France's electoral finance watchdog rejects ex-president's claim for expenses

It’s because the French are instinctively statist that the Depardieu affair has exploded

An uneasy peace has broken out in the month-old conflict which threatened to tear apart the main French opposition party.

The former Justice Minister has been victim to a prolonged and sinister campaign of implied abuse because of her love life. Why did ever expect better of French men?

After two weeks of fraternal menaces, insults and accusations, peace appears to be breaking out on the French centre-right.

Union pour un Mouvement Populaire is accelerating towards self-destruction

Government stands firm on prison votes

The French centre-right yesterday suffered one of the most miserable days in the history of any political movement in the democratic world.

Claims of ballot rigging mar Jean-François Copé's victory as race to succeed Sarkozy ends in acrimony

If Copé wins, it is possible the UMP will split and moderate figures will drift to a new centre party

Outcry from Catholic Church and the right, but latest poll shows 65% of French approve

President François Hollande, facing an unprecedented meltdown in his popularity, today criticised the impatience of French voters but promised that his softly-softly approach would triumph in the end.

Nicolas Sarkozy, the former French President, appeared to quash speculation that he might return to politics when he gave his first speech on the lucrative global lecture circuit for ex-statesmen in New York on Thursday night.

The heavenly smell of frying bacon wakes me in the morning from my "work in progress" kitchen - but social etiquette says I can't go down and join the fry-up.