France

Economics

Politics

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu pledged not to invoke Article 49.3 of the constitution, a mechanism that allows the government to adopt legislation without parliamentary approval, to pass the 2026 budget, Le Figaro reported on Oct. 3.

France: Prime Minister Rules Out Bypassing Parliament in Passing 2026 Budget

Military & Security

A new wave of strikes and demonstrations broke out across France on Oct. 2 in response to planned spending cuts in the government's 2026 budget, France24 reported the same day.

France: Budget Cuts Spark New Wave of Nationwide Strikes and Demonstrations

Europe

Russia

French authorities opened an investigation into the Benin-flagged oil tanker Boracay, blacklisted by the European Union as part of Russia's "shadow fleet," over suspected links to recent drone incursions into Danish airspace that forced temporary airport closures, AFP reported on Oct. 1.

France, Russia: Paris Investigates Possible Russian 'Shadow Fleet' Involvement in Denmark Drone Incursions

Large-scale anti-austerity demonstrations organized by all major unions occurred across France against planned spending cuts in the 2026 budget, and major protests are still taking place in Paris, Reuters reported on Sept. 18.

France: Nationwide Strikes Seek To Influence New Prime Minister's Budget Proposal

Canada

Turkey

South Korea

United Kingdom

EU ambassadors discussed whether the bloc’s 150 billion euro ($176 billion) Security Action for Europe (SAFE) loan facility for defense investments and joint procurement could be used to finance arms purchases from the United Kingdom and Canada, with France pushing to cap such purchases at 50% of their value to prioritize EU-based defense manufacturers, Euractiv reported on Sept. 12.

EU: Member States Debate Third-Country Participation in SAFE Defense Joint Procurement Initiative

French President Emmanuel Macron appointed Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu as prime minister following the ouster of Francois Bayrou in a no-confidence vote on Sept. 8, Reuters reported Sept. 10. 

France: Macron Appoints Loyalist Lecornu as PM as Protests Bring Country to Standstill

French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou lost a confidence vote in the National Assembly, with 364 lawmakers opposing him and 194 in support after opposition parties from across the political spectrum united to back the motion, Reuters reported on Sept. 8.

France: Prime Minister Francois Bayrou Ousted in No-Confidence Vote

French Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure confirmed on Sept. 4 that his party would vote to bring down Prime Minister Francois Bayrou's minority government in the upcoming confidence vote over his proposed austerity budget for 2026.

France: Socialist Party Will Vote To Topple Bayrou in Confidence Vote

Assessments

United States

Israel

Palestinian Territories

Australia

Dignitaries attend a U.N. Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the question of Palestinian statehood, during the U.N. General Assembly on Sept. 23, 2025, in New York City. 

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Western countries' growing recognition of Palestinian statehood is largely symbolic and will likely galvanize Israel's push for West Bank annexation, risking further Israeli diplomatic isolation abroad and sporadic violence at home.

The West's Growing Support for Palestinian Statehood Will Have Limited Concrete Impacts

Mexico

Portugal

Spain

Italy

An anti-tourism protest in June in Barcelona, Spain. Anti-tourism sentiment is certain to grow in major tourist destinations, though it will be unevenly distributed globally, particularly as the tourism sector could face potential challenges in the future.

Social Issues

Anti-tourism sentiment is certain to grow in major tourist destinations, though it will be unevenly distributed globally, particularly as the tourism sector could face potential challenges in the future.

The Causes and Implications of the Rise in Anti-Tourism Sentiment

Snapshots

France's then-Prime Minister Francois Bayrou (C) delivers his general policy statement during an extraordinary parliamentary session prior to a confidence vote over the government's austerity budget at the National Assembly in Paris on Sept. 8, 2025.

Spending cuts proposed by the ousted prime minister and the prospect of further austerity measures have energized a new grassroots movement, raising the specter of another yellow vest-style uprising.

In France, Prime Minister Bayrou's Ouster Deepens Political Paralysis and Fiscal Uncertainty

Ethiopia

Brazil

Japan

French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou leaves after the weekly cabinet meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, on Aug. 27, 2025.

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: France's Bayrou Faces a Confidence Vote, Ethiopia Inaugurates Its Mega-Dam

French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou arrives ahead of meetings with party leaders as part of political consultations at the Hotel de Matignon in Paris, on Sept. 4, 2025, ahead of the French National Assembly's vote of confidence.

