France in April 2026: the most important developments in politics
France's politics in April 2026 were dominated by President Emmanuel Macron's dispute with Donald Trump over NATO and the Iran war. On 2 April Macron criticized Trump for casting doubt on the US commitment to NATO, dismissed his suggestion of a military operation to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as unrealistic, and urged him to be serious. In Japan and South Korea he called for a coalition of powers independent of both the United States and China. On 24 April he called the United States an unreliable ally, and on 25 April he grouped Trump, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping as "dead against" Europe, according to The Straits Times. France also condemned Trump's attack on Pope Leo XIV for opposing the US war on Iran.
The Strait of Hormuz was the main diplomatic effort. France and South Korea agreed on 3 April to cooperate on its security, and on 8 April Macron said more than 15 countries planned to secure access. European leaders held crisis talks on 17 April, and on 22 April France and the UK agreed to lead a multinational coalition to reopen the strait. Iran released two French nationals, Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, on 7 April after three and a half years in detention.
Lebanon was the next theme. Macron and the French foreign minister said any ceasefire must include Lebanon, while Israel excluded France from talks with Lebanon. A French UNIFIL peacekeeper was killed on 18 April, and Macron and UNIFIL blamed Hezbollah. Macron hosted Lebanon's prime minister on 21 April and warned that the EU-Israel association agreement is at risk over Lebanon policy.
At home, the 2027 presidential race took shape. Dominique de Villepin announced his candidacy, the conservatives picked Bruno Retailleau, and François Ruffin launched a campaign, and Édouard Philippe gained ground in polls but still trailed Jordan Bardella. Elon Musk did not appear when summoned by French prosecutors on 20 April over AI deepfakes on X. On 23 April France and the UK signed a three-year deal on Channel crossings, with the UK to pay up to 660 million pounds.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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