- Young Chinese turn to AI pets for emotional relief
- Allen outguns Jackson as Bills beat Ravens, Eagles sink Rams
- Champions Cup success perfect Six Nations warm-up - France skipper Dupont
- Yamal symbol of rising Barca aiming for Champions League progress
- Asian markets track Wall St and Europe rally after Trump-Xi talks
- Trial into stabbing spree that sparked UK far-right riots to open
- No sweat, no shake as Svitolina cruises into Melbourne quarters
- Late night tears and hugs for released Palestinian prisoners
- Trump vows to end 'American decline' at inauguration eve rally
- TV host issues on-air apology to Djokovic over 'insulting' comments
- 'No matter the faith': east Ukraine marks Epiphany despite war divide
- Straka shakes off nerves to win US PGA American Express
- New 'oligarchy' under fire as elites descend on Davos
- Barkley dashes through the snow as Eagles beat Rams
- Djokovic condemns 'violence' against protesters in Serbia
- Barkley powers through the snow as Eagles beat Rams
- Trump vows 'speed and strength' at inauguration eve rally
- 'Back on track': Trump supporters brave freezing conditions to attend rally
- On last full day as president, Biden urges Americans to 'keep the faith'
- Marseille slump to Strasbourg draw as title hopes dwindle
- Inter beat Empoli to keep pressure on Serie A leaders Napoli
- India uses AI to stop stampedes at world's biggest gathering
- Sinner, Swiatek eye quarter-finals at Australian Open
- 80 killed, thousands displaced in Colombian guerrilla violence
- 'We want peace' say Colombians displaced by fresh guerrilla violence
- 'Mufasa' claws its way back atop N.America box office
- Dele Alli attempts comeback at Serie A outfit Como
- Swiss police clear hundreds of anti-Davos protesters
- Weary LA firefighters brace for 'last' dangerous winds
- Foden stars as Man City hit Ipswich for six
- 'We are worst team in history of Man Utd': Amorim
- 80 killed in three days of guerrilla violence in north Colombia
- Penaud scores six, Dupont shines as French clubs dominate Champions Cup
- Man Utd, Spurs sink again as Forest maintain Premier League title dream
- Mbappe shines as Real Madrid thrash Las Palmas to claim Liga lead
- First Israeli hostages freed as Gaza truce begins
- 'Our mission': Auschwitz museum staff recount their everyday jobs
- After celebrations, displaced Gazans return home to destruction
- Everton beat sorry Spurs to ease relegation fears
- Trump says will delay TikTok ban, proposes US part-ownership
- Brighton rock woeful Man Utd after Law tributes
- Hamas hands over first Israeli hostages as Gaza truce beings
- McGrath leads Norwegian sweep of Wengen World Cup slalom
- Hatton holds nerve to clinch Dubai title from Hillier
- Lopetegui linked with vacant Belgium job
- Leverkusen's Terrier out for season with Achilles tear
- Olympic champion Axelsen wins record-equalling third India crown
- Djokovic refuses Australian Open interviews over 'insulting comments'
- Djokovic braced for 'big battle' with Alcaraz at Australian Open
- Russians take Epiphany dip in waters hit by oil spill
France's Le Pen urges Macron to hold referendum to break deadlock
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen on Sunday urged President Emmanuel Macron to hold a referendum on key issues such as immigration, suggesting that giving the French a direct vote might help break the political deadlock.
Last week Macron appointed the centre-right Michel Barnier, a 73-year-old former foreign minister who acted as the European Union's Brexit negotiator, as prime minister, seeking to move forward after June-July snap elections that resulted in a hung parliament.
But analysts say the country is set for a period of instability, with Barnier's hold on power seen as fragile and dependent on support from Le Pen's eurosceptic, anti-immigration National Rally (RN) party, which is the largest party in the new National Assembly.
A left-wing coalition, which emerged as France's largest political bloc after the elections, although short of an overall majority, is also piling pressure on Barnier.
More than 100,000 left-wing demonstrators rallied across France on Saturday to protest against his nomination and denounce Macron's "power grab".
Le Pen, who leads RN lawmakers in parliament, has said her party would not be part of the new cabinet.
- 'Power to decide directly' -
On Sunday, she urged Macron to conduct a referendum on key issues such as immigration, health care and security to give the people a direct vote.
The RN "will unreservedly support any approach aimed at giving people the power to decide directly", Le Pen said, speaking in the northern town of Henin-Beaumont, the far-right's traditional stronghold.
"Emmanuel Macron himself, in the chaos he has created, has levers to keep our democracy live," she added.
To prevent the RN from having an absolute majority and forming a government, around 200 candidates stood down ahead of the final round of the snap legislative polls in July, sparking the far-right's outrage.
Le Pen also indicated she would watch Barnier's every move.
"If, in the coming weeks, the French are once again forgotten or mistreated, we will not hesitate to censure the government," she added.
Speaking to reporters, Le Pen, 56, also said she expected France to hold new legislative elections "within a year".
"This is good because I think that France needs a clear majority," she said.
The left-wing coalition has also vowed to topple Barnier with a no-confidence motion.
The alliance wanted Lucie Castets, a 37-year-old economist, to become prime minister, but Macron quashed that idea, arguing that she would not survive a confidence vote in the hung parliament.
- Competent and likeable -
According to a poll released on Sunday, the French are largely satisfied with the appointment of Barnier as prime minister, but believe he will not last long in his new post.
Fifty two percent of people polled said they were satisfied with the appointment of Barnier, according to the Ifop poll for the Journal du Dimanche.
By comparison, 53 percent of respondents approved the nomination of Barnier's predecessor, Gabriel Attal, when he was appointed prime minister in early January, becoming France's youngest-ever premier at 34.
According to the poll, a majority of respondents see Barnier, the oldest prime minister in the history of modern France, as competent (62 percent), open to dialogue (61 percent) and likeable (60 percent).
However, 74 percent of respondents polled believe he would not last long in the post.
Ifop polled 950 adults online on September 5-6. The margin of error was up to 3.1 points.
L.Mesquita--PC