France

In a Le Monde op-ed, financier Jean Gatty criticizes France's projected 2026 budget deficits and suggests adopting a Warren Buffett-inspired measure to bar lawmakers' re-election if the deficit exceeds 3% of GDP.

2 Mwezi wa pili, 2026 Imeripotiwa na AI

Gilles Bourdouleix, mayor of Cholet since 1995, announced on January 16 his bid for a sixth term in the municipal elections. Convicted on January 29 for the fatal fireworks accident on July 14, 2022, he faces an unusually hostile environment with seven competing lists. One of them is led by former deputies aiming to replace him.

Socialist Ericka Bareigts, mayor of Saint-Denis in La Réunion, kicked off her municipal election campaign with a packed rally on January 31. Over 7,000 attendees cheered the candidate, who has forged a left-wing union despite local political divisions. In this overseas city of 156,000 residents, the largest in the French territories, she emerges as the frontrunner following the withdrawal of her main opponents.

1 Mwezi wa pili, 2026 Imeripotiwa na AI

American philosopher Peter Boghossian, known for his critiques of wokism, recently visited France to observe the effects of Islamic immigration. In an interview with Le Figaro, he reveals that many Americans fear France will disappear by the end of the century. He also discusses street epistemology as a tool for critical thinking.

On January 31, Jean-Luc Mélenchon visited Roubaix to support David Guiraud, La France Insoumise candidate for mayor in the 2026 municipal elections. This city of nearly 100,000 residents, one of France's poorest, is a key target for the populist movement. A victory could impact the 2027 presidential campaign.

1 Mwezi wa pili, 2026 Imeripotiwa na AI

Luxury real estate agency Barnes has opened a branch in Salbris, in Sologne, signaling growing interest from wealthy French business leaders in this forested region known for hunting. The village's mayor, close to Éric Ciotti, aims to turn it into the « capital of hunting ». This move aligns with an indicator of areas favored by major fortunes, per a recent study.