French police raided offices of Marine Le Pen's far-right political party, Rassemblement National, as part of an investigation, highlighting ongoing legal scrutiny of the party.
Jordan Bardella, leader of France's Rassemblement National (RN), has threatened to bring down Prime Minister Michel Barnier's government over a contentious budget proposal aimed at reducing France's deficit. The RN, a key voting bloc in the National Assembly, demands significant changes to the budget, which includes tax increases and spending cuts. With negotiations stalled and a crucial vote imminent, the political uncertainty has already impacted French markets, raising concerns about the country's financial stability.
French President Emmanuel Macron defended a bill to toughen immigration laws despite an embarrassing parliamentary vote that aligned his ruling alliance with Marine Le Pen's far-right Rassemblement national party. The bill's adoption could boost Le Pen's party ahead of the upcoming European Parliament elections. Macron plans to refer the bill to the Constitutional Council for checks on its constitutionality. The bill includes measures such as migration quotas, making it harder for immigrants' children to become French citizens, and delaying migrants' access to welfare benefits. The bill has caused unease among Macron's left-leaning lawmakers, with some abstaining or voting against it.