Paris has returned to the streets in resilience
Returning to the Gare de l’Est last night, right at the heart of Paris’ tenth arrondissement, the city seemed notably unchanged from when I left it a little over 72 hours earlier. The streets were not...
View ArticleAfter Paris, progressives must avoid simplistic narratives
In January, the French thought they seen the worst after the Charlie Hebdo and Hyper Cacher killings. The success of the 11 January mass solidarity march gave hope that the country – and the world –...
View ArticleThe longer we leave defeating Isis, the harder it will be
In September I visited Lebanon, a country on the frontline of the refugee crisis. I met Syrians fleeing the brutality of Bashar al-Assad’s regime and of Islamic State. I met Iman, a 65-year-old...
View ArticleThe Last Word … Solidarity requires more than words
David Cameron is right. The fight against Islamism is a generational struggle. This struggle will not be resolved under his tenure in office. When the Conservatives eventually leave office, the fight...
View ArticleState of emergency
The Paris attacks could be a gift to the French far-right Sally Gimson —Christophe and Catherine did not know where their son was on the evening of 13 November until they got a call from his cousin to...
View ArticleHarsh truths for French Socialists
It has been a good week for François Hollande. On the weekend, a ‘historic’ deal was reached at the Paris climate summit, which earned French diplomacy a lot of praise. On Sunday evening, the final...
View ArticleA blessing in disguise for the left?
In a year not short of unexpected political developments, François Fillon has, against all odds, stormed the French centre-right primary. While has was stagnating between 5 and 10 per cent in the polls...
View ArticleOur Rorschach test
Emmanuel Macron stands the best chance of beating Marine Le Pen but offers no hope for Labour’s modernisers Twenty years ago, the centre was radical, popular – even, at times, exciting. The Third Way...
View ArticleA new establishment
There are lessons for all sides from this general election Just weeks ago Labour looked consigned to the opposition benches for decades. The Tories had a lock on older voters, a prime minister with...
View ArticleNew politics, new France
With expectations that surpass those of Tony Blair and Barack Obama, can Emmanuel Macron deliver the change so many believe in, asks Felicity Slater European centre-left has few reasons to be cheerful....
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