France
Rain in the Seine would be an Olympic-sized pain
Paris will be praying against rain. Despite extensive efforts to clean and prepare the River Seine ahead of the 2024 Olympics, due to commence on Friday, concerns about water…
A surprising litmus test for New Caledonia’s independence parties
The voters in the second round of France’s national elections last week staved off an expected shift to the far-right. But the result in the Pacific territory New Caledonia was…
Pariah states and the Olympic Games
As the world eagerly anticipates the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, the intersection of international politics and sport once again takes centre stage. The participation of so…
Hope for gold: The value in the Olympics
Hosting the Olympics does not come cheap. The cost of the upcoming Paris Games is estimated to be at least €9 billion (A$14.5 billion).Against the cost proponents of the Olympics…
France’s legislative elections and complications for New Caledonia
French President Emmanuel Macron made a surprise decision at the weekend to dissolve France’s national assembly and set new elections for 30 June and 7 July. While Macron’s move…
Violence erupts in New Caledonia as independence supporters oppose legislation in Paris
Last night saw demonstrations by independence supporters in New Caledonia erupt into serious violence for the first time since the 1980s civil disturbances. The mainly indigenous…
New Caledonia: Uncertainty and division intensify as Paris imposes its will
Two years after the inconclusive third independence referendum under the 1998 Noumea Accord, uncertainty and tensions are mounting in New Caledonia. To force local discussion…
The India-France “pas de deux” in the Indo-Pacific
On 26 January 1950, independent India’s constitution came into effect and the country formally became a republic. The date is celebrated as Republic Day with great pomp and…
A role for nuclear in Australia’s climate response?
Dron Parashar, writing in The Interpreter last month, notes that other countries are actively exploring nuclear options for electricity generation, while the current Australian…
Postcard from Mayotte
The recent visit to Canberra by French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna put the seal on the determination of both Australia and France to forge a partnership that transcends the…