Bayrou Peters Out, Villepin Starts Up
The Socialists have announced that they will file a censure motion against Prime Minister Bayrou. This was a demise foretold months ago when Bayrou first proposed the idea of a […]
Lionel Jospin, 1937-2026
Lionel Jospin has died. He was a good man, a less good politician; an able prime minister, a lackluster presidential candidate. He was among the most intelligent and impressive of […]
Straws in the Whirlwind: The Municipals
The results of the second round of France’s municipal elections are in. There is a little good news for everybody, which is another way of saying that the political landscape […]
Municipal Elections, Round 1
The results of the first round of the 2026 municipal elections confirm the (hopelessly?) fragmented state of French politics and the growing apathy of much of the electorate. Participation was […]
France’s New Nuclear Doctrine
First, to faithful readers, please forgive my long silence on this site. I’ve been busy launching my Substack site devoted to broader questions of US and international politics. Please check […]
Citizenship at the Compost Heap
On green localities and local freedoms: returning to one of Europe’s “Green Capitals” In 2020 my family and I moved back to France, to the city of Nantes, after ten […]
Will Europe Defend Greenland?
President Macron’s initial response to the U.S. invasion of Venezuela was less than inspiring. He simply applauded the removal of a brutal dictator without mentioning the fact that the manner […]
Macron’s Gambit Accepted
I wrote about Putin’s willingness to discuss Ukraine with Macron on my Substack.
Lecornu Sauvé des Eaux, but Russia Submerges the West
Today the National Assembly passed the social security budget by the narrow majority of 247-234 with 93 abstentions. Sébastien Lecornu secured the abstention of most Greens by making a last-minute […]
The Prisoners’ Dilemmas
I make no pretense of attempting to describe the tortuous and tortured National Assembly “debate” over the budget. The whole exercise has been a case study in the weaknesses and […]
Les deuxième gauches
Raphaël Glucksmann has shown a bit of his hand. Having until now declined overtures from the Hollande wing of the Socialist Party, he finally gave in and appeared with the […]