About: French Presidential 2012
Hollande’s EU reform agenda still vague
François Hollande’s election as president of France has been hailed as a decisive shift of the political balance in the European Union, but the policies he will actually push for in Brussels remain unclear, EURACTIV France reports.After the French elections: An end to ‘Eurostarvation’
François Hollande’s victory in the French presidential elections marks the end of both the ‘Merkozy’ duo and their disastrously recessionary austerity-only policies, argues Sergei Stanishev.
Hollande: ‘Europe is watching us’
Socialist François Hollande swept to victory in France's presidential election on Sunday (6 May) in a swing to the left at the heart of Europe and promised to start a pushback against German-led austerity policies.
Europe faces 3 national elections on ‘Super Sunday’
On Sunday (6 May), the French will elect a new president, the Greeks will hold general elections, and EU hopeful Serbia will designate their new president, Parliament and local authorities. The stakes appear high not only for the individual countries concerned but also for Europe as a whole.
Hollande seen as less influential in Brussels than Sarkozy: Poll
Some 65% of French believe incumbent presidential candidate Nicolas Sarkozy would be better able to influence European affairs than his Socialist rival François Hollande, according to a poll published by EURACTIV France.
European labour cost study adds fuel to French campaign
A Eurostat survey revealing huge labour cost differences across the 27 EU member states unveiled yesterday (24 April) has provided fuel for the French election campaign, where the two contenders are battling over plans for a "social VAT" to protect French producers against social dumping.
EU worried about far-right push in French elections
European Union ministers meeting yesterday (23 April) in Luxembourg said they were concerned over the rise of French nationalist party in Sunday’s presidential elections.
Europe holds its breath as France heads to the polls
On Sunday (22 April) French voters will cast ballots in the first round of the presidential election. As media in France are banned from announcing results until 20:00 local time, all eyes will turn to the French-language media in Belgium and Switzerland, which will unveil exit poll results as early as 18:00.
Germany backs Sarkozy’s bid to shut Schengen
In a joint letter to the Danish EU presidency, French and German Interior ministers have asked to repatriate powers from the EU Commission, which would allow them to re-establish border controls for people travelling from Greece.
Nicolas Sarkozy: A very French European
As part of an ongoing series, EURACTIV France is profiling major candidates in the 2012 French presidential elections. Nicolas Sarkozy, the incumbent, faces an uphill struggle for re-election and has resorted to increasingly vocal threats to ensure he gets the “protective” Europe he wants for France.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon: For a European revolution
As part of an ongoing series, EURACTIV France is profiling major candidates in the 2012 French presidential elections. Jean-Luc Mélenchon, candidate of the Left Front, has emerged as a potential 'third man' in the election, attracting voters' attention in opinion polls by calling for a “citizens’ insurrection” and a complete undoing of “ultra-liberal Europe”.
French presidential candidates avoiding ‘real issues’
Foreign correspondents based in Paris have criticised the leading candidates in the French presidential elections for avoiding substantive economic issues in favour of headline-grabbing, but largely symbolic proposals, EURACTIV France reports.
Sarkozy’s ‘letter to the French’ has little new for the EU
Nicolas Sarkozy’s “letter to the French”, unveiled yesterday (5 April), contained no major new ideas on European matters, limiting itself largely to repeating already-announced proposals on Schengen and ‘reciprocity’ in trade. EURACTIV France reports.
Hollande starts to backtrack on EU fiscal treaty
The campaign manager of François Hollande, the socialist candidate in the French presidential election who currently leads in opinion polls, has backed away from previous demands to radically "renegotiate" the EU's fiscal discipline treaty.
Opinion-makers predict Hollande win but trust Sarkozy more: Poll
Foreign journalists, diplomats and business executives working in France are predicting a win for François Hollande in the French presidential elections, but also believe Nicolas Sarkozy would likely govern better, according to a poll published today (4 April) by EURACTIV France.
François Bayrou: Toning down his Euro-federalism
As part of an ongoing series, EURACTIV France is profiling leading candidates in the 2012 French presidential elections, analysing in detail what their political action, programmes and policies mean for the European Union. François Bayrou, the centrist candidate of the Democratic Movement, stresses the national responsibility for fiscal discipline and the European Union’s potential to affirm France’s place in the world, toning down his usual strong Euro-federalist rhetoric.
Sarkozy stokes nationalism on campaign trail
French President Nicolas Sarkozy, the champion of European integration during his country's EU presidency in 2008, has appeared to turn a cold shoulder to Europe in campaign stump speeches laced with nationalism as he heads towards a first-round election in April.
EU treaty row storms into French presidential campaign
Conservative European leaders from Germany, Spain, Italy and Britain have banded together to shun the campaign of François Hollande, the socialist candidate for the presidential election in France and front-runner in the opinion polls, according to weekly magazine Der Spiegel.
Denis MacShane: ‘No one knows who leads the European left’
For British MP Denis MacShane, there is no point in praising the German economic model. He says the French obsession with the "Merkozy" couple can create errors of judgement.
François Hollande: Towards a European ‘New Deal’?
As part of an ongoing series, EURACTIV France is profiling major candidates in the 2012 French presidential elections, analysing in detail what their political action, programmes and policies mean for the European Union. François Hollande, Socialist candidate and current front-runner, promises a break with the 'Merkozy' consensus on Europe's economic crisis and a revision of the fiscal compact treaty.
Marine Le Pen: What she means for Europe
As part of an ongoing series, EURACTIV France is profiling major candidates in the 2012 French presidential elections, analysing in detail what their political action, programmes and policies mean for the European Union. We start with Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Front.
Sarkozy launches re-election bid with ‘strong France’ slogan
French President Nicolas Sarkozy formally declared his candidacy for a second term on Wednesday (15 February), focusing his campaign on rebuilding France's "strength" and on his own "dynamism" to steer his country and Europe out of the crisis.