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Germany’s ‘no surprise’ election yields many firsts

Europe • 10:27 PM

As predicted by pre-election opinion polls, Germany’s conservatives swept to victory in Sunday’s parliamentary elections, with their leader Friedrich Merz set to become the new chancellor. The far-right AfD's second position also came as no surprise. But

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Who is Friedrich Merz? Meet the man set to be Germany's next chancellor

Europe • 10:25 PM

After winning the German election with under 30 percent of the vote, the conservative leader Friedrich Merz will have to forge a new coaltion government. Merz has pledged to revive the ailing economy and shut German borders to undocumented migrants.

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Israeli tanks enter West Bank for first time in decades as minister says Palestinians can't return

Israel sent tanks into the West Bank city of Jenin on Sunday in the first offensive of its kind in the area in more than two decades. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said troops would remain in parts of the territory for a year, and that the tens of

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Elections in Germany: CDU-CSU bloc leads in exit polls

The biggest losers of these elections are the Social Democrats and the Free Democrats, who were part of the previous coalition. 'It is uncertain whether this party will meet the 5% threshold required to enter the Bundestag,' says France24 correspondent N

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Pope Francis still in critical conditions with lung infection

Pope Francis remained in critical condition on Sunday, February 23, after suffering a prolonged asthmatic respiratory crisis on Friday night while being treated for pneumonia and a complex lung infection. France24 Correspondent in Rome Seema Gupta tells

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Israeli army confirmed its stay in parts of the West Bank for coming year

Israel's defense minister said Sunday troops would remain “for the coming year” in parts of the occupied West Bank where Israel has staged a weekslong offensive, as Israel says it was deepening its crackdown on the Palestinian territory. France24 Corresp

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Germany: CDU likely to need a third coalition partner for working majority

What is the usual bureaucratic process for forming a coalition after elections in Germany? France24 Europe Editor Armen Georgian, reporting from Berlin, explains

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Germany: Friedrich Merz, the man tasked with leading the next government

Friedrich Merz is the man tasked with leading Germany's next administration. Merz, who was somewhat sidelined during Angela Merkel’s 16 years at the helm of the CDU, has had a career that has seen him float in and out of politics, often taking on roles a

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Germany: Ukraine concerned three-party coalition formation will take time

There’s general disappointment in Ukraine with the German exit polls, as 'a three-party coalition will mean longer negotiations and more instability, at least until April.' France24 Correspondent Gulliver Cragg joins us from Kyiv, Ukraine

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Elections in Germany: The AfD doubles its previous score

The latest estimates from pollster Infratest broadcast on German public station ARD give the far-right AfD party a score of 19.7%, an “outstanding result” from the AfD which has doubled its score since the last election in 2021. FRANCE 24 Europe editor

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No reactions so far from the US on Germany elections

The American billionaire Elon Musk expressed multiple signs of support for the far-right AfD party, as legislative elections were scheduled in Germany for February 23. During a discussion on X with leader Alice Weidel, he repeated that only the AfD could

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Brussels reacts to Germany's election exit polls

“There’s a widespread consensus that Germany has been absent from Brussels’ discussions and the European stage during Olaf Scholz's term, creating confusion about Germany's position on European issues,” FRANCE 24 correspondent Dave Keating says, reportin

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German far-right leader hails 'historic' election result

The leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) hailed the party's election result Sunday after exit polls gave it a record 19.5 to 20 percent of the vote. "We have achieved a historic result," the party's top candidate Alice Weidel told cheer

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German elections: "A new political order for the country"

Part of the German electorate is concerned about Elon Musk’s support for the far-right AfD party and the new political order in Germany that can be inferred from these elections. France24 Europe Editor Armen Georgian, reporting from Berlin, tells us mor

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Germany's conservatives win parliamentary elections while far-right AfD surges, exit polls show

Europe • 5:45 PM

Germany's conservatives won Sunday's parliamentary elections, heading off the surging far-right AfD party, which roughly doubled its results from 2021. Despite its strong showing – fuelled by fears over security and immigration after a series of deadly a

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Germany: Protests against the far-right party, the AfD

Far-right AfD second in Germany vote with at least 19.5 percent, according to exit polls. France24 Europe Editor Armen Georgian, reporting from Berlin, witnessed strong protests during the last hour of voting against the AfD.

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Germany: CDU leads early results, far-right AfD holds second place, exit polls show

Germany's conservative opposition emerged victorious in Sunday's parliamentary elections, according to exit polls, giving Friedrich Merz a significant win in his bid to succeed Social Democrat Olaf Scholz as the next leader of Europe's largest economy. M

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Germans vote under shadow of far-right surge

Voting is underway in what many are calling Germany's most crucial election in decades. Friedrich Merz, leader of the Christian Democrats, appears on track to become the country’s tenth Chancellor. The far-right AfD is expected to secure second place in

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'Aerial terror': Zelensky condemns Russia's largest drone attack on Ukraine since start of war

Europe • 3:53 PM

Russia launched its largest drone attack on Ukraine yet on Saturday night, Ukrainian officials said. Ukraine's air force reported that it had downed 138 of 267 Russian attack drones. Ukraine President Vladimir Zelensky slammed the attack and called for u

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Macron defines deadly knife attack in eastern France an 'Islamist terror act'

On Saturday, a 37-year-old Algerian national killed an elderly Portuguese man and injured five police officers with a knife before being arrested in the French eastern city of Mulhouse. Forensic experts say the man was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Frenc

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Germany: High turnout predicted for snap elections

German voters head to the polls on Sunday with the conservatives as the strong favorites after an intense campaign underscored by a far-right surge. Figures showed that around 52% of Germans have already voted by 2PM today. Turnout is usually high in G

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US aid shutdown sends shockwaves through Africa's HIV program

The United Nations AIDS agency warns that Trump's decision to suspend U.S. funding for Pepfar, the world’s largest AIDS control program, could lead to a drastic rise in HIV infections and deaths, potentially causing 6.3 million AIDS-related fatalities in

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Tens of thousands join mass funeral for slain Hezbollah leader Nasrallah

Five months ago, former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut, but his funeral has only been held today. Tens of thousands of people have gathered at the capital's main sports stadium, with several top Lebanese an

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Germany's snap elections: CDU leads, far-right AfD set for record gains

Millions of Germans have been voting in the snap elections called after the previous left-wing coalition collapsed amid in-fighting. The conservative CDU are strong favourites. But the election could bring record results for the far right AfD, which is p

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Conservative chief Merz on track to become next German chancellor

German voters are voting on Sunday with the conservatives as the strong favourites after an intense campaign underscored by a far-right surge, bolstered by Donald Trump's presidency in the US, and amid voter concerns about economic stagnation, immigratio

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French convict arrested in Romania nine months after deadly van ambush

Fugitive French prisoner Mohammed Amra who prompted an international hunt after staging a deadly escape nine months ago was arrested Saturday in Romania, the French government said. Matthew-Mary Caruchet has this story.

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One billion Catholics concerned about Pope Francis' critical condition

The Vatican said that Pope Francis had a peaceful night at a hospital in Rome following a respiratory crisis and blood transfusion on Saturday. He remains in critical condition, as more than 1.3 billion Catholics around the world are concerned

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Norwegian film “Dreams (Sex Love)” wins Berlin Film Festival’s top prize

Norwegian drama Dreams won the top prize at the Berlin Film Festival on Saturday, taking home the Golden Bear. The head of the jury described it as a 'meditation on love that cuts to the quick with its keen intelligence.' Australia's Rose Byrne clinched

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Hezbollah could enter Lebanese political landscape, Rawad Taha reports

FRANCE 24’s Rawad Taha reporting from Beirut, where mourners gather for the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, says the big question everyone is asking is what is next for the Hezbollah. “Will they try to reestablish some sort of a military i

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Trump addresses CPAC amid growing tensions between US and Europe over Ukraine

In the US woke ideology is getting a hammer treatment. The Conservative Political Action Conference—better known as CPAC—is a major event in right-wing politics in the US. On its third day, US President Donald Trump addressed the gathering, rallying his

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Hundreds of thousands flock to funeral of slain Hezbollah leader in Beirut

Mourners dressed in black, some waving Hezbollah flags or clutching portraits of the group's slain leader Hassan Nasrallah, gathered in their thousands to attend his funeral on Sunday in a stadium on the outskirts of Beirut.

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Israeli army to remain in some West Bank refugee camps for 'coming year', says defence minister

The Israeli army is to remain in some of the occupied West Bank’s urban refugee camps “for the coming year", Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Sunday.

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Germans vote as far right surges in polarised national election

Voting kicked off in Germany on Sunday in an increasingly polarised election, with the conservatives tipped to claim victory after a campaign rocked by a far-right bump in the polls and the dramatic return of Donald Trump to the US presidency.

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In pictures: Catholics pray for Pope Francis as he remains in critical condition

Well-wishers from around the world offered prayers for Pope Francis on Sunday after the Vatican announced the night before that he was in critical condition following a prolonged respiratory attack. While the 88-year-old pope had a peaceful night, he was

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🔴Live: Germany's Conservative CDU leads early results, far-right AfD holds second place

Germany's conservative CDU/CSU alliance led by Friedrich Merz won Sunday's elections with between 28.5 and 29 percent of the vote, according to initial TV exit polls. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) followed in second place with 19.5 to 20 pe

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'Perfect fig leaf': Germany's far-right AfD party candidate Alice Weidel helps its normalisation

Europe • 3:55 AM

Gemany's far-right AFD leader Alice Weidel enjoyed the vocal support of several international far-right figures ahead of this Sunday's legislative elections in which her party scored its highest-ever result by winning 19.7 percent of the vote. She has an

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Pope Francis receives high flow of oxygen to help him breath

The Vatican says Pope Francis was in critical condition on Saturday after he suffered a prolonged asthmatic respiratory crisis while being treated for pneumonia and a complex lung infection, the Vatican says. France24 correspondent Seema Gupta tells us m

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Germans head to polls in high-stakes national election

German voters head to the polls on Sunday with the conservatives as the strong favourites after an intense campaign underscored by a far-right surge, bolstered by Donald Trump's presidency in the U.S., and amid voter concerns about economic stagnation, i

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Germany: AfD set for record gains as CDU struggles to secure majority

Voting is underway in what many are calling Germany's most crucial election in decades. The snap election was triggered by the collapse of a three-way coalition led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s center-left Social Democratic Party. Friedrich Merz, leader o

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Israel delays the release of 602 prisoners to be freed in return to the six hostages

On Saturday, Hamas released six hostages, but Israel did not release the more than 600 Palestinian prisoners that were expected to be freed in return. This was meant to be the seventh and final exchange under phase 1 of the ceasefire agreement.

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Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s funeral in Beirut, five months after death

Mourners dressed in black, some waving Hezbollah flags or clutching portraits of the group's slain leader Hassan Nasrallah, gathered in their thousands to attend his funeral on Sunday in a stadium on the outskirts of Beirut. France24 correspondent Rawad

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Yesterday

Pope remains in 'critical' condition after respiratory attack, Vatican says

Pope Francis, 88, continues to be in critical condition after suffering a respiratory attack, the Vatican said Saturday. While alert, he continues treatment for double pneumonia at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, where he has spent nine nights. Ffrance24 corres

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Germany braces for pivotal elections as far right makes further gains

German politicians made a last push for votes on Saturday ahead of pivotal elections, with the far right making rapid gains amid economic woes and security concerns.

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Pope remains in 'critical' condition after respiratory attack, Vatican says

Pope Francis, 88, continues to be in critical condition after suffering a respiratory attack, the Vatican said Saturday. While alert, he continues receiving treatment for double pneumonia at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, where he has spent nine nights.

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🔴 Macron says deadly knife attack in eastern France an 'Islamist terror act'

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Germany braces for pivotal elections as far right makes further gains

Europe • 5:33 PM

German politicians made a last push for votes on Saturday ahead of pivotal elections, with the far right making rapid gains amid economic woes and security concerns.

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Macron says deadly knife attack in eastern France an 'Islamist terror act'

French police arrested several suspects after a man went on a stabbing rampage, killing one and wounding several others in what President Emmanuel Macron called an "Islamist terrorist act", anti-terror prosecutors told AFP Sunday.

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Ugandan opposition politician charged with treason, faces death penalty

Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye was charged with treason on Friday in an escalation of legal troubles stemming from allegations he plotted to remove President Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled the country since 1986. FRANCE 24's regional corresponde

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French fugitive arrested in Romania nine months after deadly van ambush

Europe • 4:32 PM

French gangster Mohamed Amra, who was freed after a violent prison van ambush in May, was arrested in Romania on Saturday, the French interior minister said. His escape sparked a nationwide manhunt and political outcry over drug crime.

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US proposes Ukraine UN text omitting mention of occupied territory

Washington has called on United Nations members to support its resolution on the war in Ukraine, despite criticism over its controversial language. Diplomatic sources reveal that the resolution omits references to Ukrainian territory occupied by Russia

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At Nasrallah’s funeral, Hezbollah and Iran set to put on a ‘show of strength’

Lebanon’s Hezbollah will on Sunday hold a funeral for its former leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in the southern suburbs of Beirut. The public ceremony for Nasrallah, who was killed by an Israeli strike in September, is set to be “highly political” says expert

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602 Palestinians prisoners to be freed by Israel under Gaza deal

In exchange for the six Israeli hostages, Israel was supposed to release 602 Palestinians who have been held in its prisons, though that portion of the agreement has reportedly been delayed for several hours. For more, we spoke with Palestinian journali

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Hamas freed all six living Israeli hostages in Gaza on Saturday

Hamas freed six more Israeli hostages in Gaza on Saturday in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in the seventh hostage-prisoner swap under the first phase of a fragile ceasefire. Their release came after the remains of a body returned by Hama

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French PM Bayrou under growing pressure over Catholic school abuse scandal

A judicial investigation into charges of rape and sexual assault at the Notre-Dame de Bétharram school in southwestern France was opened against a former school employee Friday. French PM François Bayrou, whose children attended the school, has come unde

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UN Security Council demands Rwanda withdraw troops from eastern DR Congo

Africa • 1:44 PM

The UN Security Council on Friday unanimously adopted a resolution calling Rwanda to end its support for the M23 rebel group and withdraw troops from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

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Green expected to come in fourth in German’s legislative elections

Ahead of the snap federal elections in Germany this Sunday, the Green Party held a rally in Hamburg. Two-week polling averages show that 13% of voters intend to vote for the historically ecologist party. In recent years, the Greens have taken a more ce

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"Israel won’t withdraw from Gaza without security against Hamas" - says David Miller

Saturday's exchange marks the final swap of living hostages under the first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement. Joining us from Washington, Aaron David Miller, Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, explains the three

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Zelensky faces pressure to sign US access deal for Ukraine's mineral deposits

US President Donald Trump is pressuring Ukraine to give US companies preferential access to the war-torn country's mineral deposits, saying the country's leadership "don't have any cards, but they play it tough". Kyiv has been pushing for security guaran

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Sixth Israeli hostage handed over to Red Cross in Gaza

Hamas has handed over Israeli hostage Hisham al-Sayed to the Red Cross, Israeli media reports said, making him the sixth captive released by the Palestinian militant group on Saturday. He was released without a public ceremony. The Israeli military issue

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Israel will release 602 prisoners and detainees after Hamas' release of six hostages

Three more Israeli hostages freed by Hamas militants at a ceremony in central Gaza Saturday were now in the custody of Israeli forces, the military said. Eliya Cohen, Omer Shem Tov and Omer Wenkert were paraded by masked militants on stage where they wav

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Paris Agriculture Show 2025: Farmers want their income to reflect their efforts

The "Salon de l'Agriculture" showcase is a major annual event in France, attracting around 600,000 visitors over nine days. For the first time in more than 60 years, the fair will welcome a foreign country as the guest of honor: Morocco. Agriculture is a

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Bardella withdraws from US conference after Trump ally Bannon’s Nazi ‘wave’

French far-right leader Jordan Bardella cancelled his scheduled speech at a Washington conference on Friday after Donald Trump ally Steve Bannon appeared to make a Nazi salute at the same event. The incident comes just weeks after Elon Musk, another Trum

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Germany’s ‘Tesla-Land’ experiences an economic miracle but does it appease voters?

Europe • 8:50 AM

Grünheide, a small town on the outskirts of Berlin, has become the showcase of Brandenburg, an eastern German state experiencing strong economic growth in stark contrast to the rest of the crisis-hit country. For many, the reason is clear: a massive Tesl

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Hamas says Israel delaying prisoner release is ‘blatant violation’ of truce

Hamas accused Israel on Saturday of breaching the Gaza ceasefire by delaying the release of Palestinian prisoners, initially set to follow the return of six Israeli hostages. Israeli officials said the release may occur after a security consultation led

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Israel delays Palestinian prisoner release after six Gaza hostages freed

The release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, scheduled for Saturday, was delayed indefinitely following the return of six Israeli hostages under a fragile Gaza truce. The Israeli prime minister’s office said early Sunday the release of prisoners wou

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'He's a real general': Dan Caine is Trump's pick for top US military role

US President Donald Trump has named retired three-star general Dan Caine as his top pick to become the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff following a flurry of firings at the Pentagon.

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Friday, february 21, 2025

Israelis in shock after confusion around release of hostage Shiri Bibas' body

Israel was still in shock Friday after the revelation that one of the bodies purportedly belonging to four dead hostages being returned by Hamas was in fact an unknown woman. Hamas later handed over what they said was the correct body of deceased hostage

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Why is Paris’s annual agriculture show such a big deal in France?

Europe • 9:22 PM

Every year thousands of farmers convene in the French capital for a nine-day exhibition of livestock, produce and farming tools. The event attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors and is an essential stop for France’s top politicians – why?

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In Putin’s Orbit, Trump & the ‘Madman theory’, Europe's defining moment, German elections

Europe • 7:49 PM

Three years after ending all official communications with Moscow, the US government is suddenly back in Russia’s orbit. The two nuclear powers were sitting down in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday finding a path to ending the Ukraine war and more besides. The tal

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Man who tried to kill novelist Salman Rushdie found guilty of attempted murder

Hadi Matar, the man who charged "The Satanic Verses" author Salman Rushdie on stage and stabbed him repeatedly with a knife, was found guilty Friday of attempted murder. The attack left the author blind in his right eye.

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Suspect arrested after stabbing at Berlin's Holocaust memorial

Europe • 7:17 PM

A man was seriously wounded in a stabbing at Berlin's Holocaust memorial Friday. A suspect was later arrested, police said, but no details on the identity or possible motive were provided.

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Exclusive: EU's Costa says 'no credible negotiations with results' without Ukraine, EU

Europe • 4:49 PM

FRANCE 24 was granted exclusive access to EU Council President Antonio Costa, just before he left for Ukraine to mark the third anniversary of the war. He responds to US President Donald Trump's direct talks with the Russian government, insisting that ne

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In a former East German mining town, political extremes entice disenchanted voters

Europe • 4:07 PM

Germany’s Brandenburg is known as a dynamic federal state with a thriving economy. But in the small town of Forst near the Polish border, residents feel they have been left out of the economic success the rest of the state has encountered and many are li

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Thousands freed from online scam hubs in Myanmar

Pacific Asia • 3:38 PM

Around 10,000 people, mostly foreigners, have been freed from telecom fraud operations in Myanmar in recent days. Lured by lucrative job offers, they had found themselves trapped in scam centres where they were forced to work swindling people around the

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Mapping alternative artistic visions of the future

Culture • 3:37 PM

A new exhibition at the Pompidou Centre in Metz is hoping to challenge the Euro-centric principles that have long dominated art history. "After the end. Cartographies for another time" brings together the work of 40 international artists, as they explore

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'For the first time since 1941 there is no alliance between a US government and European countries'

President Donald Trump's proposed US takeover of Gaza has been roundly condemned globally, with Palestinians, Arab nations and rights experts saying it was tantamount to "ethnic cleansing." For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective, FRANCE 24's Oliv

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Trump begins talks with Russia without Ukraine or EU: Europe scrambles for a plan

Europe • 2:34 PM

Europe does not have a seat at the negotiating table: the message could not be clearer from Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg. This week, the US president opened discussions with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin – w

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Menswear collections, winter 2025: Strong messages and a poetic feel

Culture • 2:01 PM

Designers Jeanne Friot, Walter Van Beirendonck and Louis Gabriel Nouchi have taken a stand to defend gender-neutral fashion, calling for inclusion rather than exclusion. Meanwhile, Japanese labels Issey Miyake and Yohji Yamamoto propose a simple, comfort

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Immigration in Germany and the challenge of integration

Europe • 1:48 PM

As Germans head to the polls on Sunday to vote in pivotal legislative elections, immigration will be a key issue on their minds. It's nearly 10 years since Angela Merkel's famous phrase "Wir schaffen das" (We can manage this), when images of German citiz

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