English हिन्दी
Connect with us

Latest world news

Is Macron on his way to becoming an all-powerful President?

Published

on

By Rashme Sehgal

Marseilles: The French are pleased that the US President Donald Trump will join French President Emmanuel Macron at the Bastille Day celebrations in Paris to commemorate the centenary of the US entering the First World War on July 14.

Political power in France has a new look with Macron, a former investment banker and economy minister, becoming France’s youngest leader since Napoleon. The newly elected Parliament has a fresh, young look about it with 75 per cent of the new MPs who have won the electoral ballot having no political background.

Louis Tari, a financial analyst, pointed out, “For the first time elected deputies (parliamentarians) have come to work for society without carrying any political baggage. Macron has succeeded in breaking the old political structures that have dominated France for decades. He wanted the deputies to reflect the ground reality and in doing so, he has managed to put a more dynamic and younger team in place.”

The average age of the parliamentarians has come down by seven years and is now 48. Another first for this Parliament is that 223 of those elected are women.

Commenting on Macron’s mercurial rise, Yannick Mireur, a political scientist and author specialising in foreign policy who is running the think tank Nexus said, “Macron was a close aide of  Hollande but he resigned in 2014 to set up his own political ‘movement’ En Marche (Let’s Go). Within a month of his resignation, he announced his plans to become President thereby changing the political discourse of the country.

“It is clear that Macron has powerful supporters who have preferred to remain low key. Macron is seen as an outsider who may succeed in breaking an exhausted (political) system.”

Elaborating further, Mireur said, “The most far reaching changes he is expected to implement will be to change the labour laws in France in order to reduce the power of the labour unions. He is also expected to provide greater fiscal stability especially since the earlier socialist (Hollande) government kept changing the tax laws. And most important, Macron is also expected to provide greater tax breaks to French citizens and companies.”

The celebrated songwriter and French journalist Jean Pax Mefret offers a word of caution. “Both the right wing Republicans and the left leaning Socialists have been routed at the polls. Presently, the Republicans have emerged as the main Opposition party with 137 parliamentary seats but already many of their MPs have openly declared that they will support Macron on the key issue of labour reform.”

Mafret went on to state, “The extreme right wing Marine Le Pens party is down to a mere eight seats. With the opposition in complete disarray, power is now centred in Macron’s hands. That has made him extremely powerful and that is not good for democracy.”

Marie Clair who works as a chef in a local restaurant, is also apprehensive about Macron.

“I voted for him because he was young but I still do not know what he is like. We have to wait and watch. Like Napoleon he is 39 and the youngest president France has ever had but whether he will fulfil all his campaign promises is the key question,” said Marie.

Macron’s wife Brigitte Trognex , who was his drama teacher at the school in which the President studied in Amiens is 24 years older than him, but she receives nothing but praise from a cross-section of the women this reporter spoke to.

Said Clair, “His wife is a woman of tremendous courage. She is the quintessential woman. She has made him what he is today.”

Said Angelina, who has specialised in Oriental massage, “For a man to marry a woman who has been his own teacher, and also a mother of three children, is very unusual. But the French, and especially French leaders have a history of leading very complicated love lives.”

Former French President Hollande was living with a woman but this did not stop him from entering into a relationship with Julia Gayet who was 18 years his junior. Sarkozy divorced his wife the day he became President and then went on to marry former model Carla Bruni who was 13 years his junior. Another former President Francois Mitterand had a long relationship with an art historian and even had a daughter from her.

But relationships apart, Macron is also positioning himself as a global player. Macron was publicly critical of Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris climate pact.

He is in favour of a strong Europe and is determined to forge a better relationship with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to achieve this objective.

Latest world news

PM Modi arrives in France for G7 Summit 2026, Trump meeting scheduled on Wednesday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in France for the G7 Summit 2026. A bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump is expected during the summit as leaders discuss major global economic and security challenges.

Published

on

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Évian, France, on Tuesday to participate in the G7 Summit 2026, marking the final leg of his two-nation Europe visit. World leaders have gathered in the French town for discussions on major global challenges, including economic growth, security, technology and international cooperation.

The summit comes at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions, with developments related to Iran, Ukraine and global economic stability expected to feature prominently in discussions among leaders.

A bilateral meeting between PM Modi and US President Donald Trump is expected on Wednesday on the sidelines of the summit. According to reports, the two leaders are likely to discuss trade, investment, energy cooperation, supply chains, artificial intelligence and broader strategic issues.

