Standing on his throne with sceptre and orb in hand, Libération’s front page takes a cynical view of Nicolas Sarkozy’s address to Congress today at Versailles. The cartoon suggests similarities between Sarkozy and Napoléon with the insignia “N” appearing on the thone. Or are they comparing him to the Bourbon kings? The editorial says, “Who can deny the monarchic connotations of today’s ritual at the Sun King’s Castle?” Libération sees today’s speech as a clear breach of the separation of powers. Yet the President’s right to address Parliament is now enshrined in the Constitution. L’Humanité - France's Communist newspaper - is also virulently opposed to today’s address. The fact that he will come to Versailles, address the MPs and Senators and then leave without any chance for them to respond is a turning point in the history of the Republic and the presidentialisation of the regime. The Greens are not participating, having called it a ‘travesty of democracy’.For l’Humanité this will mark phase two of Sarkozy’s assault on the French social model. Issues such as raising the retirement age to 67 and privatising the Post Office are on the agenda.

It’s not all negative press for today’s seminal event at Versailles. The centre-right paper Le Figaro says while the left would like to believe that the Republic is hanging in the balance because of today’s speech, that’s simply because they need something to believe in. What are we dealing with today, asks the paper? Quite simply, a man who was elected two years ago is going to give an account of his actions thus far and his actions in the future. It’s not about humiliating the opposition, the paper says. He will speak about the state of France just as Obama and all his predecessors since George Washington speak about the state of the Union each year on Capitol Hill. This theme is also treated in la Croix with an article saying the Presidential address to Congress is simply bringing France in line with other democracies. The US example is again cited as well as the Queen’s Speech in the UK. Now while this is an antiquated ceremony which permits the be-wigged Lords to sit while the MPs must stand, it is nonetheless an exercise in democracy according to this article. The Prime Minister writes the speech. However the difference here is that a four or five hour debate between ministers and the opposition follows the queen’s speech. This is a lot more restricted than that ten allotted minutes given to each party after Sarkozy’s speech. The Spanish Prime Minister gives a similar speech each year on front of the Cortes in Madrid. In Germany, the Chancellor can speak on front of either house of Parliament at any moment.

The front page of Le Parisien picks up on one of the items on Nicolas Sarkozy’s speech. “Retirement at 60, this time it’s over!” reads the front page headline. Last week, the government tested the waters with this issue, saying it was no longer taboo to examine a reform of the retirement age. Le Parisien believes that today, Sarkozy may well declare that he’s in favour of pushing back the retirement age. A cartoon features two old men in a nursing home making rude comments about the increasingly elderly nursing staff. “They won’t be giving us any palpitations,” says one!

It was the Fête de la Musique or Annual Music Festival in France yesterday – an event where free concerts are put on all over the country. Le Parisien gives a run down of the concerts across the French capital last night. There was a big event at the Chateau de Vincennes where Pete Doherty was meant to sing but was replaced by Paulo Nutini – not quite as well known! Other big names in French music played at Parc de Bagatelle but it was also an opportunity for amateurs to strut their stuff. DJs set up their decks on street corners and squares. Le Parisien also describes the less fun elements. On Boulevard Saint Germain, the cafés where overflowing, Karma Police was being massacred and elsewhere those walking through the streets of the Latin Quarter you wondered what the Red Hot Chili Peppers had ever done to deserve the renditions of their songs being performed. The front page of le Courrier de l’Ouest shows the festivities in other parts of the country, in this case the city of Angers in the West of France.

Now to sports and the ongoing trials and tribulations at Olympique Marseille… Libération says it’s a total soap opera. Jean-Claude Dassier is the new Manager, replacing Pape Diouf. Nothing has been signed yet but it’s likely to be very controversial as Dassier has never managed a club before, he’s coming straight from the television station TF1 where he was head of sports but more recently the director general of the channel. One of his suggested collaborators Jean-Pierre Bernes was convicted for having been involved in match fixing between Valenciennes and Olympique Marseilles in the 90s. L’Equipe also carries the story calling it a big mess.