Mediapart in English

'Judaeo-Christian civilisation': Nethanyahu's historical lie on French television

International — Analysis

Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, April 17th 2024. © Photo Kira Hofmann / dpa / ZUMA / REA

Speaking on France's LCI news channel last week, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu waved the banner of defending 'Judaeo-Christian civilisation' as he sought to justify his crusade against the Palestinian people. In this analysis, Mediapart co-founder Edwy Plenel deconstructs an historical falsehood that ignores the long history of Christian anti-Semitism.

Crackdown after unrest in New Caledonia: six months in jail for 'throwing a bottle'

Outre-mer — Report

The courthouse in Nouméa on May 29th 2024. © Photo Gilles Caprais pour Mediapart

The French Ministry of the Interior has just announced that the final areas of the capital city Nouméa have been brought back under control as a form of peace slowly returns to New Caledonia following the recent unrest. Meanwhile the crackdown on those accused of being involved in the disturbances – which led to seven deaths, including two gendarmes, and saw a state of emergency imposed – has started. On Wednesday two men were jailed for acts that caused no injury or any specified material damage. The criminal court in Nouméa justified the severity of the sentences by pointing to the context of the unrest. Gilles Caprais reports from Nouméa.

Bernard Arnault: how the world's richest man bought Paris

Économie et social — Investigation

© Illustration Justine Vernier / Mediapart

Bernard Arnault has got his hands on the French capital. On top of the 200 or so LVMH addresses counted by Mediapart in the city, the luxury goods multinational run by the billionaire is quietly appropriating symbolic locations for itself, with the approval of city hall. This Mediapart investigation into the group's raid on Paris has been carried out by Dan Israel, Martine Orange, Khedidja Zerouali and Florence Loève.

France must no longer be an accomplice to the war in Gaza

International — Opinion

The aftermath of the attack in Rafah. © Photo Eyad Baba / AFP

The deadly strike that hit a camp for displaced people at Rafah once again highlights the extreme violence that Israel has been carrying out for nearly eight months against the Gaza Strip. Western countries, including France, can no longer just be content with issuing superficial condemnations of such attacks, argue Rachida El Azzouzi and Mediapart's joint editor-in-chief Lénaïg Bredoux in this op-ed article.  

The French Left's duty to work together as far-right eyes gains at European elections

Politique — Analysis

President Emmanuel Macron and prime minister Gabriel Attal, top, with far-right candidate Jordan Bardella. © Photomontage Mediapart avec Sipa et REA

As the far-right gains support across Europe, President Emmanuel Macron continues to portray them as the only political alternative to him and his party in France. The different strands of the French Left therefore need to work together or run the risk of being marginalised in the European elections on June 9th, writes Mediapart publishing editor Carine Fouteau.

The need to be resolute in the fight against anti-Semitism

France — Opinion

© Photo Magali Cohen / Hans Lucas via AFP

Anti-Semitism is witnessing a resurgence in France at the moment, and is even being stirred up from abroad. In this op-ed article Mediapart co-founder Edwy Plenel argues that neither the fact that it is being exploited to help Israel's cause, nor the fact that there are also other racisms that need combatting, can justify underestimating the dangers involved in this rise of anti-Jewish sentiment.

The lucrative business behind the Macron charity football matches

France — Investigation

Jacques Vendroux, left, and Emmanuel Macron during the Varietés Club de France match at Plaisir, west of Paris, April 24th 2024. © Photo Eric Tschaen / REA

In April this year President Emmanuel Macron was filmed playing alongside celebrities and former football stars in a charity match to raise money for young people in hospital. But behind this and other similar charity football games there is also a lucrative business. Captains of industry are being charged up to 75,000 euros for each star-studded encounter, which buys them media exposure and a place at a post-match dinner held at the Elysée. As Antton Rouget reports, the money raised from this is not given to charities. Instead, the proceeds are going to a company owned by the son of the veteran sports journalist who runs the charity involved in the matches.

Eight victims of climate change file lawsuits against TotalEnergies

Écologie

Green party activists protest against the fossil fuel activities of TotalEnergies in front of its headquarters at La Défense, close to Paris, on March 28th 2024. © Photo Thomas Samson / AFP

Eight people from seven countries who are separately related to individuals who have died from extreme weather events this week filed lawsuits, together with three NGOs, against the directors and shareholders of French oil and gas giant TotalEnergies, who they accuse of crimes of manslaughter and placing lives in danger through the group’s knowing contribution to climate change. Mickaël Correia reports.

Behind the anger of New Caledonia’s young Kanaks

France — Interview

A young Kanak close to a roadblock in Nouméa, capital of New Caledonia.

French President Emmanuel Macron left Paris for New Caledonia on Tuesday, in a bid to defuse the unrest in France’s Pacific Ocean territory that has claimed the lives of at least six people over the past week. The eruption of rioting last week followed a move by Paris to allow recent settlers on the archipelago the right to vote in local elections, which will have the effect of diminishing the political representation of the indigenous Kanak people. Mediapart turned to French anthropologist and researcher specialised in New Caledonian affairs Benoît Trépied for his insight into the anger of the archipelago's young Kanaks, who are at the forefront of the violent protests.

New Caledonia: a return of colonialism through the back door

France — Analysis

Kanaks demonstrate in the New Caledonian capital Nouméa, on April 13th 2024. © Photo Nicolas Job / Sipa

A sixth person was on Saturday reported to have been killed in the ongoing unrest in the French overseas territory of New Caledonia, amid increasing calls for Emmanuel Macron and his government to place on hold the legislation that sparked the violence. This will give newly arrived settlers, mostly European, on the South Pacific archipelago the right to vote in local elections, whereas until now the electoral register was frozen in order that the indigenous Kanak people maintain their political representation. In this analysis of the crisis, Mediapart publishing editor Carine Fouteau says that an almost four-decade-long process of decolonization is now at a crossroads, and at stake is the survival of the Kanak people who have been gradually turned into a minority under French domination since the mid-19th century.