France’s Defence and then Education/Youth minister; current French government figure clashing with left on school funding amid protests and budget battles.
Public sector net borrowing has come in at A318.3bn for August, higher than the OBR and City forecasts, leaving year-to-date borrowing A377.3bn and A38.1bn above the OBR projection. Rising gilt yields are increasing the government's interest bill and narrowing Chancellor John Healey's fiscal headroom ahead of the 28 October Budget.
Two early‑season heatwaves have broken June temperature records across western Europe, pushing many locations above 40°C, triggering red alerts, disrupting transport and power, and causing dozens of deaths in France and other countries. Scientists have said human‑caused warming has made this event far more likely and night‑time temperatures have remained unusually high.
New Caledonia has held provincial elections that will reshape control of its Congress ahead of fresh talks with France on the territory's status; turnout was about 54% and France has deployed thousands of security officers. In Algeria, authorities have staged tightly managed parliamentary votes that critics say preserve the ruling alliance and limit genuine political competition.
The NHS is expanding an AI-driven triage tool across app users, directing patients to the right service and reducing wait times. Trials show a 29% drop in GP phone queue lines, and the program is part of a larger £10bn tech overhaul. Safety, privacy, and digital inclusion remain priorities as the rollout reaches 200,000 patients this year and all users by 2028.
France battles wildfires across Aude, Hérault and Marseille regions as temperatures stay high and vegetation remains parched. Firefighters are expanding operations while evacuations continue and authorities warn the heatwave could persist.
Public Health France has counted 8,973 deaths in the week of June 22–28, a 29% rise from the prior week, with 2,025 additional deaths recorded overall. Paris remains hardest hit as heat records are broken across Europe amid a heatwave linked to climate change.
Since mid-July, a series of fast-moving wildfires has scorched large areas of France and Spain, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee. French authorities have mobilised soldiers, masks and international firefighting aircraft as flames approach Bordeaux and fires burn near Paris, the Var and Fontainebleau. Extreme heat and drought have fuelled unusually early, violent fires.
France's National Assembly has passed a bill allowing medically assisted dying for adults with a serious, incurable illness in an advanced or terminal stage, with strict safeguards and a constitutional review pending. The measure now faces scrutiny by the Constitutional Council and potential enactment by President Macron.
France and Morocco are expanding security, energy and investment cooperation amid Pegasus spyware allegations. Lecornu’s visit signals a renewed strategic partnership as Paris seeks stability in North Africa and Rabat presses economic and technological collaboration.
France has moved to allow temporary exemptions for acetamiprid and flupyradifurone to help struggling farmers, triggering resignations and heated debate. Barbut has warned this marks an environmental setback as the government faces pushback from ministers, courts, and scientists.
Since late July 2026, fast-moving wildfires have forced more than 200,000 people to flee across southwestern France and central Spain. Fires have scorched tens of thousands of hectares, pushed toward Bordeaux and towns west of Madrid, injured firefighters and prompted France to deploy soldiers while Spain has declared a national emergency.
Wildfires across southwest France and parts of Spain have forced large-scale evacuations. Authorities warn conditions are worsening as heat, wind and spreading blazes drive responses. The UK government advises following local authorities, with France evacuating campsites and residences and Spain declaring a national emergency in Madrid and Ávila.
A series of unprecedented wildfires are sweeping through southwestern France and central Spain, forcing hundreds of thousands to evacuate. Authorities warn the blazes are fierce and unpredictable, with climate-driven heat and winds complicating firefighting efforts. Macron pledges support; Spain’s Sanchez calls for climate action as fires intensify.
Wildfires across France and Spain have forced mass evacuations and disrupted travel; insurers warn many policies lack disaster coverage, while authorities urge travellers to check local advisories and their coverage before planning trips. The situation remains active as firefighters battle blazes and governments coordinate responses.
France’s Constitutional Council has ruled that the law banning under-15s from opening social media accounts is unconstitutional, finding the bill fails to set limits for age verification and disproportionately infringes freedom of expression and privacy. President Emmanuel Macron has asked Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to draft a revised, legally robust proposal before spring 2027.
France’s constitutional council has struck down core provisions of a 2026 bill aiming to bar under-15s from opening social media accounts, citing infringements on freedom of expression and privacy. Macron asks for a revised draft, with the reform expected to proceed by early 2027 after further scrutiny.
Pope Leo XIV has led an outdoor Mass at Place de la Concorde in Paris that the Vatican has estimated drew about 700,000–800,000 people. He has ridden the Champs-Élysées in a popemobile, blessed children, spoken against assisted dying and warned about AI, and will meet abuse survivors and visit Lourdes and Metz during a four-day trip.
France has seen a sharp debate over how to manage public debt amid a tense presidential race. The government is pursuing spending cuts to reduce deficits as candidates propose different paths, including controversial ideas on debt held by the ECB. Protests by students add to the political pressure.
Protests by high school students across France have expanded beyond Paris, with blockades and clashes spreading to multiple cities. Authorities report dozens of injuries and hundreds of schools affected as unions press for budget opposition ahead of the 2027 vote.
Protests by lycées students have spread across France, with hundreds detained and thousands of school closures and disruptions. Police report injuries and investigate alleged brutality; the government calls for end to violence while addressing teachers’ shortages and dilapidated infrastructure.