Emmanuel Macron

Macron counting on Xi 'to bring Russia to senses' for ending Ukraine war

Macron and Xi engaged in closed-door talks on Thursday, which officials from the two nations described as being "frank" and "friendly"

Airbus in talks for new China jet order ahead of Emmanuel Macron visit

An industry source cautioned there were several moving parts in the talks, with details not yet finalized

In Macron's France, streets and fields seethe with protest against him

A big day has come for French high school student Elisa Fares. At age 17, she is taking part in her first protest. In a country that taught the world about people power with its revolution of 1789 and a country again seething with anger against its leaders graduating from bystander to demonstrator is a generations-old rite of passage. Fares looks both excited and nervous as she prepares to march down Paris streets where people for centuries have similarly defied authority and declared: Non! Two friends, neither older than 18 but already protest veterans whose parents took them to demonstrations when they were little, are showing Fares the ropes. They've readied eyedrops and gas masks in case police fire tear gas as they have done repeatedly in recent weeks. The French are known for fighting and we'll fight," says one of the friends, Coline Marionneau, also 17. My mother goes to a lot of demonstrations ... She says if you have things to say, you should protest. For French Preside

Over 1 mn people join nationwide protests against pension reform in France

More than one million people in France joined nationwide protests, rejecting the government's proposed pension reform bill that would raise the retirement age from 62 to 64

Macron pushes forward controversial pension reform despite tensions

French President Emmanuel Macron has said that his government's controversial pension reform plan should become law before the end of the year

'Weakened' Macron sticks with pension bill, eyes new reforms: Report

Macron does not plan any reshuffle or snap elections and has ruled out withdrawing the pension law, which will raise the retirement age by two years to 64

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Violent protests erupt in France over Macron's retirement age push

Angry protesters took to the streets in Paris and other cities for a second day on Friday, trying to pressure lawmakers to bring down French President Emmanuel Macron's government and doom the unpopular retirement age increase he's trying to impose without a vote in the National Assembly. A day after Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne invoked a special constitutional power to skirt a vote in the chaotic lower chamber, lawmakers on the right and left filed no-confidence motions to be voted on Monday. At the elegant Place de Concorde, a festive protest by several thousand, with chants, dancing and a huge bonfire, degenerated into a scene echoing the night before. Riot police charged and threw tear gas to empty the huge square across from the National Assembly after troublemakers climbed scaffolding on a renovation site, arming themselves with wood. They lobbed fireworks and paving stones at police in a standoff. On Thursday night, security forces charged and used water cannons to evacuate

France's Macron risks his government to raise retirement age from 62 to 64

French President Emmanuel Macron imposed a highly unpopular bill raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 on Thursday by shunning parliament and invoking a special constitutional power. Lawmakers were shouting, their voices shaking with emotion as Macron made the risky move, which is expected to trigger quick motions of no-confidence in his government. Crowds gathered and riot police vans zoomed by outside the National Assembly, their sirens wailing. The proposed pension changes have prompted major strikes and protests across the country since January. Macron, who made it the flagship of his second term, argued the reform is needed to keep the pension system from diving into deficit as France's population ages and life expectancy lengthens. Macron decided to invoke the special power during a Cabinet meeting at the Elysee presidential palace, just a few minutes before the scheduled vote in France's lower house of parliament, because he had no guarantee of a majority. Prime Minister

French govt uses special procedure to adopt pension bill without vote

French President Emmanuel Macron imposed a highly unpopular bill raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 on Thursday by shunning parliament and invoking a special constitutional power. Lawmakers were shouting, their voices shaking with emotion as Macron made the risky move, which is expected to trigger quick motions of no-confidence in his government. Riot police vans zoomed by outside the National Assembly, their sirens wailing. The proposed pension changes have prompted major strikes and protests across the country since January. Macron, who made it the flagship of his second term, argued the reform is needed to keep the pension system from diving into deficit as France's population ages and life expectancy lengthens. The decision to invoke the special power was made during a Cabinet meeting at the Elysee presidential palace, just a few minutes before the scheduled vote, because Macron had no guarantee of a majority in France's lower house of parliament. Then, as Prime Minister

French President Macron champions pension plan as key to French economy

French President Emmanuel Macron advocated Tuesday for his contested plan to increase the pension eligibility age as part of the pro-business policies he has promoted since he took office in 2017, saying people need to work a little longer to make the system financially sustainable. Macron visited the Rungis International Market in the southern suburbs of Paris for his first public discussion with French workers since lawmakers started debating the government's pension-reform legislation earlier this month, prompting series of strikes and protests. The bill, which the Senate expects to start considering on March 2, would push back the minimum retirement age from 62 to 64 and require people to have worked for at least 43 years to be entitled to a full pension, amid other measures. People know that yes, on average, you have to work a little longer, all of them, because otherwise we won't be able to finance our pensions properly, Macron said. All French retirees receive a state pensio