Decisive action to significantly reduce fiscal deficits will remain elusive before and likely after France's next presidential election, given political fragmentation and polarization that will prevent a stable legislative majority.

French Debt Soars As Parliament Unlikely To Reach Fiscal Consolidation

French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou speaks during a press conference in Paris on Aug. 25, 2025. 

In the likely case that the Prime Minister Bayrou loses the Sept. 8 vote, Macron will either have to appoint another weak government or call early legislative elections, prolonging political instability and heightening financial risks.

New Political Crisis Grips France as Bayrou Gambles on Confidence Vote

Iran

Taiwan

Thailand

Germany

The Maanshan nuclear power plant is seen next to a beach in Pingtung, in southern Taiwan, on April 29, 2025.

Energy

The Weekly Rundown: Iran Meets With European Powers, Taiwan Holds a Nuclear Referendum

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer (L) and French President Emmanuel Macron hold a press conference on July 10, 2025, in London.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The series of agreements will deepen cooperation between Europe's two nuclear powers at a time of strategic flux and institutional fragmentation across the Continent.

New U.K.-France Defense Deals Mark a Step Toward a European Nuclear Deterrent

U.S.-Iran Relations

The Weekly Rundown: Netanyahu's U.S. Visit, a Franco-British Summit

French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou speaks during a press conference at a hotel in Paris on June 24, 2025. 

The collapse of negotiations over potential changes to President Macron's controversial pensions reform will increase the risk of more no-confidence votes against the government, budgetary deadlock and another early election.

In France, the Collapse of Pension Reform Talks Risks Worsening Political Instability

Sub-Saharan Africa

Rescue teams work at damaged buildings in Nobonyad Square following Israeli airstrikes on June 13, 2025, in Tehran, Iran. 

Global Trade

The Weekly Rundown: G7 Leaders' Summit, More Israeli Attacks on Iran

Ukraine

An image shows a row of flags from the G7 members.

The June 15-17 summit will provide an opportunity for the bloc to discuss trade tensions and the war in Ukraine, but the meeting is more likely to expose transatlantic divisions over Trump's tariffs and reluctance to pressure Russia.

What To Expect From the First G7 Summit Following Trump's Return to the White House

<p>France is a country in Western Europe bound in the south by the Alps, Pyrenees Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea. To the west and north is the Atlantic Ocean, and on its eastern border lies the river Rhine and the low mountains of the Ardennes, Vosges and Jura. Mountains, rivers and seas help protect France at all points but one: the North European Plain. As a result, France&#39;s main geographic challenge is safeguarding its eastern border on the path of this historic invasion route. The lack of internal geographic barriers contributed to France&#39;s social cohesion, which in turn led France to become one of the world&#39;s first modern nation-states. The Beauce region represents France&#39;s core. Its navigable rivers, warm climate, sufficient rainfall and fertile soils have made France one of the world&#39;s leading agricultural powers. At the extreme northern border of the Beauce region, where the rivers Marne and Seine meet, lies Paris &mdash; France&#39;s economic and political center. Paris&#39; strategic location on these rivers gives it administrative control of trading routes from the Beauce region to the rest of France and Europe In modern times, the most existential threats to France have come from its powerful eastern neighbor, Germany. Between 1871 and 1945, France and Germany fought three major wars &mdash; all on the North European Plain. After World War II, France attempted to contain Germany largely through the creation of the European Union. The economic and political crisis plaguing Europe has put France&#39;s containment strategy into question.</p>

SITUATION REPORTS

France: Prime Minister Rules Out Bypassing Parliament in Passing 2026 Budget

France: Budget Cuts Spark New Wave of Nationwide Strikes and Demonstrations

France, Russia: Paris Investigates Possible Russian 'Shadow Fleet' Involvement in Denmark Drone Incursions

France: Nationwide Strikes Seek To Influence New Prime Minister's Budget Proposal

EU: Member States Debate Third-Country Participation in SAFE Defense Joint Procurement Initiative

France: Macron Appoints Loyalist Lecornu as PM as Protests Bring Country to Standstill

France: Prime Minister Francois Bayrou Ousted in No-Confidence Vote

France: Socialist Party Will Vote To Topple Bayrou in Confidence Vote

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