Politics

Government, policy, institutions, and political power dynamics.

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Briefing: Israel pounds Beirut's southern suburbs with death toll raising to 850

Strategic angle: An Israeli strike hit Beirut's southern suburbs on March 15, leading to a significant increase in casualties.

Editorial Staff Mar 16

Politics

Trump urges other nations to help secure shipping through Strait of Hormuz

Trump calls for international cooperation to ensure safe passage in a critical shipping lane.

Editorial Staff Mar 16

Politics

Briefing: Trump announces AI chatbot ban while Pentagon uses it to prepare Iran attacks

Strategic angle: In a controversial move, Trump bans Anthropic's AI chatbot as military tensions rise.

Editorial Staff Mar 16

Politics

Briefing: Gulf States still under Iranian fire as Trump boasts of successful US strikes

Strategic angle: On the 17th day of the war, a ceasefire looks like a far-off hope as Trump claims success in US military actions.

Editorial Staff Mar 16

Politics

Briefing: India faces dilemma as energy crisis bites amid US trade deal negotiations

Strategic angle: New Delhi walks a policy tightrope, with public anger mounting over shortages of cooking gas as the US demands support for its war on Iran.

Editorial Staff Mar 16

Politics

Nicolas Sarkozy back in court over alleged Libyan funding for 2007 presidential campaign

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy challenges his conviction over campaign funding allegations linked to Libya.

Editorial Staff Mar 16

Politics

Briefing: Can Trump sell the MAGA crowd on soccer?

Strategic angle: Donald Trump has mobilized around right-wing coded sports like MMA and wrestling, but his soccer World Cup push is a cultural clash.

Editorial Staff Mar 16

Politics

Briefing: Spain Temporarily Relocates Special Forces from Iraq Over Security Fears

Strategic angle: Spain has moved its special forces out of Iraq amid rising security concerns, ensuring the safety of all personnel.

Editorial Staff Mar 16

Politics

Briefing: Rare daytime Russian attack rocks Kyiv with explosions

Strategic angle: Russia launched a rare daytime attack on Kyiv Monday, with air defence batteries intercepting projectiles.

Editorial Staff Mar 16

Politics

Briefing: French local elections: Far-right RN fails to gain ground in major cities outside the South

Strategic angle: The Rassemblement National aimed to regain a foothold in France's largest cities, hoping to return to municipal councils one year ahead of the presidential election. This gamble has largely failed.

Editorial Staff Mar 16

Politics

Briefing: Can Europe’s power grid shield it from the next energy shock?

Strategic angle: The conflict in Iran is causing major problems in the Middle East, a key oil and gas region.

Editorial Staff Mar 16

Politics

French voters head to the polls for the first round of local elections

While most towns will have elected their mayors by this Sunday night, several major cities could face a fiercely contested second-round run-off next week.

Editorial Staff Mar 16

Politics

Israeli soldiers fire on family car in occupied West Bank, killing 4

Tragic incident leaves four dead, including two children, in the northern West Bank.

Editorial Staff Mar 16

Politics

Briefing: EU Ministers to Consider Strengthening Naval Mission Amid US Pressure

Strategic angle: Belgian Prime Minister urges Europe to negotiate with Russia as tensions rise over the Druzhba pipeline.

Editorial Staff Mar 16

Politics

Left-wing candidate Emmanuel Grégoire tops first round of Paris mayoral race

Socialist candidate Emmanuel Grégoire leads ahead of former culture minister Rachida Dati in the Paris mayoral race.

Editorial Staff Mar 16

Politics

Briefing: Germany news: CDU leads in Hesse vote — partial results

Strategic angle: Chancellor Friedrich Merz's CDU is set to remain the strongest party at the local level in the central state of Hesse.

Editorial Staff Mar 16

Politics

Briefing: Nobel Laureate in Literature Elfriede Jelinek: 'The destruction of the feminine has always been one of my major themes'

Strategic angle: The Austrian writer and playwright, who usually avoids interviews, agreed to speak exclusively with Le Monde about her body of work, except for her most recent novel.

Editorial Staff Mar 16

Politics

Briefing: 2026 French municipal elections: Voter abstention reaches levels unprecedented except during the pandemic

Strategic angle: Between 41.5% and 44% of registered voters did not cast a ballot on Sunday, March 15, marking an unprecedented level of abstention.

Editorial Staff Mar 16

Politics

Briefing: 5th member of Iranian women's soccer team gives up asylum in Australia

Strategic angle: The player's departure shortly before midnight on Sunday leaves two of an initial seven squad members in Australia.

Editorial Staff Mar 16

Politics

Briefing: Kazakhstan voters back constitutional overhaul, exit polls show

Strategic angle: Voters overwhelmingly approved sweeping reforms in a referendum that could tighten presidential control over institutions and raise concerns about civil liberties.

Editorial Staff Mar 16