Photo : Remon Haazen
Photo : Remon Haazen
By Fleur Elizabeth Philip
FRANCE
“I will not give up” says far-right leader Le Pen
On 06 April, France’s far-right leader Marine Le Pen told her supporters that she would fight the political move made against her, which bars her from running for the upcoming presidential elections. Several protested in Paris, against her charges of embezzlement of public funds. She said: “I will not give up and was the victim of a witch-hunt, additionally it is we who are most ardent defenders of the rule of law.” The National Rally, right-wing party organised the event to respond to the verdict as it viewed it as politically motivated and not a judicial verdict. She further added: “This decision has trampled on everything I hold most dear, my people, county and honour.” (Jon Henley, “Le Pen vows to fight ‘political’ ruling, as France’s main parties stage rival rallies,” The Guardian, 06 April 2025)
President Macron’s Egypt Vist focus on peace in the Middle East
On 05 April, France President Emmanuel Macron arrives to Egypt, and will have a conversation with Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi. Both leaders are to converse on Egypt’s neighbouring countries, and the crisis they face, such as Syria, Libya, Sudan and Israel. Macron is looking for a breakthrough in the Middle East conflicts, because of its long-standing relationship with the Arab regions. Both Presidents look forward for economic cooperation as well as, how they could play a role in the Israel-Gaza war since Israel broke the ceasefire agreement with Hamas, and continued attacking the Gaza Strip. Macron also wants to leverage its relationship with Egypt and work towards a ceasefire in the Middle East. According to Managing Director of the AEK Conseil Ahmed El Keiy: “France has had a long and pioneering position with Egypt and the other Arab nations, and have been excellent for decades.” (Lisa Louis, “Macron eyes progress on Middle East peace during Egypt trip,” Deutsche Welle, 05 April 2025)
SPAIN
Thousands protest over housing crisis
On 05 April, thousands of Spaniards took over 40 cities across Spain protesting on housing crisis. Protesters believe that “Housing should be a right, not a commodity for speculation.” With people being evicted, displaced from their homes, or living in inhuman conditions, landlords and investment funds are making their profits. In Madrid, around 150,000 people, whereas in Barcelona around 100,000 showed. The crowds accuse the government of converting housing into a business model. The protest focused on Spain’s housing crisis, demanding rent reduction, and the creation of social housing. The main cause among the working middle class is the sky-high rents, and the small minority of property owners suffocating the majority of the society. The history of the real estate speculation lacks complete and affordable housing which have caused an increase in the renting rates. Adding to this foreign ownership and tourism have further increased the gravity of the issue. Tourism is huge in Barcelona, Madrid, Malaga, Mallorca, and Valencia and real estate firms cater to them. The government believes that it needs to build at least 600,000 apartments to handle the crisis, and in 2024 around 100,000 homes were completed and new projects are in progress. According to the Tenants Syndicate, Gonzalo Alvarez, the lack of housing is because of the homes being hijacked, like tourist flats or empty flats, belonging to the vulture funds and banks. Spain Central Bank reported that renters spend 40 per cent of their income on rent, and despite the rise in salaries by 20 per cent in the last decade, it has failed to keep pace with the doubling rents. To tackle the problem, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has imposed rent caps and is proposing bans on 100 per cent supertaxes on foreign property ownership. (Jon Shelton, “Spain: Tens of thousands protest nationwide housing crisis,” Deutsche Welle, 05 April 2025)
TÜRKIYE
CHP Party re-elect Ozgur Ozel as their new Chairman
On 06 April, the Republican People’s Party (CHP) have selected Ozgur Ozel as the Chairman of the Congress party in Ankara. The party of the jailed mayor Ekrem Imamoglu has re-elected its leader as it seeks to capitalize on the support it receives opposing to Turkish President Recep Erdrogan’s rule. Ozel won with a majority of 1171 of 126 ballots which came very close to the opposition. Ozel has vowed to stage rallies against the wrongful imprisonment of the Mayor. (Nik Martin, “Turkey: Opposition CHP reelects leader Ozgur Ozel” Deutsche Welle, 06 April 2025)
REGIONAL
European Space Agency and the UK funded device to measure the carbon contents in the tropical forests
On 05 April, scientists took part in a huge mission, that aimed at creating 3D maps of the world’s dense and dark tropical forests, from outer space. A special radar scanner, Biomass will be launched into the Earth’s orbit later this month. In the next five years, the spacecraft will cover rainforests in Africa, Asia, and South America, and look through the canopies and study the vegetation. The data collected by Biomass will be used to create 3D maps of forests that are not visible to humans. Less than two per cent of sunlight reaches the forest floor, and the Biomass will be able to study them in detail from a height of 600 kilometres. This project is to help scientists to study the amount of carbon stored in the forests and measure the changes in the carbon dioxide after deforestation. Biomass is led by Airbus UK and funded by the European Space Agency. (Robin McKie, “Space probe to map carbon content of world’s remotest tropical forests” The Guardian, 05 April 2025)
INTERNATIONAL
Trade with Russia remains insignificant hence no tariff says US Treasury
On 05 April, Deutsche Welle reported on US President Donald Trump’s tariff announcement on every country, which exempted Russia and Belarus. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said: “The existing sanctions meant there was no trade with Russia anyway” and with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the US as well as Europe have ramped up sanctions against Russia. According to the US Census Bureau, trading with Russia has declined significantly since the war with Ukraine. From USD 36 billion in 2021 to 3.5 billion in 2024. Bessent claims that since there is trade with Russia, there is no need for trade duties to be imposed, as they remain less significant for the US. Apart from Russia exemption of tariffs is given to North Korea, Belarus, and Cuba. The US has not published any figures on the trade between the two countries, but according to the UN, bilateral trade with Belarus amounts to USD 21 million worth of Belarusian goods imported to the US in 2024. The tariffs imposed on each country are not based on the trade volumes with the US, for example, the uninhabited territories of Heard or McDonald Island in Australia have no practical relevance to the US. (Alezey Strelnikov, Alex Izmaylov, “Trump’s tariffs: Why are Russia and Belarus spared?” Deutsche Welle, 05 April 2025)