About: François Hollande
A message from Astana: EU, be alert, the fascists are coming
Marek Halter, a Jew and Holocaust survivor, used the Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions to warn Europeans that there is a high risk that fascists campaigning on the Islamophobia ticket win big in next year's European elections.
Macron’s party neck-and-neck with far-right in 2019 EU election opinion poll
French President Emmanuel Macron's centrist LREM party is neck-and-neck with the far-right Rassemblement National, formerly the National Front, for the May 2019 European Parliament elections, according to poll results published on Thursday (13 September).
Pope and Macron hold ‘intense’ meeting at Vatican
French President Emmanuel Macron held an "intense" meeting with Pope Francis during his first official visit to the Vatican yesterday (26 June), discussing global issues including the fate of migrants coming to Europe.
France backtracks on nuclear phase-out pledge
The French government has postponed a long-held target to reduce the share of nuclear energy in the country’s power production after grid operator RTE warned it risked supply shortages after 2020 and could miss a goal to curb carbon emissions.
Merkel calls for summit on Ukraine to reboot peace efforts
German Chancellor Angela Merkel wants to reboot attempts to bring peace to eastern Ukraine with a summit between the presidents of France, Ukraine and Russia. EURACTIV’s partner Der Tagesspiegel reports.
Back to the beginning: Hollande makes final foreign stop in Berlin
Outgoing French President Francois Hollande made an emotional final foreign trip on Monday (9 May) to Berlin, ahead of the transfer of power to his successor Emmanuel Macron next week.
Merkel makes rare Russia visit as Putin backs warmer ties
German Chancellor Angela Merkel will today (2 May) meet President Vladimir Putin in the Black Sea resort of Sochi in her first visit to Russia since 2015, signalling renewed dialogue between Berlin and Moscow.
Hollande: The French will vote for France, but also for Europe
At French President François Hollande's last press conference at a European summit today (29 April), EURACTIV.com asked the last question: The EU will obviously survive Brexit but could the bloc survive if France takes another course after the second round of the presidential election on 7 May?
French political class rallies behind Macron, against Le Pen
Politicians on both the right and the left have called on French voters to support Emmanuel Macron in the second round of the presidential election on 7 May. Most see Marine Le Pen’s anti-European programme as a threat to France's stability. EURACTIV France reports.
Voters increasingly uneasy as French election draws near
A large proportion of French voters have yet to decide who they will back in the first round of the presidential election this Sunday (23 April). Experts see this as an indictment of the candidates’ persuasive powers. EURACTIV France reports.
EU heavyweights side with Trump following US Syria strike
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President François Hollande spoke about the situation in Syria today (7 April) and want to continue efforts to hold Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to account for "criminal acts", a statement from Berlin said.
Spain to host southern EU partners for preparatory summit
The leaders of seven Southern European countries will meet in Madrid on Monday (10 April) to scrutinise the consequences of Brexit and discuss their vision for the future of the European Union. EURACTIV Spain reports.
Polish PM Szydło fights back after EU summit defeat
Poland will not be blackmailed by Western Europeans threatening to take away millions in European Union funds for standing up for its interests, Prime Minister Beata Szydło said on Friday (10 March), a day after Warsaw was badly defeated over who chairs EU summits.
Two-speed Europe highlights East-West divide
The consensus reached at Monday’s Versailles summit (6 March) on the need to construct a two-speed Europe risks reigniting tensions between the EU’s eastern and western member states. EURACTIV France reports.
‘Big four’ call for new European dynamic, multi-speed EU
Ahead of the EU’s 60th anniversary Rome summit on 25 March, the heads of continental Europe’s biggest economies endorsed the vision of a multi-speed Europe, in which some members could deepen their integration faster than others. EURACTIV France reports.
Versailles: A summit to restore faith in Europe
The heads of state of Germany, Italy, Spain and France will meet on Monday (6 March) at the Palace of Versailles in an attempt to restore their citizens’ faith in the EU. EURACTIV France reports.
Hollande says will ‘do everything’ to prevent a Le Pen victory
French President Francois Hollande stressed today (6 March) that he would “do everything” in his power to prevent Le Pen from winning the election this year and leading Paris out of the EU.
Juncker will fight for ‘more Europe’ in post-Brexit EU
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker will support "more Europe" for all members instead of a two-speed model that would split the bloc, a senior Commission official has said, refuting previous allegations.
Russia ready to open up Ukraine talks to Trump
Russia has indicated it is ready to open the so-called ‘Normandy’ negotiation format over the crisis in eastern Ukraine to the United States, which appears to be a major shift in relations between Moscow and Washington after the election of Donald Trump.
Hollande condemns Fillon’s attacks on judiciary and police
François Hollande, who has so far avoided commenting on France’s presidential campaign, broke his silence on Wednesday (1 March) to condemn Republican candidate François Fillon’s attacks on the police and judiciary. EURACTIV France reports.
French election turns ugly as political attacks mount
Journalists accused of bias. Judges said to be taking orders from the president. The country in a state of "near civil war".
Parlez-vous English, French politicians?
The French are known for their laissez-faire attitude toward speaking English and political leaders are no exception to this cliché. The French presidential hopefuls' familiarity with the language of Shakespeare also varies from the capable to the shambolic.
Le Pen aide charged as Macron wins key ally
French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron won the support of a key centrist yesterday (22 February), hailing it as a turning point in his campaign, as an aide to his far-right rival Marine Le Pen was charged in a fake jobs scandal.