Ahead of the summit, PM Modi had said India would represent not only its own interests but also the aspirations of the Global South. India has consistently used international forums to raise issues affecting developing nations, including sustainable development, economic resilience and equitable global growth.

French President Emmanuel Macron is hosting the three-day summit in Évian, where leaders from G7 nations and invited partner countries are taking part in a series of formal sessions and bilateral engagements. India is among the invited outreach partners attending the gathering.

The expected Modi-Trump meeting is attracting significant attention as it would be their first face-to-face interaction since recent discussions over trade and strategic cooperation. Officials have indicated that economic ties, visa-related matters and regional security issues could feature in the talks.

Continue Reading

Latest world news

Trump says Iran agrees to never have nuclear weapons, rejects $300 billion fund claim

Donald Trump said Iran has agreed to never possess nuclear weapons under a proposed framework, while dismissing reports that the US would provide Tehran with a $300 billion reconstruction fund.

Published

on

Donald Trump statement

US President Donald Trump has said that Iran has agreed to a commitment that it will never develop or possess nuclear weapons, describing it as a central element of a proposed understanding between Washington and Tehran.

Speaking about the ongoing diplomatic efforts, Trump also rejected reports suggesting that the United States planned to provide Iran with a reconstruction or investment package worth $300 billion. He described such claims as false and said no such arrangement had been agreed.

The remarks come as discussions continue over a broader framework aimed at easing tensions between the two countries. According to Trump, the understanding would ensure that Iran remains without nuclear weapons while opening the door for future engagement if the terms are respected.

Questions remain over final agreement details

Despite Trump’s comments, several aspects of the proposed arrangement remain unclear because the full text of the agreement has not yet been made public.

Reports indicate that negotiations have involved discussions on sanctions relief, access to frozen assets and potential economic measures linked to Iran’s compliance with future commitments. However, the exact scope of these provisions has not been officially confirmed.

Another key issue is how compliance would be monitored. Details regarding inspections, verification mechanisms and the handling of Iran’s existing nuclear materials have yet to be fully explained.

Further negotiations expected

Officials have suggested that discussions on technical nuclear matters could continue even after the signing of an initial memorandum of understanding. Such talks would likely focus on implementation and verification measures.

The proposed framework is being closely watched internationally, as any agreement between the United States and Iran could have significant implications for regional stability and global non-proliferation efforts.

For now, Trump has maintained that the core objective remains clear: ensuring that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon while denying reports that Washington has committed to a multibillion-dollar reconstruction fund.

Continue Reading

LATEST SPORTS NEWS

USA start FIFA World Cup 2026 with dominant 4-1 victory over Paraguay

The USA opened their FIFA World Cup 2026 journey with a dominant 4-1 victory against Paraguay, earning three valuable points in Group D.

Published

on

The United States kicked off their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign in impressive fashion, securing a commanding 4-1 victory over Paraguay in their Group D opener at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

Playing in front of a passionate home crowd, the hosts delivered an attacking display to collect all three points and make an early statement in the tournament. The match also marked a significant occasion as the USA hosted part of the World Cup opening festivities before turning attention to the action on the pitch.

The Americans took control early and maintained pressure on Paraguay throughout the contest. Their attacking movement and clinical finishing helped them establish a comfortable lead, while Paraguay struggled to contain the hosts’ pace and creativity in the final third.

USA seize control after fast start

The United States settled quickly and found success going forward, creating several opportunities through quick passing and aggressive pressing. Their attacking approach paid off as they built momentum and gradually stretched Paraguay’s defence.

Paraguay attempted to respond and managed to get on the scoresheet, but the South American side found it difficult to match the intensity shown by the hosts. The USA continued to create chances and added further goals to put the result beyond doubt.

With the victory, the United States moved to the top section of Group D and gained an important boost in confidence ahead of their upcoming fixtures in the tournament.

Strong opening result for hosts

A winning start is particularly important in a World Cup campaign, and the USA achieved exactly that with a comprehensive performance. The result gives the hosts valuable momentum as they prepare for the next stage of group play.

For Paraguay, the defeat means they will need a strong response in their remaining group matches to keep their hopes of progressing to the knockout rounds alive.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is being jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, with the tournament featuring an expanded format and more participating teams than previous editions.

Continue Reading

Trending

© Copyright 2022 APNLIVE.com