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A30 world news
Dialuna 13 December 2021

French conservative candidate vows to end Macron’s centrism

France is holding its presi- who lost to Macron in the She vowed to crack down on
dential race on April 10, with 2017 runoff, and former TV illegal immigration but also
a runoff if needed on April 24. pundit Eric Zemmour — are to step up the integration of
Pécresse, head of the Paris re- campaigning on anti-Islam, immigrants and break down
gion and a former conserva- anti-migrant themes. the barriers faced by the im-
tive minister, is first woman migrant “ghettos” around
chosen to run as The Repub- On the left, Paris Mayor France’s urban centers.
licans’ presidential candidate. Anne Hidago is the presiden-
tial candidate for the Socialist She also warned against the
Since the announcement party and the Greens chose rise of what she called “Is-
last week, Pécresse has been European lawmaker Yannick lamism” in France.
gaining in popularity and Jadot, a former Greenpeace
some polls even have her activist. The far-left leader of “I am determined to stop the
in a runoff with Macron in the Rebel France party, Jean rise of Islamism,” she said.
the second round of voting. Lue Melenchon, is seeking “In France, women are free
The French president is ex- the presidency for the third and the laws of the Republic
pected to seek a second term time. are respected.”
although he has not yet offi-
cially declared his candidacy. An experienced politician, If elected president, Pécresse
Pécresse, 54, has been the said she would end France’s
Speaking at a conference hall minister for higher educa- 35-hour workweek so em-
in a Paris hotel, Pécresse as- tion, for the budget and was ployees work and earn more.
sured party members that she a government spokesper-
will first beat her rivals on the son under former President And internationally, she told
far-right in order to end The Nicolas Sarkozy from 2007 the audience of about 1,000
Republicans’ streak of presi- to 2012. Pécresse left The party members and support-
dential defeats. Republicans in 2019 amid ers, “I want a strong France.”
leadership divisions after the
“We are back on the battle- party had a poor showing in “I want us to play a leading
field to win and the voters EU elections. She rejoined role in the world, not as vas-
know it,” she said. “It will be the party this year. sals of the United States ...
(AP) — In her first ad- Emmanuel Macron’s cen- Emmanuel Macron or us!” and not as subordinates of
dress as a presidential can- trist policies and to defeat Known as a pro-European, China and not playing sec-
didate for France’s main the extremism of the far- Two far-right contenders Pécresse in recent months ond fiddle in Europe,” she
conservative party, Valérie right candidates in the — Marine Le Pen, the head has hardened her positions said.
Pécresse vowed Saturday race. of the National Rally party on immigration and security.
to break with President

Israel’s Bennett to make first official visit to UAE

(AP) — Israeli Prime Min- administration under the regional threat. Several other show, Sheikh Mohammed Iran relief from stifling sanc-
ister Naftali Bennett on “Abraham Accords,” a series regional political visits, by visited the pavilion of Israel tions in exchange for curbs
Sunday took off on a his- of diplomatic accords with Syria’s foreign minister and Aerospace Industries, Israel’s on its nuclear program.
toric trip to the United Arab countries that also in- the leaders of Saudi Arabia largest state-owned defense
Arab Emirates, the first cluded Bahrain, Sudan and and Turkey, have also taken contractor. But three years later, Presi-
visit by an Israeli premier, Morocco. Israel and the UAE place recently, all with an eye dent Donald Trump, with
as part of a blitz of region- have long shared common on the negotiations. The Emirates also hosts U.S. strong encouragement from
al diplomacy against the anxiety over Iran’s nuclear and French forces and its Jeb- then-Israeli Prime Minister
backdrop of struggling program. The deal to estab- Israel, which is not a party el Ali port is the U.S. Navy’s Benjamin Netanyahu, with-
nuclear talks with Iran. lish ties between the coun- to the talks in Vienna, has busiest port of call outside of drew from the deal, causing
tries only increased tensions turned to its allies to work America. it to unravel. Since then, the
Israel has watched with con- with the Islamic Republic. together and lobby negotia- U.S. has reimposed sanctions
cern as Iran has pushed a tors seeking to rein in Iran’s The Vienna negotiations are and Iran has stepped up its
hard line against negotiators “We’re going to be discuss- nuclear program. working to revive the 2015 nuclear activities -- amassing
meeting in Vienna, at once ing ways to further our coop- nuclear accord between Iran a stockpile of highly enriched
demanding sanctions relief eration in a number of fields, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and six world powers. That uranium that goes well be-
while accelerating its nuclear especially strengthening our recently visited Europe and agreement, launched by Pres- yond the bounds of the ac-
program. economic and commercial Egypt and Defense Minister ident Barack Obama, granted cord.
ties,” Bennett said, shortly Benny Gantz and Mossad
In recent weeks, Israel has before takeoff. “In just one chief David Barnea flew to
dispatched its top diplomat year since normalizing our the U.S. to discuss the talks
and its defense and spy chiefs relationship, we’ve already with leaders there. Earlier
to meet allies in Europe, the seen the extraordinary po- this year Lapid visited the
U.S. and the Mideast to push tential of the Israel-UAE UAE and inaugurated Israel’s
for a firmer approach to Iran. partnership. This is just the embassy there.
The Israeli outreach has been beginning.”
accompanied by repeated Israel sees the UAE as a cru-
threats to take military action Bennett’s trip comes on the cial part of that outreach to
against Iran if diplomacy fails. heels of a visit by the UAE’s its allies. Under Sheikh Mo-
national security adviser, hammed bin Zayed Al Na-
Bennett’s trip to Abu Dha- Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed hyan, Abu Dhabi’s powerful
bi, where he will meet with Al Nahyan to Tehran, where crown prince and long the de
Crown Prince Mohamed he met with Iran’s new hard- facto ruler of the Emirates,
bin Zayed, is a milestone for line president, Ebrahim Rai- the UAE has embarked on a
both Israel and its new lead- si, in a bid to ease tensions. rapid expansion of its military
er. Israel and the UAE last It was a major visit for the forces to counter what it sees
year signed a normalization Gulf Arab federation that has as the threat posed by Iran.
deal brokered by the Trump long viewed Iran as its main During the recent Dubai air