wednesday was part of an investigation that began after 'multiple alerts from an institutional source' alleging, in part, that the party illegally funded its campaigns using loans from supporters. 'The judicial investigation aims to determine whether these campaigns were financed through illegal loans from individuals benefiting the party or its candidates, as well as through overbilling of services or invoicing for fake services that were later included in the reimbursement requests submitted to the state for campaign expenses,' the prosecutor's office said. Loans from supporters are not illegal as long as their use is not 'habitual' and the money is reimbursed with interest within five years. Such loans must not exceed €15,000, but they are not subject to the French electoral system's usual strict donation caps, which are scrupulously audited by the campaign watchdog. Individuals can only donate €7,500 a year per political party, and €4,600 per election per candidate. Given its chronic difficulties in securing loans from French banks to finance campaigns, the RN has several times asked supporters to take part in so-called 'patriotic lending schemes' in which they contribute a minimum of €500 to be reimbursed later with interest. The CNCCFP, the elections watchdog, wrote in its 2023 audit of the RN's campaign accounts that the party had reimbursed only €3.3 million of €12.1 million in loans that had passed their repayment deadlines. Speaking to AFP at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday, Mr Bardella said: 'No French bank wanted to lend money to the Rassemblement National to finance its electoral campaigns, so it's quite incredible to reproach the Rassemblement National for financing itself and to have loans that are perfectly legal.' He had earlier called the inquiry 'spectacular and unprecedented', saying it amounted to a 'new [kind of] harassment' of the RN. 'An opposition party has never suffered such persecution under the Fifth Republic,' said Mr Bardella. Prosecutors are now looking into whether some of those loans were too large and lasted too long, in violation of campaign financing rules. The investigation is another blow to Ms Le Pen and the RN, both already reeling since her embezzlement conviction. The legal woes have called into question her long, uncontested role as the leader of the far-right party her father founded decades ago, and led to new fissures within it. Ms Le Pen and the 29-year-old Mr Bardella have both said that he would run for president if she were prevented from doing so. But their once-solid mutual loyalty is now under pressure. On a trip to the French overseas territory of New Caledonia last month, Ms Le Pen slapped down a question from journalists over why Mr Bardella was not with her. 'I am not sure Jordan is very familiar with the problems of New Caledonia. We have different talents,' she said with irritation. In recent days, the media have reported that the European Parliament is also investigating allegations that the RN's parliamentary group committed wrongdoing by granting money without sufficient controls to charities and organisations that were sympathetic to its ideals. The EU parliament was at the origin of the embezzlement case that led to Ms Le Pen's conviction. – Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2025
