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France

Yesterday

Cole Palmer of Chelsea in action against Southampton at Stamford Bridge this week.

European football club takeovers halve in a year

Just 23 clubs in Europe changed hands in 2024, according to figures from governing body UEFA, a steep drop from the 44 that were sold in 2023, and 48 in 2022.

This Month

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Trump-Macron bromance; Musk rattles markets; Frequent flyer changes

Read everything that’s happened in the news so far today.

Cutting waste from the public service is the only one of Donald Trump’s policies that a majority of respondents would like to see in Australia.

Chalmers straps in for trip to Trump World

The treasurer’s visit to Washington this week shows the difficulties of navigating the risks and presidential whims dominating any interaction with the Trump White House.

Captain Christophe Gaumé, captain of the French supply ship Jacques Chevallier.

How the French feed 3000 people without a snail in sight

France is engaging in “carrier diplomacy”, sending its biggest warship to Australia as part of a five-month Indo-Pacific deployment amid rising China tensions.

January

The recently completed Balzac Hotel in Paris.

How design studio Festen is redefining Parisian elegance

Interior power duo Charlotte de Tonnac and Hugo Sauzay are shaping the look and feel of the city’s hotels

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Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares, left, and Thierry Kostkas, CEO of Citroen, beside a Citroen C5 Aircross Concept at the Paris Motor Show late last year.

European carmakers braced for tough 2025 despite ‘firework’ of launches

The return of EV sales growth this year will also come with the high costs of meeting tougher emissions rules and more discounts as consumers seek affordable cars.

Wreaths are laid alongside a special issue of Charlie Hebdo magazine, commemorating 10 years since Islamist gunmen attacked its offices.

France marks Charlie Hebdo anniversary amid rekindled terror threat

Attacks in Germany and the US have revived old anxieties, but in France extremism has cost more lives, and opened sharper political divides, than anywhere else.

Former National Front party leader Jean-Marie Le Pen  in 2017.

Jean-Marie Le Pen, father of the French far right, dies at 96

He founded the National Front, and made extremist views and anti-immigrant rhetoric mainstream in French politics.

Riverside at Argentat, in the Dordogne region.

Where to buy a beautiful house for less than $200,000

With the cost of an average Australian home now around $815,000, anyone spending a quarter of that will marvel at the choice of tempting options in Europe.

The late Jimmy Carter was something of a deregulator and fresh thinker in office. But the electorate wasn’t fed up enough at that stage to entertain a total rupture with the postwar Keynesian consensus.

Rich democracies need an acute crisis to trigger real change

It is almost impossible to sell voters on drastic reforms until their nation is in acute trouble. The chronic kind isn’t enough.

December 2024

From left: Olaf Scholz of Germany, Canada’s Justin Trudeau and  South Korea’s Yoon Suk Yeol.

On the brink: What’s going on in Germany, Canada and South Korea?

As Germany heads towards a caretaker government, Canada’s Trudeau faces a grave challenge and South Korea’s president is realising how much trouble a handbag can carry.

Francois Bayrou.

Macron names centrist Bayrou as France’s new prime minister

François Bayrou, who leads the centrist Democratic Movement party, must navigate a fractured political landscape that toppled the previous administration.

The Kmart wizard who wants to take Anko to the world

The discount store’s own brand was founded in 2019 and now sells more than a billion items every year. Ian Bailey is about to take it global.

Expatriate Syrians gather in Berlin this week to celebrate the fall of the Assad regime.

‘We need time’: Syrians in Europe resist calls to return home

Those who fled the 13-year civil war pointed to the political uncertainty after a rebel offensive swept into Damascus over the weekend.

Le Panier district in Marseille.

The magic of Marseille exists if you know where to find it

The French city’s gritty, colourful past is exemplified in the Panier district. Here’s a guide to where to stay and dine – away from the tourist traps.

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Volodymyr Zelensky, Emmanuel Macron, and US President-elect Donald Trump depart The Élysée Palace in Paris,

Trump welcomed by Macron, joined by Zelensky for talks

On a day that mixed pageantry with attention to pressing global problems, the once and future American president was warmly embraced by the French president.

Notre-Dame refurbishment gif

How Notre Dame was reborn

It took about 250 companies, 2000 workers, about $1.4 billion, a tight deadline and a lot of national pride.

Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris after it has been restored.

Notre-Dame to have its moment of glory but Macron’s legacy in doubt

The iconic cathedral will rise from the ashes in a grand reopening on Saturday, but glory eludes the French president as the country faces a political crisis.

French President Emmanuel Macron.

Macron plans to name new PM within days

The French president also vowed to stay in office until the end of his term in 2027.

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Victoria’s asset sale; MinRes’ gag request; Wesfarmers’ rates alert

Read everything that’s happened in the news so far today.

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/france-9ug