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Local France
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Local France
PODCAST: What that 'slap' says about the Macrons and French farmers fight the future
Host Ben McPartland is joined by The Local France's Emma Pearson, Genevieve Mansfield and John Lichfield for the latest episode of the Talking France podcast. The team starts this week off with the story making headlines in France and across the world: the viral video that appears to show French President Emmanuel Macron being shoved by his wife, Brigitte. We discuss the reaction to the video, plus other disinformation campaigns that have targeted the French president and his wife. You can find the Talking France podcast on Spotify or Apple, download it here or listen on the link below From recent protests by French farmers and taxi drivers, to a surprising power cut in the south of France which affected the last night of the Cannes Film Festival, the Talking France team also give you the latest on disruption around the country. Advertisement We also discuss how the stereotype that all French people are slim and in good shape may be false, particularly considering the country's rising obesity rates and the government's latest plans to tackle the health issue. And we'll finish this week off with the French cities that suffer most from the 'urban heat island effect' and why you may want to avoid them during a heatwave, plus how some of France's most famous museums and galleries are planning to charge non-EU residents higher fees. Stick around till the end to hear our recommendations for the best exhibits (or expos ) to visit in Paris this summer. EXTRA READING: Eight of the biggest sex scandals that rocked French politics Fire cuts power to 45,000 in French Riviera as sabotage suspected OPINION: Tractor protests expose the hypocrisy of French farming policies How serious is France's obesity problem? MAPS: The top five worst French cities to spend a heatwave in French museums plan to hike prices for non-EU visitors Talking France is a free podcast made possible by the support of paying members of The Local - you can find out more about becoming a member here . You can also help us by leaving a nice review, sharing the podcast on social media, or just telling a friend about us.
Local France
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Local France
PODCAST: France hit by 'sordid kidnappings' and the best place to buy a second home?
Host Ben McPartland is joined by The Local France's Emma Pearson, Genevieve Mansfield and John Lichfield for the latest episode of the Talking France podcast. After a brief diversion to the Brittany town that has banned to sale of alcohol to Smurfs, we start by looking at a worrying spate of crimes - the kidnapping of French crypto-currency bosses and members of their families. You can find the Talking France podcast on Spotify or Apple, download it here or listen on the link below After two Americans were attacked with mini Eiffel Towers in Paris we look at safety issues for tourists and France's strict privacy laws which also cover filming or photographing people in the street. Advertisement Headlines about the UK's post Brexit 'reset' deal with the EU tend to focus on issues like fishing and defence, but the deal also contains things that would have a big impact on the lives of Brits who live in France or visit regularly - we break down the details. Also up for discussion are hospital waiting times in France, including the areas with the longest and shortest wait times, and the measures that could improve things. And finally, what is the best part of France in which to buy a second home? We look at the advantages and drawbacks of each part of the country, and some questions to ask before purchasing. EXTRA READING: What does UK-EU 'reset' deal really mean for Brits in France? Everything you need to know about buying a second home in different parts of France French town breaks world record for number of smurfs The 14 scams that tourists in Paris need to be aware of French crypto boss hails 'heroic' duo for foiling kidnap bid Talking France is a free podcast made possible by the support of paying members of The Local - you can find out more about becoming a member here . You can also help us by leaving a nice review, sharing the podcast on social media or just telling a friend about us.
Local France
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Local France
OPINION: Macron's TV 'comeback' was more like his obituary
France's most popular TV channel postponed one of its most popular programmes on Tuesday night to give three hours of air-time to an unpopular President. Viewers were supposed to watch Koh-Lanta, in which competitors seek to become the last survivor on a desert island. Instead they watched Emmanuel Macron struggle to escape the domestic, political isolation forced on him by a disastrous snap election 11 months ago. That election was a failed gamble; so was Tuesday's marathon TF1 interview . Listen to John and The Local France team discuss the Macron TV interview in the latest episode of the Talking France podcast. Download here or listen on the link below Macron's mastery of foreign policy has slightly increased his popularity in recent weeks. He wanted to exploit the improved polls to show that he could weigh once again on French domestic affairs. Advertisement He proved the opposite: that he is likely to be marooned on the desert island of the 'rest of the world' for the remaining two years of his presidency. He remains influential in European and international affairs and spoke with authority about Ukraine, Gaza and Trumponomics on Tuesday night. On domestic subjects – the calamitous deficit, resurgent unemployment, immigration and living standards – Macron spoke eloquently as ever. But he struggled to defend his record and failed to suggest that his minority government could deliver anything new. The Elysée had raised expectations that Macron would announce a multi-question referendum in the Autumn. He failed to go beyond what he had already promised in January. He said there would be 'several referenda simultaneously in the months ahead' but he declined to be 'too precise' on the subjects or the date. Could the French people be asked to decide on the assisted dying law which is struggling through the National Assembly? Maybe but that would demand a stand-alone referendum. Could they vote on restricting children's access to social media? Possibly but that issue has to be legislated at European level. What about a referendum on the budget deficit, as suggested by his Prime Minister, François Bayrou? Macron did not rule that out but said that it was constitutionally difficult. Instead of 'seizing the domestic agenda' or 'reaffirming the primacy of the Presidency', Macron opened a box with nothing inside it. His marathon attracted a large audience – 29.7 percent of the total at its peak, more even than Koh-Lanta. It was an opportunity lost. Maybe, it was just a foolish idea in the first place. Macron was downbeat throughout; the old energy and optimism was gone. And yet it was, in many ways, an extraordinary performance. How many leaders of other countries could speak for more than three hours on live TV on subjects ranging from the nuclear deterrent to prison capacity? How many would agree