- Aug 31
Former French Prime Minister Édouard Balladur dies in Paris at 97
Édouard Balladur, who served as French prime minister from 1993 to 1995 during a period of cohabitation under President François Mitterrand, died in Paris on 31 August 2026.
- Aug 10
Bayrou's call for broad 2027 primary from PS to Gaullists rejected across French political spectrum
Former Prime Minister François Bayrou proposed a primary spanning the Socialist Party to the Gaullist right to pick a single candidate for the 2027 presidential election, but parties across the spectrum dismissed the idea.
- Aug 4
Paris prosecutor opens inquiry into workplace bullying after two suicides and two attempts in French PM's services
A preliminary inquiry has been opened after a civil servant attempted suicide, amid allegations of institutional bullying in departments under the French prime minister.
- Jul 4
Marine Le Pen launches 2027 presidential bid after appeal conviction, as top court warns ruling could land just before the vote
A day after a Paris appeals court convicted her of embezzling public funds, Marine Le Pen declared her 2027 presidential candidacy and hit the campaign trail, while the Court of Cassation said it might rule on her final appeal only weeks before the election.
- Jun 30
EU prosecutors raid multiple countries in probe of €4.3m misuse by Le Pen’s old parliamentary group
Coordinated searches in France, Spain, Italy and Belgium target the former Identity and Democracy group, whose members included Marine Le Pen’s National Rally, as the Paris appeal court prepares a pivotal eligibility ruling on 7 July.
- Jun 20
Report estimates 700 to 1,500 children were victims of sadism and torture at Notre-Dame-de-Bétharram Catholic school
An NGO investigation has found that decades of institutional violence at the Notre-Dame-de-Bétharram school near Lourdes may have affected up to 1,500 pupils, with 37 perpetrators identified.
