Blog Masonry
A second youth for the far left?
Postman Olivier Besancenot is standing for the Revolutionary Communists. At the age of 33, he’s hoping his anti-capitalist message will get across to disillusioned young people.
Get the right adaptor
[img_assist|nid=1477|title=|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=69|height=107] If you plan to plug in anything you bring with you, it won't fit in the holes unless you bring an adaptor (and these are surprisingly hard to find over there), and it just might get burned out if you don't convert the electrical current.
Bring in euros with you
Make sure your arrive in France with some Euros in your moneybag. You never know when it'll be useful. But one rule is that you will find out at the most inappropriate times…
Campaign goes down to the wire
Nicolas Sarkozy has been ahead in the polls for four months. With many French voters still undecided, the other candidates are focusing their endgame attacks on him.
9/11: French intelligence warned US
French newspaper Le Monde reports French intelligence agencies issued a warning to the CIA eight months before the September 11 plot. International Affairs editor Robert Parsons analyses the latest development.
Security tight at Le Pen rally
Security is tight as far right presidential candidate Jean-Marie Le Pen addresses his supporters. And as election day draws closer France is on red alert. (Report: C. Casali)
Ex-UN envoy calls for centre-left alliance
Could a centre-left pact tip the scales in the French presidential election? Prominent Socialist Bernard Kouchner has added his voice to calls for an alliance against rightwing frontrunner Nicolas Sarkozy.
Kabul won't talk to Taliban on French hostages
The Afghan foreign minister has talked tough on the Taliban, saying that cutting a deal with "criminals" to secure the release of French hostages is out of the question. (Report: A. Georgian)
Muslim organisation surveys political horizon
With a week to go until the first round of the presidential election, France’s biggest Muslim organisation holds a conference – and decides not to back any single candidate.
Between Socialists and the far-left
With a divided far-left to one side, the Socialist Party calls for a ‘useful vote’ in the first round. How will the left-leaning electorate react?