Some French voters are questioning President Emmanuel Macron’s strategy in this year's presidential elections. As notably anti-establishment parties toured the country before last week's first round of voting, Mr Macron held just one rally, only confirmed his candidacy last month and refused to participate in television debates. Nonetheless, he has, for now, come out on top, four percentage points ahead of his closest rival, Marine Le Pen. But the race is far from over. One leading poll predicts Mr Macron beating her by the narrowest of margins, 51 to 49 per cent.
There are two explanations for his light-touch approach. One is, indeed, confidence. Mr Macron comfortably defeated Ms Le Pen in 2017, whose usual political territory, the far-right, has been encroached on this year by the even more populist Eric Zemmour. In that same election, he also resoundingly defeated the country's traditional political parties, the Socialists and Republicans, who, after decades of supremacy, show no sign of recovering this year.
The other could be, simply, that he is extremely busy. Though many will raise eyebrows at the notion that any world leader is too busy to try to keep their job, if there is one, it may be Mr Macron. He has been at the forefront of diplomatic efforts to end the crisis in Ukraine. In the weeks and months leading up to the conflict, he visited his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, more than any other leader. Since the invasion, he has taken the lead in forming the EU's response, one that will be of huge geopolitical significance given the organisation's proximity to the warzone and its reliance on Russian energy.
It is little surprise he chose to do so. Some argue that Mr Macron is far more at home on the global stage than he is in domestic politics. The Middle East is a good example. In the aftermath of the 2020 Beirut blast, he was warmly welcomed twice by many Lebanese people, hailed as an important international ally in their ongoing, seemingly endless quest to build a less corrupt, more prosperous country. The following year he played a leading role in organising a summit in Baghdad that brought together GCC powers and Iran and conducted major naval drills in the Mediterranean. In the disastrous western withdrawal from Afghanistan, France read the situation better than its allies and began to withdraw its citizens long before other countries. He has even broached the sensitive subject of France's colonial legacy in Algeria.
Taken together, he has managed to cast himself as a leading western statesman at a time when many of his traditional counterparts seem to be stepping back, be it US President Joe Biden's reluctance to engage with the Middle East or Boris Johnson's pursuit of Brexit.
But winning friends abroad is arguably easier than galvanising voters at home. Inflation is at a 13-year high, in large part due to rapidly rising energy prices. Even national supermarkets are dimming lights to reduce consumption. Throughout Mr Macron's time in power, France has seen protests and strikes – particularly violent ones took place last summer over the introduction of Covid-19 vaccine passports – terror attacks and controversies over how the state treats its large Muslim community. Mr Macron has stated his willingness to encourage an "enlightened" practice of the faith in France, a sensitive policy that, while with good intentions, must not further alienate significant sections of France's Muslim community.
With these challenges in mind, it is little surprise that voter turnout has been down 4 per cent on 2017 levels. Even more worryingly, it also goes some way to explaining why a new, increasingly aggressive type of the far-right is growing in the country.
Ultimately, it is navigating these issues and trends that will keep him in power. But Macron is still the best choice for a stable, prosperous France, especially given the firebrands he is running against, who push far more divisive agendas. He can beat them by convincing voters that he still represents a positively radical and new type of politics, the same that saw him break France's political mould in 2017. After five years in power, his main mission will be maintaining this bold momentum, in a manner that brings as much of the country along as possible, and, crucially, that provides a tolerant alternative to divisive factions that are gaining ground.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed
Power: 620bhp
Torque: 760Nm
Price: Dh898,000
On sale: now
The specs: 2018 Renault Megane
Price, base / as tested Dh52,900 / Dh59,200
Engine 1.6L in-line four-cylinder
Transmission Continuously variable transmission
Power 115hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque 156Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 6.6L / 100km
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
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LEADERBOARD
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The%20specs
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About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
Boston%20Strangler
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Sri Lanka World Cup squad
Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis, Isuru Udana, Milinda Siriwardana, Avishka Fernando, Jeevan Mendis, Lahiru Thirimanne, Jeffrey Vandersay, Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
More on Quran memorisation:
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Regional Qualifier
The top three teams progress to the Asia Qualifier
Final: UAE beat Qatar by nine wickets
Third-place play-off: Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia by five runs
Table
1 UAE 5 5 0 10
2 Qatar 5 4 1 8
3 Saudi 5 3 2 6
4 Kuwait 5 2 3 4
5 Bahrain 5 1 4 2
6 Maldives 5 0 5 0
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Scotland's team:
15-Sean Maitland, 14-Darcy Graham, 13-Nick Grigg, 12-Sam Johnson, 11-Byron McGuigan, 10-Finn Russell, 9-Ali Price, 8-Magnus Bradbury, 7-Hamish Watson, 6-Sam Skinner, 5-Grant Gilchrist, 4-Ben Toolis, 3-Willem Nel, 2-Stuart McInally (captain), 1-Allan Dell
Replacements: 16-Fraser Brown, 17-Gordon Reid, 18-Simon Berghan, 19-Jonny Gray, 20-Josh Strauss, 21-Greig Laidlaw, 22-Adam Hastings, 23-Chris Harris
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
