Sarkozy vs Hollande: an austerity battle

Nicolas Sarkozy is gambling his re-election on saving France from economic chaos. Will it work, and would his challenger François Hollande be any better at cutting the debt and deficit?

FACE-OFF

By FRANCE 24

Marc Perelman interviews Philip Turle (RFI) and Jean-Marc Gonin (Le Figaro Magazine).

15/11/2012 - FRANCE 2012

France's Conservative Party: Who will lead it post-Sarkozy?

François Fillon versus Jean-François Copé: on Sunday, the white smoke will come out of the UMP party, and there can only be one new leader. Also, President Hollande tries to show he knows what he is doing by granting a major press conference. Can he bounce back from his disastrous poll figures?

08/11/2012 - FRANCE 2012

Competitiveness measures: did the Socialists blink?

Competitiveness... the word was barely uttered by François Hollande during the presidential campaign. But now, barely a day passes without it. The government has announced a new raft of measures aimed at boosting French competitiveness. In doing so, the Socialists are reneging on some of their core commitments at a time when the popularity of the executive is plunging.

01/11/2012 - FRANCE 2012

35 hour working-week: a French taboo?

Is the 35-hour working week a "taboo" in France? Not any more, said Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault this week, before quickly correcting himself. Is this just another "gaffe" or a sign of a real change in Socialist policy? Also, Cecile Duflot, the French housing minister, has pledged property requisition to provide homes to homeless people, provoking the ire of conservatives.

25/10/2012 - FRANCE 2012

New centrist party: a pipe dream?

This week saw the birth of a new centrist party in France, with ambitions and a popular leader hoping to upset the traditional political landscape here. Meanwhile, this weekend, the ruling Socialists will hold their party congress, but the agenda appears rather empty, since their new boss has already been chosen.

18/10/2012 - FRANCE 2012

Socialist government: is there a pilot in the plane?

Is there a pilot in the government plane? If so, is his crew listening to him? The authority of Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault is on the line after his ministers keep contradicting him in public. These tensions arise as the parliament opens its debate on the 2013 budget, a critical juncture for the new Socialist government.