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France’s leftist New Popular Front wins a shock victory – but now the hard part begins
France's New Popular Front has won the largest number of seats in the final round of snap parliamentary elections, leaving behind the remnants of President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist camp and the far-right National Rally trailing in third place. It’s a staggering result for a closely fought election that has left the country without a clear candidate for prime minister – and the hastily assembled broad leftist coalition without an absolute majority that would allow it to push through its ambitious programme.
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‘Terror’: Russia’s despicable daytime act
Russia has been blasted after launching a horrific daytime attack on Ukraine, hitting a children’s hospital and leaving at least 20 people dead.
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French leftist alliance appears to block far-right path to election win
Whatever the outcome, Macron's 7-year political experiment with pro-business policies aimed at boosting the economy and reforming the bloated welfare state will be dented. He has ruled out resigning.
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Marine Le Pen Betrays Her Past to Capture a Bigger Prize: France
The country has been shaken by the prospect of the far-right takeover, as the National Rally leader flirts with the center ground.By Editors Desk
Latest Europe
Will Meloni and Le Pen Be Right-Wing Besties? It’s Complicated
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The far right is close to power in France. Will the rest of Europe follow?
Whatever the result of France's election, its impact will be seismic, says Europe editor Katya Adler
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UK’s new prime minister assumes office
Labour leader Keir Starmer has formally become the country’s head of government after meeting with King Charles III
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Rishi Sunak resigns as Conservative Party leader
The move by the British prime minister comes after the Tories suffered a crushing defeat to Labour in the general election
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Farage elected MP for first time as Reform wins four seats
Reform leader overturns 25,000 Tory majority, as his party wins in Ashfield, Great Yarmouth and Boston and Skegness.
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Le Pen’s far right is on the cusp of power in France – what happens next?
The “clarification” President Emmanuel Macron invoked as he called France’s snap elections has clarified this much: that French voters no longer want him to govern alone – or indeed at all. Exactly who he should share power with remains an open question after an inconclusive first round that has handed Marine Le Pen’s far right a commanding win, but not yet a decisive one.
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The Center Collapses in France, Leaving Macron Marooned
Squeezed by the far-right National Rally party and the left, President Emmanuel Macron faces a country that may prove ungovernable.
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What the Mood Is Like in France After the Far Right Won Big
Many expressed shock that Marine Le Pen’s nationalist party was so close to power after the first round of a snap election.
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Why the French chose the ‘radical far right’ over Macron’s establishment
The overconfident president got what was coming when his party suffered a massive defeat in the first round of the national election
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‘Wiped out’: Country in crisis, city burns
Hundreds of protesters have set off flares and started fires on the streets of a major European city after a far-right party won big gains.
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Analysis: Le Pen's party now dominant force in France
The right-wing National Rally is projected to top the first vote - but all is still to play for.
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Le Pen’s far-right party wins first round as Macron’s snap elections gamble backfires
Marine Le Pen’s anti-immigrant National Rally led a first round of voting on Sunday in exceptionally high-stakes elections that could put France’s government in the hands of a far-right party for the first time since World War II. President Emmanuel Macron’s ruling coalition was beaten into third place by a fledgling alliance of the left as the incumbent’s gamble with a snap election backfired spectacularly.
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Death toll rises in Russia's Dagestan region after coordinated attacks on churches, synagogues
The death toll from a series of brazen attacks on churches and synagogues in Russia’s mainly Muslim region of Dagestan rose to 20 on Monday after gunmen went on the rampage in coordinated attacks in two of the republic’s most important cities.
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France could trigger the next euro crisis
Runaway budget deficits and confrontation with Brussels and Berlin is a formula for trouble
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How Jordan Bardella became France’s far-right poster boy
With a charismatic blend of youthful vigour and strategic communication, far-right leader Jordan Bardella has captivated millions on social media, a sign of the "Bardella mania" that has swept through France’s younger demographic. At just 28, Bardella's ascent to the top of the National Rally party formerly led by Marine Le Pen and Macron's call for snap legislative elections may well pave the road to the prime minister's office.
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5 challenges for NATO’s next chief Mark Rutte
From Trump to Wilders, from a lack of money to a lack of air defense systems, the next NATO secretary-general will have a busy time.
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