France Braces for New Yellow Vest Protests as Israel's Election Ends Without a Clear Winner
France has deployed 70,000 police and security personnel ahead of weekend Yellow Vest protests. Israel's election has produced no clear winner, while Donald Trump and Barack Obama are trading barbs in the closing days of the US midterm campaign.
France is preparing for another weekend of unrest as the Yellow Vests movement returns to the streets under the banner “Act III – Halloween”. After riots and looting in recent weeks, 70,000 police and security personnel have been deployed across the country. The developments were covered in France 24's weekly international affairs programme “The World This Week”.
France: tight finances, growing pressure
The government is short of funds and faces mounting grievances and a rolling protest movement. It has little room for manoeuvre ahead of elections, while trying to restore order and cope with a heavy debt burden.
Israel: an inconclusive vote
In Israel, the election has not produced a clear outcome. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his rival Gadi Eisenkot have both claimed victory, but neither has won the 61 seats needed for a majority in parliament. Arab parties have made historic gains and could hold the balance of power. Netanyahu is challenging the legitimacy of their result, while Eisenkot insists on a Zionist government.
United States: a theatrical end to the midterm campaign
The final days of the US midterm campaign have taken a distinctly theatrical turn. President Donald Trump and former president Barack Obama are publicly trading barbs in an exchange involving gold-plated White House décor, accusations of elitism and an unexpected mention of the restaurant chain Cheesecake Factory.
The programme's guests were Francis Collings, a freelance journalist based in Paris; Noga Tarnopolsky; Andrew Feinberg, White House correspondent for The Independent; and Frederic Arnould, Radio Canada's correspondent for Europe.
