Tuesday briefing: What awaits France?
France faces complicated months
French voters rejected a country dominated by the far right, but now they are faced with a divided parliament and an unclear path to a workable government.
The parliament was divided into left, right and center blocs, none of which had enough seats to secure a majority. The New Popular Front, a coalition of left-wing parties, emerged as the winner with the most seats, followed by the centrist Renaissance party of President Emmanuel Macron and its allies. The far-right Rassemblement National party came in third. These maps show how voting took place in France.
My colleague Roger Cohen writes that it will take difficult negotiations to finally form a viable government. France does not have a culture of such compromises and it could take months to sort out the mess. Macron asked his prime minister yesterday to remain in office “for the time being” to “ensure the stability of the country.”
Possible scenarios: Macron could appoint a prime minister from outside his party and share power, but he has called far-left and far-right parties too “extreme” and other political groups have shown little interest in working with him. Some analysts have proposed a broad coalition made up of parties within the three main blocs, but there appears to be little interest in working together. Here’s more on what could come next.
Biden said he was ‘determined’ to stay in the race
President Biden yesterday defied Democrats who called on him to withdraw from the presidential race after his debate performance sent his party into a frenzy. Biden wrote in a letter to Democratic members of Congress that he was “committed to staying in this race.”
His pledge heralded the most important week of his presidency, as he faces waning support from Democratic lawmakers and growing fears of a Donald Trump defeat in November.
During an interview on a morning news program, Biden said he didn’t care that one of the “big names” was urging him to step aside. “If one of these guys thinks I shouldn’t run, then run,” he said. “Go ahead, announce your candidacy. Challenge me at the convention.”
Health issues: An expert on Parkinson’s disease visited the White House eight times from last summer to this spring, according to official visitor logs. The White House did not specify whether the expert was there to consult on Biden, but said the president was not being treated for Parkinson’s.
What’s next: Biden will hold a news conference, likely on Thursday, after he finishes hosting a NATO summit in Washington. His performance will be scrutinized by Democrats eager to assess whether he can handle the loose-knit pressure he struggled with during his debate with Trump.
A children’s hospital in Ukraine was hit
A desperate search and rescue operation took place in Kiev after a Russian missile destroyed Ukraine’s largest children’s hospital yesterday. The attack was part of a large-scale bombardment that has killed at least 38 people in cities across Ukraine.
Two people were killed in hospital and 10 others were injured, including seven children, local officials said. At least three children were pulled from the rubble.
The hospital director said more than 600 children were being treated there when it was hit. The explosion blew out the windows of the main hospital and sent shrapnel into the building. A doctor said the survivors were being transferred to another hospital.
Context: The missile attacks raised questions about the state of Ukraine’s air defenses, and NATO leaders are meeting in Washington today to discuss how to strengthen them.
MORE TOP NEWS
While European destinations like Venice are imposing restrictions on tourists, Copenhagen is taking a different approach: rewarding visitors who behave responsibly.
From July 15, tourists who participate in the Danish capital’s green initiatives, such as cycling or cleaning activities, will receive free museum tours, meals and more.
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The best books of the 21st century
To mark the first 25 years of this century, The New York Times Book Review asked hundreds of literary greats to name the 10 best books published since January 1, 2000. The definition of “best” was left open — for some, it simply meant “favorite.” For others, it meant books that would endure for generations.
Stephen King participated in our poll. So did Claudia Rankine, James Patterson, Sarah Jessica Parker, Karl Ove Knausgaard, Elin Hilderbrand, Roxane Gay, Marlon James, Sarah MacLean, Min Jin Lee, and Jonathan Lethem. (See their ballots.)
We will publish the list during the course of this week, starting with positions 81 to 100.
