The dashed hopes of France's left-wing alliance
During the campaign, the Socialist, Green and Communist parties had focused on one idea: that a strong showing by Glucksmann and the Socialist list would rebalance their parties' power dynamics with the radical-left La France Insoumise (LFI) party and force its leader, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, to accept the idea of a joint left-wing candidacy for the 2027 presidential election. Their tacit agreement, which they prepared far in advance, was upended by Macron's decision to dissolve the Assemblée. The hastily-organized snap elections that resulted forced all three parties to negotiate with LFI.
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France 24
an hour ago
- France 24
France slams Netanyahu's claim that recognising Palestinian state is fuelling anti-Semitism
France on Tuesday slammed as "abject" and "erroneous" an accusation from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that President Emmanuel Macron 's move to recognise a Palestinian state was fuelling anti-Semitism in his country. France "protects and will always protect its Jewish citizens", Macron's office said, adding that a letter from Netanyahu containing his allegation "will not go unanswered". "This is a time for seriousness and responsibility, not for conflation and manipulation," the French presidency added. Last month, Macron said France would formally recognise a Palestinian state during a UN meeting in September, the first G7 country to do so. The move drew a swift rebuke from Israel. In a letter sent to Macron, seen by AFP, Netanyahu claimed that anti-Semitism had "surged" in France following the announcement. "Your call for a Palestinian state pours fuel on this anti-Semitic fire. It is not diplomacy, it is appeasement. It rewards Hamas terror, hardens Hamas's refusal to free the hostages, emboldens those who menace French Jews and encourages the Jew-hatred now stalking your streets," Netanyahu wrote in the letter. France is among at least 145 of the 193 UN members that now recognise or plan to recognise a Palestinian state, according to an AFP tally. Australia joined the list earlier this month, announcing its intention to recognise a Palestinian state in September. 02:24 "Violence against the (French) Jewish community is intolerable," the French presidency said. "That is why, beyond criminal convictions, the president has systematically required all his governments since 2017 – and even more so since the terrorist attacks of October 7, 2023 – to show the strongest action against perpetrators of anti-Semitic acts," it said. Macron's minister for Europe, Benjamin Haddad, separately said in reaction to Netanyahu's letter that France has "no lessons to learn in the fight against anti-Semitism". The issue "which is poisoning our European societies" must not be "exploited", Haddad added. France is home to Europe's biggest Jewish community. Reported anti-Semitic acts in France surged from 436 in 2022 to 1,676 in 2023, before dipping to 1,570 last year, according to the interior ministry.
Fashion Network
2 hours ago
- Fashion Network
How a Ukrainian designer helped Zelenskyy dress for Trump diplomacy
Anisimov, 61, from the northern region of Chernihiv, said he was watching videos of that interaction and felt the jabs. He perceived them as aimed at the Ukrainian citizens, not just at Zelenskyy. "There was a slight sense of despair because they do not understand how we breathe, how we live," he said. A reporter at the White House who asked Zelenskyy in February why he was not wearing a suit also praised the Ukrainian on his attire on Monday, saying "You look fabulous in that suit". Anisimov said he was not watching for criticism or compliments this time but wanted to ensure the Ukrainian president looked dignified. "They praise, they scold. If we win, and we will win, then whose suit it was doesn't matter," he said. Zelenskyy has worn military-type outfits, often with collar-less shirts and heavy boots, to show solidarity with Ukraine's troops since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. "In this moment, internally, we all changed, everything changed, life changed. It was a point of no-return," Zelenskyy said in an interview with a Ukrainian media outlet a year later. The black suit worn on Monday was originally presented, along with an identical navy option, as an outfit idea for Ukrainian Independence Day on August 24. While the team was going back and forth on the back vent, Anisimov took it back for alterations on Friday. Before he even got to making the adjustments on sleeves, the phone rang with an urgent request from the administration on Saturday – the president needed the suit for his US trip. It was not the first time that Anisimov had been charged with changing the president's style. In the early 2000s, then-comedian Zelenskyy and his team 'Kvartal 95' sought to establish their identities on the Ukrainian screens after getting their initial break in comedy competitions. The process was gradual: black t-shirts gave way to white shirts with ties and then morphed into suits worn by the team during the shows. Anisimov said he had not heard from Zelenskyy for over five years when a mutual acquaintance from the previous make-over contacted him in January. They floated the idea of creating a capsule collection for the president. Anisimov said he used the military uniform as an inspiration point to ensure versatility for all items in the capsule. "I can't say that we sewed (a suit) specifically for the NATO summit or for an important conversation with Trump and European leaders. The suit is just a suit," Anisimov said, adding that Zelenskyy has about five similar-looking jackets with small tweaks. Since then, the Ukrainian president wore Anisimov's designs to the funeral of Pope Francis in April and a NATO Summit in June, both occasions that helped to bring the US and Ukraine closer together after the public rift in February.
Fashion Network
2 hours ago
- Fashion Network
How a Ukrainian designer helped Zelenskyy dress for Trump diplomacy
Anisimov, 61, from the northern region of Chernihiv, said he was watching videos of that interaction and felt the jabs. He perceived them as aimed at the Ukrainian citizens, not just at Zelenskyy. "There was a slight sense of despair because they do not understand how we breathe, how we live," he said. A reporter at the White House who asked Zelenskyy in February why he was not wearing a suit also praised the Ukrainian on his attire on Monday, saying "You look fabulous in that suit". Anisimov said he was not watching for criticism or compliments this time but wanted to ensure the Ukrainian president looked dignified. "They praise, they scold. If we win, and we will win, then whose suit it was doesn't matter," he said. Zelenskyy has worn military-type outfits, often with collar-less shirts and heavy boots, to show solidarity with Ukraine's troops since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. "In this moment, internally, we all changed, everything changed, life changed. It was a point of no-return," Zelenskyy said in an interview with a Ukrainian media outlet a year later. The black suit worn on Monday was originally presented, along with an identical navy option, as an outfit idea for Ukrainian Independence Day on August 24. While the team was going back and forth on the back vent, Anisimov took it back for alterations on Friday. Before he even got to making the adjustments on sleeves, the phone rang with an urgent request from the administration on Saturday – the president needed the suit for his US trip. It was not the first time that Anisimov had been charged with changing the president's style. In the early 2000s, then-comedian Zelenskyy and his team 'Kvartal 95' sought to establish their identities on the Ukrainian screens after getting their initial break in comedy competitions. The process was gradual: black t-shirts gave way to white shirts with ties and then morphed into suits worn by the team during the shows. Anisimov said he had not heard from Zelenskyy for over five years when a mutual acquaintance from the previous make-over contacted him in January. They floated the idea of creating a capsule collection for the president. Anisimov said he used the military uniform as an inspiration point to ensure versatility for all items in the capsule. "I can't say that we sewed (a suit) specifically for the NATO summit or for an important conversation with Trump and European leaders. The suit is just a suit," Anisimov said, adding that Zelenskyy has about five similar-looking jackets with small tweaks. Since then, the Ukrainian president wore Anisimov's designs to the funeral of Pope Francis in April and a NATO Summit in June, both occasions that helped to bring the US and Ukraine closer together after the public rift in February.
