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Geopolitics

Macron, Part Deux: France And The World React In 22 Front Pages

Newspapers in France and around the world are devoting their Monday front pages to Emmanuel Macron's reelection as French president.

Macron, Part Deux: France And The World React In 22 Front Pages

Emmanuel Macron won a second term as president of France, beating far-right leader Marine Le Pen by a wide 58.5-41.5% margin ... oui, mais.


Sunday's victory was less resounding than in 2017, when Macron (already head-to-head with Le Pen) became France's youngest ever elected president. His first term left France in a deeply fractured state, as many French international newspapers noted on Monday by highlighting the challenges ahead for Macron on their front pages:

FRANCE - Libération

Libération

FRANCE - Le Figaro

Le Figaro

FRANCE - Les Echos

Les Echos

FRANCE - Corse Matin

FRANCE - La Croix

La Croix

FRANCE - L'Humanité

L'Humanité

FRANCE - Sud Ouest

Sud Ouest

FRANCE - 20 Minutes

20 Minutes

FRANCE - L'Opinion

L'Opinion

FRANCE - Le Parisien

Le Parisien

FRANCE - Le Télégramme

Le Télégramme

UNITED KINGDOM - The Guardian

The Guardian

SPAIN - El Pais

El País

SWEDEN -Svenska Dagbladet

Svenska Dagbladet

POLAND - Gazeta Wyborcza

Gazeta Wyborcza

ISRAEL - Haaretz

Harretz

SAUDI ARABIA - Arab News

Arab News

ARGENTINA - Clarin

Clarín

CHILE - La Tercera

La Tercera

UNITED STATES - The Wall Street Journal

The Wall Street Journal

CANADA - National Post

National Post

CHINA - Global Times

Global Times

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FOCUS: Russia-Ukraine War

Nuclear Card And Firing Squads: Lukashenko's Long Game To Retain Power

A few weeks after an explosion at a military field in Belarus, Vladimir Putin announced plans to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. There is a connection, even if Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko is walking a tight rope of domestic control and keeping Putin satisfied.

Image of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko welcoming Russian President Vladimir Putin in his arms.

Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko welcoming his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin at Minsk National Airport.

Igar Ilyash

-Analysis-

Back on the afternoon of February 26, local Belarus media reported explosions at the military airfield in Machulishchy, near Minsk, and increased activity of military services. Soon after, the BYPOL association, created by former security forces to fight the regime of Alexander Lukashenko,, announced that Belarusian partisans had used drones to attack a Russian A-50U long-range radar detection aircraft.

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Neither Minsk nor Moscow acknowledged that such a valuable aircraft had been disabled. However, a few days later, the A-50U left the territory of Belarus for repairs.

The day after the explosions, Lukashenko convened a meeting of the security forces. He looked agitated, demanding "the strictest discipline" and spoke vaguely about some "internal events" and attempts to "stir up" the situation in Belarus. The Belarusian authorities publicly acknowledged the sabotage only on March 7.

That same day, Lukashenko accused the Ukrainian special services of organizing the terrorist attack in Machulishchy. "Well, the challenge has been met," he declared, before quickly clarifying that he did not intend to use the incident to draw Belarus into war. "If you think that throwing this challenge will drag us into a war that is already going on all over Europe, you are mistaken."

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