French media's editorial focus on September 26th remained dominated by Nicolas Sarkozy's conviction and impending incarceration for association of malefactors in the Libyan financing case. Morning headlines detailed the specifics of his five-year sentence, the legal ramifications, and the intense political reactions, with conservative outlets sharply criticizing the decision as a "judicial coup d'état."
Later in the day, the focus shifted to Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu's first interviews, where he began to outline key budget priorities for 2026, ruling out the return of the ISF and the Zucman tax, and confirming a deficit around 4.7%. Netanyahu's address to the UN General Assembly, where he criticized states recognizing Palestine and affirmed Israel's actions against Hamas, also received significant, but secondary, attention.