France

Keep Calm
Even if NATO rushes to the exits, Afghan collapse is not inevitable (+video)

As French President Hollande promises troop withdrawal this year, and the rest of NATO plans to exit by 2014, Afghanistan's best hope may be the disunity and ill-discipline of the Taliban.
Hollande-Cameron don't agree on much – except need to save the eurozone

French President Hollande and UK Prime Minister Cameron meet in US today ahead of G8 summit. They are likely to find common ground on eurozone crisis despite differences over austerity.
Hollande's presidency begins with whirlwind day in Paris

French President François Hollande, inaugurated today, spoke about the need for unity and reiterated promises to invest in education.
Hollande's plane struck by lightning en route to Germany to meet Merkel (+video)

A quick trip to Germany is not unusual for a new French president. But François Hollande will bring a radically changed agenda when he meets Chancellor Merkel today.
Global News Blog
Hollande's hometown says goodbye to François, hello to Monsieur le Président

French President-elect François Hollande spent election weekend in Tulle, where he got his political start and had a reputation as an approachable, hands-on local official.
Hollande, the man 'no one saw coming,' prepares to lead France (+video)

Once characterized as unassuming and almost banal, France's president-elect, François Hollande, is now being tagged as 'savvy' and 'steely.'
Germany frets, markets falter over French and Greek election results

In Germany, the results of yesterday's elections are seen as a refusal to follow the austerity plan hammered out by European leaders in long, painful negotiations.
Keep Calm
What the French elections could mean for Afghan security

Newly elected French President François Hollande pledged to withdraw French troops by end of 2012. This will increase the burden on other NATO allies as Taliban fighting season begins.
French president-elect Hollande promises 'kinder, gentler austerity' (+video)

As leader of Europe's No. 2 economy, French President-elect François Hollande has the power to challenge German Chancellor Angela Merkel's austerity doctrine.
Hollande wins French presidency, signals revisit of austerity (+video)

Socialist candidate François Hollande defeated incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy for the French presidency in a vote that could reposition how the country responds to the eurozone crisis.
France votes for president and path forward in debt-crisis

French voters headed to the polls Sunday in a presidential run-off between incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy and Socialist challenger Francois Hollande.
France worries that unsavory presidential campaign has divided country

Nicolas Sarkozy's decision to play to the far right for votes in the presidential election has changed the French political landscape in a way many consider damaging.
French candidate Hollande's projected win could change eurozone's course

French presidential frontrunner Francois Hollande, of the Socialist Party, could prompt major changes to the German-led austerity model, which much of Europe is already rising up against.
French debate captivates 18 million, boosts Hollande (+video)

In last night's presidential debate, challenger Francois Hollande matched President Nicolas Sarkozy point for point, occasionally putting the famed debater on the defensive.
One hot French presidential debate: genial tortoise vs. mud-slinging hare (+video)

Three-quarters of France is expected to tune in tonight to the sole debate between François Holland and President Nicolas Sarkozy, who is in danger of becoming the first incumbent to lose since 1981.
Will the far right be the kingmaker in France's presidential election? (+video)

Far-right candidate Marine Le Pen captured 18 percent of the vote yesterday. How her supporters vote in the runoff could be the deciding factor between President Sarkozy and Francois Hollande.
French elections: Socialist challenger Hollande takes Round 1, promises growth

Both François Hollande and incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy now advance to a runoff presidential election on May 6.
French head to the polls at critical moment for Europe

President Nicolas Sarkozy and Socialist challenger Francois Hollande are among the 10 presidential candidates vying to be the two finalists in a May 6 runoff.
French presidential elections will be referendum on Sarkozy, the man

The first round of French presidential elections are Sunday. Incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy is facing the lowest approval ratings of a modern president, largely due to distaste with his style, not platform.
In increasingly urban France, farmers still wield political clout

France's rural community is shrinking, but candidates in next week's presidential election are careful to woo farmers, who turn out in higher rates than other voters.
Why French far-right candidate Marine Le Pen is attracting youth

Marine Le Pen polls third across the entire electorate, but second among 18- to 22-year-olds, largely because they see her tough stance on immigration as the answer to their employment struggles.
As French election goes into high gear, it's Mr. Hot vs. Mr. Cool

President Sarkozy is in full attack mode against Socialist frontrunner François Hollande, bringing a rarely seen element to French campaigning.
European court ends era of safe harbor for Abu Hamza

The European Court of Human Rights today ruled that extraditing radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza to the US would not violate his rights and is therefore permissible.
To the barricades? French rally behind far-left candidate's fighting words

Jean Luc Mélenchon has suddenly become the No. 3 French presidential candidate, whipping up crowds with his robust leftist rhetoric in a tough election season.
Terrorism & Security
France arrests 10 suspected militants in latest post-Toulouse raids

While President Nicolas Sarkozy denies the crackdown on alleged Islamist militants in France has anything to do with last month's shootings in Toulouse, today's raids were the second series since the incident.