to be grilled in prime time by political opponents rather than answer soft questions from friendly presenters? Advertisement Macron dismantled the simplistic arguments of the leader of the CGT trades union federation, Sophie Binet, whose only solutions seemed to be nationalising industries and increasing taxes. He accepted some of the criticism on security and immigration from the eccentric, self-pleased, hard-right mayor of Béziers, Robert Menard. But he also faced down Menard's misleading figure of '500,000' immigrants a year – which includes students and business postings. He struggled to defend his deficit record against the ultra-liberal economist Agnès Verdier-Molinié. She rightly said that his governments were guilty of cutting taxes but failing to contain spending. He rightly dismissed her crude proposal to freeze all state spending when investment is desperately needed in health, education and defence. The problem is that France has had eight years of Macronsplaining of this kind. His record is not as terrible as his opponents suggest but he has delivered stuttering progress, not the 'revolution' he promised in 2017. His eight years have been disrupted by two great, global crises – Covid and the Ukraine war – and two smaller ones - the Gilets Jaunes revolt and the post-Ukraine war inflation boom. But he has failed to construct a consistent and convincing narrative for the modest progress made on unemployment, re-industrialisation, increased health spending and rearmament. Advertisement Macron complained at the start of the interview that France was 'known for its pessimism…We always concentrate on what goes wrong and ignore what goes right.' That is true enough but it is an awkward argument for a politician to make. The next two years threaten to be brutal – for France and for Macron. With no majority in the Assembly and no political consensus on how to reduce the crippling deficit, the most likely sequence of events is a cascade of fallen governments and maybe new parliamentary elections in the autumn If the past is a guide, Macron will only become popular again when he leaves office. His mastery of foreign affairs and his far-sightedness on the need for 'European autonomy' from both China and the United States will eventually be recognised. For three quarters of the French electorate, he is already yesterday's man. It is Macron's tragedy to be so young and so talented but, on domestic policy, already powerless. Two years is a long time to be a lame duck. Wednesday night's marathon was not so much a new beginning as a premature, political obituary.
Local France
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Local France
PODCAST: Will Macron's referendums ever happen and why French bureaucracy is getting easier
Host Ben McPartland is joined by The Local France's Emma Pearson, Genevieve Mansfield and John Lichfield to look at all the latest news and talking points from France. We begin this week with French President Emmanuel Macron's recent TV appearance and plans to introduce several referendums as part of an attempt to win back the French people. You can listen to Talking France on Spotify or Apple, download HERE or listen on the link below France has its fair share of rodeos. The French press talks about them all the time, and they are something of a fixation for French law enforcement. But France's 'urban rodeos' have nothing to do with livestock. We find out about why French 'urban rodeos' are both dangerous and popular, as well as the history behind them. Advertisement Scholars of French history will likely be familiar with the Dreyfus affair, but you may not have realised the role it still plays in French society and how France's parliament wants to honour the wrongly accused Capitaine Alfred Dreyfus. If you have ever considered a move to France, you were probably warned of the country's impenetrable bureaucracy. But according to The Local France's editor, Emma Pearson, French admin is not that bad. Our Talking France team spars off on the pros (and cons) of French bureaucracy. And stick around until the end to hear about why one Paris Metro user was fined €150 for carrying a house plant, plus some of the Metro rules everyone should be aware of. Talking France is a free podcast made possible by the support of paying members of The Local - you can find out more about becoming a member here . Further reading Macron backs holding referendums on French social and economic reforms What are France's 'urban rodeos'? French lawmakers want Dreyfus promoted 130 years after scandal OPINION: Let's stop complaining, French bureaucracy really isn't that bad Paris woman fined €150 for taking 'too large' plant on the Metro Suitcases, pets and DIY equipment - what can you take on the Paris Metro? Suggested resources on the Dreyfus Affair ; Piers Paul Reid - The Dreyfus Affair (book) Robert Harris - An Officer and a Spy (book), France Inter - Alfred Dreyfus, le combat de la République (free podcast, in French) Origin Story - The Dreyfus Affair (podcast, subscribers only), J'Accuse film, directed by Roman Polanski (in French).
Local France
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Local France
PODCAST: France's plan to save kids from screens and will it get harder to become French?
Host Ben McPartland is joined by The Local France's Emma Pearson, Genevieve Mansfield and John Lichfield to look at all the latest news and talking points from France. We start this week off with why May might be the best month in France, followed by a less joyful topic: changes to the French citizenship application process. The team discusses how a new memo, sent out by the interior minister, could shake up applications for French citizenship, and why it might actually be more of a political stunt than a serious transformation of the process. You can listen to Talking France on Spotify or Apple, download HERE or listen on the link below France has also joined the global conversation about screen time for kids. After an open letter was sent to the French press by France's former PM, the country is thinking about ways to get kids off their mobile devices, from making Instagram turn black and white to taxing social media platforms. You can also listen to our previous episode about the French law restricting how parents post pictures of their children on social media. The Talking France team also unpacks the latest spate of dramatic attacks on prisons. We explain how serious of a problem organised crime is in France, plus how the government wants to tackle the issue of drug trafficking. Clermont-Ferrand might be the place to go if you want to visit France's ancient volcano chain in the Auvergne region, but the ground below it is increasingly unsteady (or 'Swiss cheese' as its mayor has called it). We finish this episode off with an explanation of why this French city could be sinking. Talking France is a free podcast made possible by the support of paying members of The Local - you can find out more about becoming a member here . Further reading OPINION: France's plan to 'toughen up' citizenship rules is just more smoke and mirrors Why do French ministers love to send 'circulaires'? France's ex-PM calls 'state of emergency' over children's screen use France charges 21 prison attack suspects 'Swiss cheese': Why this French city is worried about sinkholes Advertisement
