Today’s news summary – Paper Talk
Monday’s front pages report on the re-election of President Emmanuel Macron – who beat out far-right Le Pen- to take the top French office for another five years. Most of the newspapers are running a picture of Macron celebrating winning his second term.
Macron wins French Presidential election 2022
The Guardian decided to highlight Macron’s pledge to unite the country after what the paper calls a decisive victory. Whilst the Daily Telegraph says Macron was close to tears as he told those who hadn’t voted for him, that he owed them. For the Telegraph, they draw parallels with Boris Johnson’s 2019 win when he thanks Labour voters who backed Tories.
According to the Times, Le Pen believes her defeat is down to voters ganging up to block her. Le Pen has promised to take revenge in parliamentary elections in June, the paper adds.
What do the French national papers say?
It’s a breathtaking achievement, says French newspaper Le Figaro, who say he severely beat Le Pen and reduced the left to crumbs. Libération thanks voters, saying they showed political majority when refusing far-right populism. The paper says President Macron’s most important task is to start healing the country’s divisions. Le Monde, reports that after a campaign that it says was without enthusiasm, the hard part now begins.
UK politics – Sue Gray report, Partygate and cost of living crisis
According to the Times, the content of the Sue Gray report into Partygate are so damning that PM Boris Johnson will have no choice but to resign. The paper claims the information has come from a source who is familiar with the report’s content. The report – the release is still on hold as police continue their investigations – is said to be highly critical of both the PM for attending some of the events and the culture within Downing Street under his leadership.
The Daily Mirror and the Daily Express both lead on the cost of living pressures. A survey carried out for the Mirror suggests that just over half of UK households won’t be able to afford their bills within months. Whilst experts tell the Express that soaring inflation will create a “year from hell” for vulnerable pensioners.
The Sun reports a US spy left British military secrets available online for anyone to find after he uploaded them so he could work from home. In its editorial, they ask what “security compromises others may also have made for the sake of work/life balance in the pandemic”.