President Macron's lengthy TF1 television interview dominated morning coverage, with his proposals for multiple referendums on issues including immigration and end-of-life care receiving extensive analysis. By midday, diplomatic tensions increased as France announced the expulsion of Algerian diplomats in retaliation for Algeria's expulsion of French officials.
The afternoon was consumed by Prime Minister François Bayrou's testimony before a parliamentary inquiry into the Bétharram Catholic school abuse scandal. Under oath, Bayrou maintained he "never varied in his version" while flatly denying prior knowledge of abuses. He suggested some were using the scandal as "a weapon" to "bring down this government" and called a whistleblower's testimony "fallacious."
By evening, international focus shifted to Ukraine as the Kremlin announced Vladimir Putin would not attend the planned Istanbul peace talks with Zelensky, a significant setback after days of diplomatic maneuvering by Turkey and European powers.
