Global Scans · France · Weekly Summary

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WHAT'S NEXT?: Discontent with political elites and country performance is driving the discourse and demand for action from the French public. With Presidential elections due in May 2017 it remains to be seen whether another political earthquake may happen in one of the EU's founding countries.

• [New] Aviation recovery in Europe was significantly suppressed when a renewed increase in COVID cases in the UK led to a general fear of second waves in other European countries such as France, Germany, and Italy. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] Rich countries will not be spared either: Germany and the United States are forecast to see income shrivel by 11% by 2050, and France by 13%. phys.org
• [New] The G7 nations - France, Germany, Italy, the UK, the United States, Canada and Japan - are expected to call for individual sanctions against people implicated in Iran's missile supply chain. The Times of Israel
• [New] France is still facing adverse weather conditions and anticipates its second-smallest wheat area in three decades, with crop conditions deteriorating compared to the previous year. Frontier Agriculture
• [New] Countries such as Germany, France, the US and UK will lose out even by mid century. The Guardian
• [New] With conflict in the Middle East and Russia's invasion of Ukraine combined with the threat of terror attacks, the French government has raised the security level to its highest level. Sky News
• [New] Countries including France, India, Germany and Canada, are warning citizens to avoid traveling to to Iran, Lebanon, Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories amid the ramped-up regional tensions. CNN
• [New] France has advised its citizens to absolutely refrain from traveling to Iran, Lebanon, Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories due to the risk of military escalation. CNN
• The policies of the United States - the NATO Ally with the largest nuclear arsenal - regarding the use of AI in nuclear defence systems will likely set the tone for the other nuclear capable NATO member states, France and the United Kingdom. NATO Review
• By 2040, the collective GDP of the BRICs would overtake that of France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
• In 2025, Sonatrach will deliver two million tonnes of LNG to TotalEnergies at the port of Fos-Cavaou, near Marseille, which will contribute to the security of energy supply in France and Europe. MarketScreener
• The once potentially groundbreaking alliance has not entirely disappeared: Renault still makes a small van for Mercedes and will make the new Micra electric vehicle (EV) for Nissan in France, but elsewhere it is much reduced. Automotive World
• The French president's posture is shaped by a sense of urgency over a rapidly deteriorating situation in Ukraine, which could prove to be an existential threat to Europe. Foreign Affairs Magazine
• In 2023, in Mexico, taxi driver unions, with 12,000 members, accused Uber of unfair competition, while, in France, around 2480 taxi drivers initiated another legal battle against Uber, alleging unfair competition and seeking substantial damages totaling around 455 million euros. MDPI
• Previous terrorist attacks in France, Germany, Belgium, and the United Kingdom have highlighted the danger posed by jihadist cells capable of operating covertly. SpecialEurasia
• Germany, France and Italy, the three largest economies in the monetary union, have all entered into economic recession, with Eurostat recording an even bigger drop in gross national product (GDP) compared to what markets expected. PubMed Central (PMC)
• The UK updates final Q4 GDP while preliminary March inflation readings out of France and Italy will give an early sense of price trends in the eurozone. IHS markit
• Speculation existed that France and Russia might assist Spain's efforts at reconquest, and also that Spain might transfer Cuba to Britain. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Latin American History
• The U.S. and UK should lead a coalition of the willing with key EU member states such as Germany, France, and the Netherlands, signaling their readiness to respond to security threats from Belgrade and Moscow. The Telegraph
• The dramatic reduction in available data center space and power in the highly developed data center countries (UK, France, Netherlands, Germany, Ireland, etc.) will lead more and more investors to turn to secondary markets. The Fintech Times
• Governments have been ordered to increase or update their emissions reduction efforts (e.g. Netherlands, Germany and recently Belgium), to clarify their climate plans (e.g. Ireland and United Kingdom), and to implement their existing targets (e.g. France). Sabin Center for Climate Change Law
• On the election dates, the highest numbers of eligible voters are expected in Germany (64.9 million people), France (49.7 million) and Italy (47 million). The Sofia Globe
• The highest shares of first-time voters are expected in Belgium, France and Germany with 9.7%, 8% and 7.9% of all eligible voters, respectively. The Sofia Globe

Last updated: 24 April 2024