A Diverse Picture in French Cabinet

Staff / Truthdig May 18, 2007 Newly elected French President Nicolas Sarkozy has made something of a splash with his new cabinet. Seven of the government's 15 ministers will be women. Bernard Kouchner, the socialist founder of Doctors Without Borders, will serve as the conservative government's foreign minister. Justice Minister Rachida Dati is France's first senior cabinet official with an ethnic minority background. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

The French Bellwether

E.J. Dionne Jr. / Truthdig May 8, 2007 Is Europe moving right? Is the democratic left in trouble? The decisive victory of Nicolas Sarkozy over Socialist Segolene Royal in France's presidential elections on Sunday was the most recent example of the battering that moderate-left parties are taking from the forces of globalization and discontent over immigration. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Bill Maher: Vive La France!

Staff / Truthdig May 7, 2007 The "Real Time" host says that conservatives have to stop rolling their eyes at the French, who have the best healthcare system, an informed and active electorate, public intellectuals and, above all, the common sense to stay out of Iraq. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Conservative Wins French Election

Staff / Truthdig May 7, 2007 Socialist candidate Segolene Royal has conceded to conservative Nicolas Sarkozy, the next president of France. In his acceptance speech, Sarkozy promised to unite a divided nation and urged Washington to address climate change more aggressively. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

The Final Hustle

Staff / Truthdig May 4, 2007 French presidential candidates Segolene Royal (above) and Nicolas Sarkozy are fervently pressing flesh and swapping barbs in the remaining hours before Sunday's vote. Royal, a socialist, warned that a win for Sarkozy could trigger violence, while front-runner Sarkozy sniffed that his rival's attack was a byproduct of her lagging status in pre-election polls. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

France’s Vote Turnout Highest in Decades

Staff / Truthdig Apr 23, 2007 France has experienced its highest voter turnout in nearly 50 years, with right-winger Nicolas Sarkozy and socialist Segolene Royal, pictured, headed for a runoff. If she wins, Royal will be France's first woman president, but she took in fewer votes than Sarkozy. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

French Intelligence Warned of Airline Terror Plot in 2001

Staff / Truthdig Apr 17, 2007 Months before 9/11, French intelligence warned the CIA that al-Qaida was planning an attack involving airplanes, according to classified documents and former French intelligence officials. The information was vague and possibly misleading, but it speaks to the intelligence community's inability to coalesce fragmentary warnings into something concrete and comprehensive. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

French Royal Line Leads to India

Staff / Truthdig Mar 7, 2007 The eldest living descendant of France's King Henry IV appears to be a 48-year-old lawyer in Bhopal, India. Prince Michael of Greece "discovered" Balthazar Napoleon de Bourbon's ancestral ties while researching a book, though the supposed heir's family had previously attempted to gain recognition. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

U.S. Pledges Support for Lebanon

Staff / Truthdig Jan 25, 2007 Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced a $770-million aid package to help with Lebanon's reconstruction. The war-ravaged nation is hoping to raise $9 billion in aid. Meanwhile, a Hezbollah-backed general strike and mass protests continue to threaten the tenure of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Chirac Blasts U.S.-Led Invasion of Iraq

Staff / Truthdig Jan 6, 2007 The French president told a group of ambassadors that the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq had destabilized the Middle East and allowed terrorism to spread -- just as he had predicted on the eve of the war in 2003. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

More French Couples Going Unwed

Staff / Truthdig Nov 22, 2006 Marriage rates in France are about 45 percent below U Whence the trend? Theories: This (French) generation's nearly universal rejection of religion, and a massive migration to more independent-friendly urban areas Despite warnings from religious conservatives, society hasn't crumbled in tandem with marriage rates Also, out-of-wedlock births are up in the U -- and not only to teens, but to mothers choosing to put off marriage. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

French Students Turning to Sex Work?

Staff / Truthdig Nov 1, 2006 France's leading students union estimates that some 40,000 students have taken up prostitution to fund their studies French police are disputing the report, saying prostitutes are posing as students (Via BloggerNews) Also: Check out the battle in the Italian gov't over transvestite bathroom rights. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )