Europe sleepwalks through its own dilemmas
Amid waning support for the war in Ukraine, leaders across Europe have found themselves at a difficult crossroads
French public sector employees protest cuts in state spending
On top of the cuts already made in the 2024 budget, the French government also decreed a USD 10.85 billion cut in state spending for 2024.
France all dressed up and nowhere to go
France is entrapped in the predicament of countries that get sandwiched between great powers. It is condemned to diplomacy that is constantly in a state of suspended animation interspersed with sudden bouts of activity
Putin’s nuclear warning is direct and explicit
The thrust of Putin’s state of the union address lies in his refusal to accept a fate for Russia in existential terms arranged by the West
China resumes shuttle diplomacy as Ukraine war drums get louder
A recent statement by French President Emmanuel Macron has led to questions on whether the ground is being prepared for a soft landing for the idea of western military deployment in Ukraine in some form
Pressure builds on Israel with Macron telling Netanyahu “Israeli operations must cease”
Leaders from across the world have condemned Israel’s genocidal war against the Palestinian people and have warned against a catastrophic invasion of Rafah
French farmers step up their siege of Paris, protesting low income and high costs
Farmers’ unions have called for a protest at the EU summit in Brussels on February 1, denouncing free trade agreements and the EU-instigated policies hampering their domestic markets
French parliament considers constitutionalization of right to abortion
Parliamentarians in France begin discussing a motion to enshrine the right to abortion into the constitution, offering stronger protections of women’s health rights
Political crisis in Guinea-Bissau deepens as president dissolves parliament, dismisses government
On December 4, President Umaro Sissoco Embalo dissolved the National People’s Assembly citing an alleged coup attempt. The move followed just months after a coalition led by the African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC) won a decisive majority in the elections
Macron makes the far right’s anti-immigrant program his own
The legislators from the conservative and the far-right parties voted for Emmanuel Macron’s bill calling to impose tougher regulations on immigrants to obtain French citizenship and other social benefits. Working class movements and anti-racism groups have called for a joint protest against the implementation of the bill.
Social Security Funding Bill to deal new blow to healthcare in France
Health groups in France continue to mobilize for alternatives to Macron’s plans to further slash health and social security budget
Thousands march in Paris demanding immediate ceasefire in Gaza
As over 30,000 people marched in Paris calling for peace, Palestinians responded to French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to the West Bank with protests and condemnation