France prepares for 5th day of nationwide protests against pension reform

France is bracing for a fifth day of nationwide strikes and protests on Thursday against a pension reform that is the flagship policy of President Emmanuel Macron's second term. This latest round is expected to be less disruptive that on previous occasions, with the Paris Metro working normally and most schools unaffected. A railway worker walkout will severely disrupt high speed TGV trains and regional services, however. Almost a third of flights are expected to be cancelled at Paris' second busiest airport, Orly, and traffic will be interrupted at regional airports as well. The proposed pension reforms have unleashed the most turbulent debate in years in the National Assembly, with uncertainty looming over the final outcome. Tensions at parliament are fed by the unpopularity of the reform aimed at raising the minimum retirement age from 62 to 64 and requiring people to have worked for at least 43 years to be entitled to a full pension, amid other measures. The powerful union th

India can mobilise world to address Russia-Ukraine war issue: French Prez

French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday said India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership can mobilise the world to address the "tremendous issue" of Russian aggression against Ukraine. "We are working for the success of India's G-20 Presidency in a difficult context with the Russian aggression against Ukraine," Macron said during the leaders' virtual meeting to announce Air India's 250 aircraft deal with Airbus. "India, under your leadership, clearly can be the one to mobilise the whole world and help us address the tremendous issue we have in front of us," the French President said. India has not publicly criticised Russia for its military action in Ukraine, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi had told Russian President Vladimir Putin last year that "today's era is not of war". Modi's public remarks during a meeting with Putin in Samarkand last year were welcomed by world leaders and even found a mention in the G-20 declaration in Indonesia. Macron said Air India's dea

PM to interact with French President Macron via video conferencing today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with French President Emmanuel Macron via video conferencing on Tuesday. "Today PM Modi will interact with French President Emmanuel Macron via VC at 4:30 pm," an official said. India and France enjoy deep friendly ties, with the leaders of the two countries also sharing a warm personal equation.

Macron weighs kicking Vladimir Putin out of French Legion of Honour

Ukraine's wartime leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy has now been bestowed with France's highest medal of honour. But there's a problem: Russian President Vladimir Putin has the same medal. French President Emmanuel Macron pinned the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour medal on Zelenskyy's chest after the two met in the French presidential palace Thursday, a move Macron said was meant to show France's immense" recognition for Ukraine's valor since Russia invaded it a year ago. Some French legislators and activists have called on Macron to rescind Putin's award because of the war. Macron didn't rule out stripping Putin of the honour bestowed by then-President Jacques Chirac in 2006. Macron told reporters Friday that such a decision has serious meaning, and it should be taken at the right moment.'' He noted that he has rescinded the honour in the past. Macron stripped Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein of his Legion of Honor award in the wake of widespread sexual misconduct allegations aga

Over 750,000 protest in France against Macron's pension reform plans

Turnout at the previous nationwide demonstration on January 31 was estimated by the Ministry at 1.2 million and by the CGT at 2.8 million

France doesn't rule out sending warplanes to Ukraine amid war with Russia

President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that France doesn't exclude sending fighter jets to Ukraine, but laid out multiple conditions before such a significant step might be taken. France has sent Ukraine air-defense systems, rocket launcher units, cannons and other military equipment and has pledged to send armored surveillance and combat vehicles, but has stopped short of sending battle tanks or heavier weaponry. Asked at a news conference in The Hague on Monday if France is considering sending warplanes, Macron said nothing is excluded as long as certain conditions are met. Among those conditions: that providing such equipment would not lead to an escalation of tensions or be used to touch Russian soil, and that it wouldn't weaken the capacities of the French army," Macron said. He also said Ukraine would have to formally request the planes. He noted that he will meet visiting Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov in Paris on Tuesday. Ukrainian officials have been stepping

Macron calls on France, Germany to become pioneers of Europe refoundation

Macron on Sunday pointed out that the first task of the two countries, as pioneers, should be building together a new energy model beyond their differences

We want to partner in building base for defence industries in India: France

French Ambassador Emmanuel Lenain has said his country wants to be a partner in the process of building a national industrial base for defence industries in India. Talking to reporters on Saturday on board French aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle which took part in the Indo-French naval exercise 'Varuna' off the Goa coast, Lenain said the two countries can co-produce lot of equipment for the defence and space sectors. France is committed to making available the best technologies to Indian forces without restrictions, he said. Lenain said France has really understood the vision of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' (self-reliant India). We understand that also because we are a highly independent country and we have been through that process also. We want to be a partner in the process to build a national industrial base for defence industries in India, he said. When India is looking to diversify its suppliers, France is a great option, the envoy said. Lenain said his country is committed to

France's Macron to hike military funds amid Russia-Ukraine war, new threats

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday proposed to boost defence spending by more than a third through 2030 and to transform" France's nuclear-armed military, to better face evolving threats and take into account the impact of Russia's war in Ukraine. Macron announced a proposal for 413 billion euros (nearly USD 450 billion) in military spending for the period of 2024-2030, to ensure our freedom, our security, our prosperity, our place in the world. That compares with spending of about 295 billion euros in a similar military plan for 2019-2025. The money would notably go to modernising France's nuclear arsenal, boosting intelligence spending by 60 per cent, doubling the number of military reservists, reinforcing cyberdefence and developing more remote-controlled weapons. Nuclear deterrence is an element that makes France different from other countries in Europe. We see anew, in analyzing the war in Ukraine, its vital importance," he said in a speech to military personnel at an