France

Cathedral of Notre Dame going up in flames

The Burning of Notre Dame Is Not Just a Tragedy—It’s an Opportunity The Burning of Notre Dame Is Not Just a Tragedy—It’s an Opportunity

It’s an occasion to a consider a more expansive idea of what it means to be French.

Apr 17, 2019 / Daniel Judt

Notre Dame Cathedral

Grieving for Notre Dame Grieving for Notre Dame

The church embodies a civilization, and had it been erased from the earth—as thankfully it has not been, as it now appears—the loss would have been irretrievable.

Apr 16, 2019 / Arthur Goldhammer

The Travails of Emmanuel Macron

The Travails of Emmanuel Macron The Travails of Emmanuel Macron

A new book equates the French president's rise to a revolution. For much of France’s working and middle classes, it has been nothing short of a disaster.

Apr 1, 2019 / Books & the Arts / Cole Stangler

Jean Luc Mélenchon

France Unbowed Tries to Rediscover Its Populist Magic France Unbowed Tries to Rediscover Its Populist Magic

The left populist party is still looking for its place in a national debate often dominated by Emmanuel Macron and the far right. Will European elections provide a spark?

Mar 29, 2019 / Cole Stangler

Raphael Glucksmann

Place Publique: The ‘Orphans’ of the French Left Place Publique: The ‘Orphans’ of the French Left

A new direct democracy movement hopes to reconstitute France’s left parties around a European Green New Deal—but voters are still skeptical.

Feb 26, 2019 / Colin Kinniburgh

Yellow Vests

France’s Yellow Vest Movement Comes of Age France’s Yellow Vest Movement Comes of Age

At its first “Assembly of Assemblies” in late January, this grassroots democratic revolt brought together many people who had never participated in politics.

Feb 5, 2019 / Harrison Stetler

Yellow Vest protesters

Forgotten France Rises Up Forgotten France Rises Up

France’s Yellow Vests took just one month to challenge policies on taxation, education, transport, and environment—and make the Macron government back down

Jan 15, 2019 / Serge Halimi

Yellow Vest Graffiti

The Populism Problem at the ‘Times’ The Populism Problem at the ‘Times’

The paper of record needs to remember that it’s not exclusively a right-wing phenomenon.

Jan 9, 2019 / Michael Massing

Yellow Vest Peaceful Protest

The Yellow Vest Revolt The Yellow Vest Revolt

The French uprising was never just about a fuel tax.

Dec 13, 2018 / Cole Stangler

Macron Yellow vest Adress

For Emmanuel Macron, How Did Things Get So Bad, So Fast? For Emmanuel Macron, How Did Things Get So Bad, So Fast?

The fault lies with both the French president himself and the political and cultural elite that formed him.

Dec 13, 2018 / David A. Bell

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