PRESS REVIEW - Friday, 26 September: First, French front pages are all discussing Nicolas Sarkozy's prison sentence, and debate continues into the back pages accross the Europe. Next, James Comey's indictment gets coverage in the United States. Also, the latest episode of South Park criticises Benjamin Netanyahu. Finally, a blood-thirsty squirrel tears through a Californian Neighbourhood.
PRESS REVIEW - Friday, 26 September
French papers are all covering the historic verdict in Sarkozy’s trial. Libération have a striking front page, Sarkozy’s face almost behind bars. Humanité is going for a similar photo of the former president, with a monopoly reference here, “case prison”, a reference to the famous: “Go directly to jail do not pass go” card. L’Opinion calls it an explosion in French politics, while le Figaro calls the judgement an earthquake. La Croix just headlines with: "a President in Prison". It is the first time a President of the French Republic will be serving time behind bars.
Beyond the front pages, Libération is so shocked about the result that it has taken to swearing, but the paper says that the judgement is not to be celebrated. The article says that it just demonstrates that "France’s political fragility today is ancient and deep rooted”. Le Figaro highlights Sarkozy’s innocence of corruption, and questions the nature of the criminal conspiracy charge. Slightly further afield, the Guardian says that the French courts are sending a clear message: both former presidents and presidential hopefuls are not above the law. The Telegraph is also looking at Sarkozy’s downfall, which it calls a case of contradiction almost Shakespearian in scale.
In the United States, former FBI director James Comey has been Indicted on two felony charges. The charge comes two days after Trump asked the Department of Justice to “move now to prosecute enemies” according to ABC. The New York Times says that the indictment shatters norms. The Atlantic says that it is just another step in a "plot to shred the rule of law in order to pervert the next election and protect his corruption from accountability”.
The latest episode of South Park has been getting some coverage in The Guardian. The article says it was not the most outrageous episode this season, but probably the funniest, ending with Kyle’s mother scolding Netanyahu.
Finally, an extremely mean squirrel has gone nuts and sent two people to hospital with extreme lacerations.
You can catch our press review every morning on France 24 at 7:20am and 9:20am (Paris time), from Monday to Friday.
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