Europe | Green list

France’s Greens prepare to pick a standard-bearer

The party’s militant base wants to fight climate change without nuclear power

Down with carbon dioxide and, er, nuclear power
|PARIS

THESE ARE succulent times to be a French green. Fully 81% of respondents to a recent poll said climate change was a “very serious problem”, up from 69% in 2015. Recent wildfires, floods and a late frost are a grim reminder of environmental dangers. In local elections last year Europe Écologie Les Verts, the French Green party, won control of some big cities, including Bordeaux, Lyon and Strasbourg. And the rise of the German Greens has raised hopes of a similar breakthrough in France, ahead of presidential elections next year.

This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “Hoping for their time”

Where next for global jihad?

From the August 28th 2021 edition

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Marine Le Pen (L) arrives at the Paris criminal courthouse for her trial on suspicion of embezzlement of European public funds

Marine Le Pen spooks the bond markets

She threatens to bring down the French government, but also faces a possible ban from politics

Donald Trump shakes hands with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte as they meet in Palm Beach, Florida, United States, November 22nd 2024

The maths of Europe’s military black hole 

It needs to spend to defend, but voters may balk


Ukraine’s warriors brace for a Kremlin surge in the south 

Vladimir Putin’s war machine is pushing harder and crushing Ukrainian morale


Vladimir Putin fires a new missile to amplify his nuclear threats

The attack on Ukraine is part of a new era of missile warfare

Once dominant, Germany is now desperate

As an election looms its business model is breaking down