François Hollande

French unemployment hits new record

France — Link

But finance minister says France's deficit was lower in 2015 than expected and that growth is expected to accelerate this year to 1.5%.

Brussels attack is strike against all of Europe, says Hollande

France — Link

After emergency cabinet meeting in Paris the French president said: 'France will implacably continue the fight against terrorism.'

France opts for big over small with its labour reforms

France — Link

Amid reform retreat, ministers have fought hard to keep measures that affect big companies - while sacrificing those affecting smaller firms.

Hollande rules out visa concessions to Turkey over migrants deal

International — Link

Ahead of next week's EU-Turkey summit, the French president said visa rules and respect of human rights would not be traded for migrant control.

French presidential hopeful Juppé borrows Hollande's tactics to fell Sarkozy

France — Analysis

This week the knives were sharpening in the battle between rivals to become the 2017 presidential election candidate for the French conservative opposition party Les Républicains, with latest contenders bringing the total to ten. Defying earlier predictions, the current clear favourite, ahead of primaries to be held in the autumn, is Alain Juppé, the 70-year-old former prime minister whose principal rival is his party's leader, Nicolas Sarkozy. Mediapart political correspondent Ellen Salvi examines the striking resemblance of Juppé’s successful campaign to that of French President François Hollande in his bid to wrestle power from Sarkozy four years ago.

France 'quietly' awards honour to visiting Saudi Crown Prince

France — Link

Two months after Paris condemned Saudi mass executions, Prince Mohammed bin Naif is handed Légion d'honneur by President Hollande. 

Why President Hollande fears France's students

France — Analysis

A total of 20 student and youth organisations have called for protests on Wednesday, March 9th against the government's proposed reforms of employment law. Though the formal presentation of the bill has now been postponed pending further discussions with trade unions, ministers still fear the spectre of widespread social mobilisation, of the kind seen ten years ago that sank plans for new workplace contracts. In particular, President François Hollande is afraid the final months of his presidency would be doomed if students take to the streets in large numbers. Lénaïg Bredoux and Faïza Zerouala report on the unpredictability of France's student protests.

Hollande says France and Germany see eye to eye over migrant crisis

France — Link

As Hollande and Merkel meet in Paris, president insists that France shares the same desire as Germany to tackle the problem.

France's Hollande warns of Brexit 'consequences'

International — Link

Asked about impact of EU exit by UK on border controls in Calais, president said: 'I don't want to scare you .. but there will be consequences.'

French labour law reform: anatomy of a political fiasco

France — Analysis

On Monday February 29th the prime minister Manuel Valls announced that the government was postponing for two weeks the formal presentation of a new bill reforming employment law. This concession came after days of vociferous opposition to the bill from trade unions, students and many members of France's ruling Socialist Party itself who see the measure as an attack on workers' rights. Mediapart's Lénaïg Bredoux, Rachida El Azzouzi, Mathilde Goanec and Mathieu Magnaudeix analyse how what was intended to be a flagship government reform went so badly wrong.

France's Hollande under fire as Socialists face electoral meltdown

France — Link

Many in Hollande’s own party have made it clear they want someone else to run for president in next year's election.

French state justifies 'racial profiling' in police searches

France — Investigation

The French state is currently appealing to the highest court in the country after five identity checks carried out by police were judged discriminatory because they were based on people's appearance. Mediapart has now seen the legal arguments made by state lawyers who argue that in some circumstances it can be justifiable for police to target black and North Africans for such searches. Thus despite domestic and international jurisprudence, writes Michaël Hajdenberg, the French state appears to be condoning the practice of racial profiling.

French farmers heckle Presdent Hollande as he opens farm show

France — Link

Livestock farmers booed and whistled as Hollande appeared at Salon de l'Agriculture in Paris; they later tore down a government stand.

French socialists face rift after ex-leader attacks Hollande

France — Analysis

The former first secretary of the French Socialist Party (PS), Martine Aubry, has launched a ferocious attack on the policies of President François Hollande and his prime minister Manuel Valls. Her trenchant comments in an article in Le Monde – seen by some as a call by Hollande to ditch his prime minister - in turn led to bitter criticism of her stance from government loyalists. It remains unclear where Aubry's initiative will lead. But as Mediapart's Stéphane Alliès reports, it looks as if support for the socialist government could now be in a minority within the Socialist Party itself.

French jobless claims at 4-month low in boost for Hollande

France — Link

Total fell by 27,900 to 3.55 million; President Hollande has said he won’t stand for re-election next year if he doesn’t reduce unemployment.