France

  What began as a pupils’ protest against poor and deteriorating conditions in schools escalated into widespread riots led by a radical socialist mob. There were battles with police, the Limoges town hall was burned, the Marseille city hall was stormed, shops were looted and cars were set on fire. Police officers were injured and […]

  The French unemployment rate has not fallen below 7 percent since the 1970s. In the second quarter of 2026, it stood at 8.3 percent as the economy contended with low labor productivity growth, an aging population and a low workforce participation rate. Many young professionals, including engineers, are leaving the country for jobs abroad, […]

  All of Europe is closely watching France, the eurozone’s second-largest economy. The mix of political instability and financial issues in the ‘Grande Nation’ is concerning. France’s public debt last year reached an estimated 112 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP), accounting for one-fourth of total European Union public debt. In July 2024, the EU […]

  Emmanuel Macron is self-confident and ambitious. His focus is not limited to leading France; he also aims to establish himself as the leader of Europe and a major global player. Ideologically, he is very adaptable – like a snake, he does not hesitate to change his skin. He has cunningly succeeded in gaining the label of “liberal,” even […]

  The eurozone’s two largest countries, France and Germany, could drag the continent into a crisis. The year 2023 was bad for eurozone economies already, with sluggish overall growth a meager 0.6 percent. While short-term factors such as inflation and the necessarily tighter monetary policy can explain the latest developments, longer-term forces, especially in Germany and […]