Latest update: 19/10/2012 

- François Hollande - French politics - Jean-Marc Ayrault - Socialist Party (France) - UMP


Socialist government: is there a pilot in the plane?

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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.

FACE-OFF
By FRANCE 24

On the set:

  • Philip Turle, Journalist, RFI;
  • Jean-Marc Gonin, Senior Writer, Le Figaro Magazine.
France's Conservative Party: Who will lead it post-Sarkozy?
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?
Competitiveness measures: did the Socialists blink?
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.
35 hour working-week: a French taboo?
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.
New centrist party: a pipe dream?
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.
European treaty vote: a win for Hollande?
11/10/2012 - FRANCE 2012

European treaty vote: a win for Hollande?

The European fiscal pact has been approved by France's National Assembly, or lower house of parliament. This was to be expected since both the ruling Socialists and the opposition right were in favour of the treaty. But it was still an important test for President François Hollande. Also on the show: why French politicians are up in arms over a chocolate pastry.

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