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A series of coordinated arson attacks on France's railway infrastructure led authorities to delay, reroute or stop several trains on July 26, just hours before the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, Reuters reported the same day.

France: Coordinated Arson Attacks Disrupt Train Services Ahead of Olympics Opening Ceremony

Djibouti

France and Djibouti renewed their bilateral defense cooperation treaty, Jeune Afrique reported on July 24.

Djibouti: France Secures Renewal of Bilateral Defense Agreement

France's lower house of Parliament reelected Yael Braun-Pivet, French President Emmanuel Macron's candidate, as president of the National Assembly with 220 votes in the third round of voting following a last-minute agreement between Macron's centrist alliance Ensemble and center-right lawmakers from the Les Republicains party, Le Monde reported on July 18.

France: Macron's Candidate Braun-Pivet Reelected as President of National Assembly

French President Emmanuel Macron will accept the resignation of Prime Minister Gabriel Attal on July 16 after the second round of early parliamentary elections on July 7 resulted in a hung Parliament with no political force in control of a clear majority, Le Figaro reported the same day.

France: Outgoing Prime Minister Attal To Stay on in Caretaking Capacity

France is "dangerously exposed" to a new economic shock due to its growing budget deficit amid an ongoing political crisis, Le Monde reported on July 15, citing the country's national auditor.

France: Country 'Dangerously Exposed' to Economic Shock Amid Growing Deficits

Benin

Burkina Faso

Cote d'Ivoire

Mali

Niger

Burkinabe junta leader Ibrahim Traore accused Cote d'Ivoire and Benin of attempting to destabilize Burkina Faso in coordination with France, Le Monde reported on July 11.

West Africa: Burkina Faso Accuses Cote d’Ivoire and Benin of Destabilization Attempts

Sophie Binet, the leader of France's hard-left General Confederation of Labour, or CGT, called for strikes and demonstrations to "demand the establishment of a government from the New Popular Front," raising the possibility of protests during the Paris Olympics between July 26 and Aug. 11, Le Figaro reported on July 11.

France: Hard-Left CGT Union To Rally on July 18, Maybe During Olympics

French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal rejected the idea of an alliance with the far-left France Unbowed party to form a government following the second round of France's legislative elections, Le Monde reported June 3.

France: Prime Minister Rejects Alliance With Far-Left Party 

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Parc des Champions on July 4, 2024, at the foot of the Eiffel Tower at the Trocadero in Paris.

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: The Paris Olympics, Netanyahu Addresses Congress

Snapshots

French President Emmanuel Macron (center, in foreground) and French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal review the troops during the Bastille Day military parade in Paris, France, on July 14, 2024.

A caretaker administration will guarantee the functioning of the state while complex government formation talks take place, but the appointment of a political government able to enact necessary fiscal measures will remain elusive.

The Powers and Limits of France's New Caretaker Government 

A French flag is waved during a rally following the projected results of the second round of France's legislative election, at Place de la Republique in Paris on July 7, 2024.

Global Elections

Even if a new government is formed, it will be fragile and constantly at risk of collapse, impeding Paris' ability to pass needed economic reforms while sustaining the prospect of new elections after mid-2025.

France Keeps the Far Right at Bay, but a Hung Parliament Still Raises Political Risks

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A banner reading "public services in danger, let's vote" on July 5 in Paris.

The Weekly Rundown: French Legislative Runoffs, a NATO Summit in Washington

Graffiti reading 'June 30 Popular Front' after the results of the first round of parliamentary elections were announced June 30 in Paris. The first round of France's legislative election confirmed that the country is moving toward severe policy uncertainty as a hung parliament or a far-right government emerge as the two likeliest scenarios for the second round.

The first round of France's legislative election confirmed that the country is moving toward severe policy uncertainty as a hung parliament or a far-right government emerge as the two likeliest scenarios for the second round.

French Elections See a Win for the Far Right, and for Policy Uncertainty

Iran

United Kingdom

U.K. Prime Minister and Conservative Party leader Rishi Sunak holds a campaign event on June 24, 2024, in London.

The Weekly Rundown: SCO Leaders Meet, France and the U.K. Hold Elections

A man walks past campaign posters for France's upcoming legislative elections in Parempuyre, southwestern France, on June 25, 2024.

The election of a far-right or far-left government would increase uncertainty about France's financial outlook and weaken the country's influence on EU economic policy issues, as well as its support to Ukraine.

France's Post-Election Economic Outlook

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Cyber

What entities pose the biggest cyberthreats?

Essential Geopolitics: Growing Cyber Concerns Ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics

The National Assembly on June 10 in Paris. French President Emmanuel Macron on June 9 announced the dissolution of the National Assembly and a legislative election June 30, with a second round on July 7.

The most likely outcome of the vote is prolonged policy paralysis either through a hung parliament or through complex cohabitation between a president and prime minister from different parties. 

French Early Legislative Elections Risk Policy Paralysis

Mexico

A rally for Morena party candidate Claudia Sheinbaum on May 29 in Mexico City's Zocalo.

The Weekly Rundown: South Africa's ANC Faces a Reckoning, Mexican Voters Select a New President

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Serbia

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Panamanian presidential candidate Jose Raul Mulino on May 1, 2024, in Panama City. Panamanians will vote May 5 to select their next president and all 71 members of the National Assembly.

The Weekly Rundown: Panama Holds General Elections, Xi Visits Europe

Europe

Chinese President Xi Jinping is seen between the Chinese and French national flags in Beijing on Jan. 9, 2018. 

During the rare visit, the Chinese president will seek to ease EU trade tensions and secure Beijing's economic presence and influence in Central and Eastern Europe.

What To Expect During Xi's Trip to Europe

<p>France is a country in Western Europe bound in the south by the Alps, Pyrenees Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea. To the west and north is the Atlantic Ocean, and on its eastern border lies the river Rhine and the low mountains of the Ardennes, Vosges and Jura. Mountains, rivers and seas help protect France at all points but one: the North European Plain. As a result, France&#39;s main geographic challenge is safeguarding its eastern border on the path of this historic invasion route. The lack of internal geographic barriers contributed to France&#39;s social cohesion, which in turn led France to become one of the world&#39;s first modern nation-states. The Beauce region represents France&#39;s core. Its navigable rivers, warm climate, sufficient rainfall and fertile soils have made France one of the world&#39;s leading agricultural powers. At the extreme northern border of the Beauce region, where the rivers Marne and Seine meet, lies Paris &mdash; France&#39;s economic and political center. Paris&#39; strategic location on these rivers gives it administrative control of trading routes from the Beauce region to the rest of France and Europe In modern times, the most existential threats to France have come from its powerful eastern neighbor, Germany. Between 1871 and 1945, France and Germany fought three major wars &mdash; all on the North European Plain. After World War II, France attempted to contain Germany largely through the creation of the European Union. The economic and political crisis plaguing Europe has put France&#39;s containment strategy into question.</p>

SITUATION REPORTS

France: Coordinated Arson Attacks Disrupt Train Services Ahead of Olympics Opening Ceremony

Djibouti: France Secures Renewal of Bilateral Defense Agreement

France: Macron's Candidate Braun-Pivet Reelected as President of National Assembly

France: Outgoing Prime Minister Attal To Stay on in Caretaking Capacity

France: Country 'Dangerously Exposed' to Economic Shock Amid Growing Deficits

West Africa: Burkina Faso Accuses Cote d’Ivoire and Benin of Destabilization Attempts

France: Hard-Left CGT Union To Rally on July 18, Maybe During Olympics

France: Prime Minister Rejects Alliance With Far-Left Party

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