Latest News from LeMonde
LeMonde
3 hours ago
- Politics
- LeMonde
Macron calls for 'coalition of independents' amid increasing threats from China and the US
Is Europe the land of the new non-aligned? That is the framework Emmanuel Macron appeared to outline, calling for an alliance between the continent and Southeast Asian countries in a "coalition of independents" that would refuse to systematically align with either American or Chinese positions, as though it were necessary to choose sides in a bloc-versus-bloc scenario. "A coalition of countries that will navigate the rough seas of trade and protect the global common goods of nature and climate (…) a coalition of countries determined not to yield to the whims or greed of others," declared the French president passionately on Friday, May 30, from the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, adopting a tone more combative than diplomatic toward the two major powers. The times favor convergence and cross-cooperation, rather than blocs. "We have the challenge of revisionist countries that want to impose, in the name of spheres of influence, in reality, spheres of coercion," Macron stressed, as US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth looked on sternly from the audience.
LeMonde
3 hours ago
- Sport
- LeMonde
How Paris Saint-Germain became a team
At the time, it sounded like a provocation. In February 2024, as Kylian Mbappé's departure for Real Madrid was looming, Luis Enrique said he was convinced that his Paris-Saint-Germain (PSG) side would be "better" without the star striker. The coach's claim was met with ridicule: How could the club fill the void left by the top scorer in its history? How could it remain competitive without its most prolific attacker since 2017? Fifteen months later, it would take boldness to say the Spanish manager was wrong. PSG has made it to the second Champions League final of the club's history, facing Inter Milan on Saturday, May 31, in Munich. The campaign has earned the team admiration across Europe. The first months without Mbappé had seemed to confirm observers' fears. While they cruised in Ligue 1, the young Parisian team did not appear to have the strength to compete with the continent's heavyweights on the biggest stage. By autumn 2024, their European prospects looked bleak. On November 26, after losing away to Bayern Munich (1-0), PSG, who had won only one of their five matches, were in 26 th place – out of 36 – in the league phase, facing a potential elimination.
LeMonde
4 hours ago
- Politics
- LeMonde
What is France's 'Black code' and why hasn't it been repealed?
France's code noir, or Black code, was a set of articles drafted during the 17 th century by the powerful first minister of state Jean-Baptiste Colbert and completed by his son, Jean-Baptiste Antoine Colbert. Commissioned by King Louis XIV, its purpose was to regulate the lives of enslaved people and their masters in the French Caribbean colonies. For example, several paragraphs detail punishments for escape attempts as well as the obligation for slaves to adopt Catholicism. Slavery was abolished during the French Revolution in 1794, then reinstated by Napoleon in 1802, and finally abolished again in 1848. However, the Black code itself was never formally repealed. French Prime Minister François Bayrou has promised its repeal, in what would be a symbolic act of remembrance. Le Monde explains how this legislation regulated human trafficking during the French colonial era. Read more Subscribers only French government faces calls for slavery reparations Chloé Denis, Olivier Escher (motion design) and Diana Liu Translation of an original article published in French on the publisher may only be liable for the French version. Reuse this content
LeMonde
4 hours ago
- Sport
- LeMonde
From Parc des Princes to Roland-Garros, this Paris neighborhood is an international sports hub
Almost every day, tourists visiting the French capital make the trek to the far west of Paris to snap a photo in front of Parc des Princes. Encased in its concrete claws reaching skyward, the stadium where Paris Saint-Germain plays would become even more of a draw if the Parisian football club wins the Champions League final against Inter Milan on Saturday, May 31. In the longer term, visitors might cross the adjacent Rue Claude-Farrère to capture the Stade Jean-Bouin, wrapped in its lattice of fiber-reinforced concrete. When the football season resumes in August, Parc des Princes's "little brother" will also host a Ligue 1 club. Even before its promotion to the top division on May 2, Paris FC had already reached an agreement with the Stade Français rugby team to share the Stade Jean-Bouin at least until 2029. This is a unique case in France, Europe and likely the world: the stadiums of two major clubs from the same city are found almost side by side, separated by only 190 meters between their center circles. Less than 500 meters away lies another major international sports venue, currently hosting the Roland-Garros tennis tournament.
LeMonde
10 hours ago
- Sport
- LeMonde
PSG's symbolic victory: Winning over French hearts
Usually, Vincent Simonneaux only talks about Stade Rennais – nothing else. In Rennes, the 62-year-old is known as the outspoken host of "Pleine lucarne," a weekly show on local TV station TVR that covers everything about the local football team. But on a Monday in late May, before taping the show, the journalist pulled a chair into a corner of the studio and agreed to discuss Paris Saint-Germain, which is set to play in the Champions League final against Inter Milan on Saturday, May 31, in Munich, Germany. "Before, I never watched PSG's European matches. I couldn't care less. But this year, something is happening. The way people look at this PSG, which actually plays good football, has changed. There's more tolerance now, even a sort of goodwill," analyzed Simonneaux. So, on Saturday night, the Rennes native will be in front of his television to watch the Parisian team coached by Luis Enrique. Of course, the surge of emotion from a PSG goal will never match the thrill of seeing his own team score, even in the most ordinary match. Still, Simonneaux wants to see the Parisians overcome the Milanese.
