French customs seize yacht of Igor Sechin, Rosneft boss, former KGB agent and Russian deputy prime minister, the closest fo close Putin cronies Docked at La Ciotat since January for maintenance, the yacht was due to sail away in April but “was taking measures to leave in a hurry, without waiting for the end of planned repairs,” French finance ministry noted.

"We didn’t think it [a covid vaccine] would happen that quickly...": When he says that, Macron in fact means 'I". He was the one who repeatedly threw doubts and even scorn on vaccine optimism throughout last year. But there's more...
reuters.com/article/us-hea… So what we will see in the next weeks and months is the rationalisation of the vaccination screwup, the coronavirus third wave and the economic downturn that will follow by the blaming of a series of ideal suspects...

With all due respect, there’s a bit of a tunnel vision these days in UK pundits’ clever assurances that the EU will never turn down a Brexit extension request. In a nutshell, extension will be granted under certain conditions, refused otherwise. 1/ But first, Macron is serious, and will be even more than he was in March: the EU needs to turn the leaf and focus on its own problems, and the cost of uncertainty may be higher than the cost of no-deal. 2/

Fiat withdrawing its offer for Renault is a terrible blow to Macron’s creds as business-friendly president. An unmitigated reputationnal disaster for the French government in general, and finance minister Bruno Le Maire in particular. 1/ #Fiat #Renault French authorities first seemed to encourage the deal, before it was formally launched, then set a series of “conditions” once it became public. Posturing at its worst, all playing to the protectionist crowd for obvious political reasons. #Fiat #Renault 2/

Speculation that Macron will have to "cave in" at the European Council because he would never risk "taking the blame" for a no-deal Brexit are way off the mark. Not the way the man works. Central to the French prez's view is that Brexit shouldn't keep monopolizing ("polluting," in govt official's word) the intra-European debate, complicated enough as it is. 2/

Rising concern among French government officials and @EmmanuelMacron associates that the French president has been lost at sea since Summer. 1/8 “Unable to make a decision”, “absent-minded,” “lack of purpose” and even “depressed” are words often heard #Macron 2/8