French financial prosecutors searched the Élysée Palace on Thursday in a corruption probe over the awarding of public contracts to organise Pantheon induction ceremonies — the first search of the presidency since the 2018 Benalla affair during Emmanuel Macron's first term. The investigation, opened by financial prosecutor Pascal Prache in October 2025, focuses on the repeated selection of the events company Shortcut Events to host more than two decades of ceremonies at the Paris mausoleum until 2024, with each event estimated by Le Canard Enchaîné at around €2 million. The presidency authorised the search after April's attempt was rebuffed on constitutional inviolability grounds, stating the procedure does not target Macron and that safeguards for Article 67 and national-defence secrecy were in place.

Former French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, 37, declared his candidacy for the 2027 presidential election on Friday in the village of Mur-de-Barrez in southern France. Attal, who leads President Emmanuel Macron's Renaissance party, said he wants to restore a promise of individual and collective 'elevation' for France. He joins a crowded field that includes fellow former premier Édouard Philippe, with far-right National Rally leader Jordan Bardella currently leading first-round polls at about 34%.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday said the EU should adopt trade defense measures modeled on the U.S. Section 301 law to protect strategic industries from foreign competition. Speaking at a quantum computing event in Bruyères-le-Châtel, Macron argued the bloc must be able to react when its sovereignty is threatened. The European Commission is preparing a package of trade defense options ahead of a strategy debate on China next Friday and an EU leaders' summit in mid-June.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday endorsed the repeal of the Code Noir, centuries-old royal decrees that codified slavery in French colonies, and said the issue of reparations for France's role in the transatlantic slave trade must be addressed. Speaking at the Elysée Palace on the 25th anniversary of the Taubira Law, which recognized slavery as a crime against humanity, Macron warned against "false promises" and acknowledged that the harm could never be fully repaired. He also announced a joint research project with Ghana to study slavery's long-term effects and provide policy recommendations.

Background: The shadow fleet transporting sanctioned oil has escalated operations, with Russian Navy vessels escorting tankers through the Baltic Sea and English Channel, and Spain reporting a fivefold increase off the Canary Islands. A new ACLED report describes the fleet as having evolved from a sanctions-evasion tool into a flexible platform for hybrid warfare, including espionage, intimidation, and sabotage. The fleet, estimated at 1,000–3,200 vessels, transports up to 80% of Russia's seaborne crude exports using shell companies, false registrations, and disabled tracking. Crews are recruited via WhatsApp, communications rely on Starlink, payments use cryptocurrency, and ships manipulate or disable Automatic Identification Systems. The Baltic Sea is the focal point, with over 2,300 Russian-affiliated vessels entering between February 2024 and February 2025, and more than 16,000 gaps in tracking signals recorded. Recent incidents include the Finnish boarding of the Fitburg after an undersea cable damage on New Year's Eve 2025 (sanctioned Russian steel found onboard), French seizure of the tanker Pushpa off Denmark in September 2025, and Swedish jamming of a reconnaissance drone launched near Malmö in February 2026 against the French carrier Charles de Gaulle, traced to the Russian intelligence vessel Zhigulevsk. European states have launched Baltic Sentry and Nordic Warden, but enforcement remains limited, with eight enforcement actions recorded since late 2024. Russia has adapted by escorting tankers with warships, reflagging vessels under the Russian registry, and using military-linked personnel aboard commercial tankers.

Background: France deployed the Charles de Gaulle carrier strike group toward the Strait of Hormuz for a potential multinational maritime security mission amid the Iran war. The French Navy's flagship aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle transited the Suez Canal and is now prepositioned near the Gulf of Aden, close to the Strait of Hormuz. The deployment was accelerated after Iranian drone attacks on a French base in the UAE in early March, reinforcing French presence in the region amid tensions with Iran. The carrier is operating at full power with its embarked air group and escort vessels, continuing its operational mission as part of the La Fayette 26 deployment.

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen stated that NATO should reorient its mission toward combating Islamist fundamentalism, which she considers a greater threat. She reiterated her pledge to withdraw France from NATO's integrated military command if elected president in 2027, though she indicated this would not occur until after the war in Ukraine ends, contradicting a previous statement by party president Jordan Bardella. The comments highlight ongoing debate within France and the alliance about NATO's strategic priorities and France's role.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot reaffirmed France's commitment to NATO, calling proposals to leave the alliance 'completely irresponsible.' He highlighted France's role in the 'Coalition of the Willing' with the UK, which is developing future security guarantees for Ukraine to ensure a lasting peace once achieved.