Francois Hollande
France’s new right
The result in France in the first round of the Les Républicains party’s primary elections marks the political death of…
The Spectator’s Notes
‘No one can seriously deny that European integration brought an end to Franco-German conflict and has settled the German question…
Hollande equals Thatcher? Not quite, Monsieur le President, but keep trying
Have you ever tried discussing the merits of gun control with a Texan, or of deregulated labour markets with a…
Hollande’s hollow crown
France’s president is looking more hopeless than ever. But French politics is such a mess that he’ll probably survive
Hollande’s own emergency
His response to the Paris terror attacks has left the French president increasingly isolated and unpopular
It is time to join the fight against IS in Syria
The Islamic State is as monstrous an enemy as we have seen in recent history. It crucifies and decapitates its…
Portrait of the week
Home After the killings in Paris, David Cameron, the Prime Minister, said that seven terrorist attacks on Britain had been…
The politics of terror
Hollande isn’t seizing his chance. Marine Le Pen might
Vive Hollande?
How France’s wobbly pudding of a president could still win again
One événement after another
The great conundrum of French history is the French Revolution, or rather, the sequence of revolutions, coups and insurrections during…
French Notebook
An overnight stop on the Ile de Ré taken between the St Malo ferry and the Quercy, where we always…
Portrait of the week
Home A Bill to enable a referendum on whether voters wanted Britain to ‘remain’ in the European Union figured in…
Mob rules
Would-be leaders of the left are harnessing the mood of angry populism
‘J’adore Michel’
News of Michel Houllebecq’s Soumission caused such a stir that the book was pirated online before publication. David Sexton reports on the latest literary event in France
Le French bashing
The popular sport has spread to France. Are things really that bad, wonders Jonathan Meades
President or prisoner?
Destiny is calling Nicolas Sarkozy. But it’s not clear whether he’s heading back to the Elysée – or to jail
Applause for the Beeb’s new leading lady – but did the male runner-up deserve such a kicking?
Hats off to Rona Fairhead, the former Financial Times executive who will succeed Lord Patten as chairman of the BBC…
Europe hopes for magic from Draghi but should listen more carefully to his words
European Central Bank President Mario Draghi secured a place in history by his demonstration, on 26 July 2012, of the…
You don’t have to be a left-wing think tank to believe the bosses’ pay boom is unhealthy
The FTSE100 index stands precisely where it did in the first week of December 1999. Whichever way you look at…
My summer advice for graduate job-seekers: try the City last, and steer well clear of PR
August is the season for conversation about career choices. Every holiday party seems to include new graduates or next year’s…
A challenge for Centrica’s new boss: persuade the public we need to get fracking
Iain Conn, who will succeed Sam Laidlaw as chief executive of Centrica, would have been a dead cert for the…
The free market needs fighting for – again
As you’re reading this, I will still be recovering from the dinner I’m due to attend this week to celebrate…
French suicide
The desperate state of its politics seems to signal the end of the Republic
The radical centre
In almost a decade as Conservative leader, David Cameron has tended to avoid talking about his political philosophy. He has…
Osborne is entitled to look smug but would be wise to wear a bag over his head
The popular pastime for financial commentators this season is sticking pins in George Osborne. To those on the left who…
