French press review 16 June 2012

“The last round has arrived” shouts Libération, the left-leaning newspaper rubbing its hands in pleasant anticipation of an absolute majority for the Left in the next parliament. That is within the reach of the Socialists says Libé, as France concludes an electoral year.

Parliamentary elections 2012

Le Figaro admits the risks of a Socialist sweep on Sunday are very high.

The conservative publication however, says that the Centre-Right UMP coalition is mobilizing to prevent the Socialist Party from gaining absolute powers, after President Hollande’s election and the take-over of the senate for the first time by the Left.

“Europe is holding her breathe as Greece returns to the polls” says Le Monde. The paper explains that while the Greeks seek a majority capable of breaking the political impasse in the country, Europeans see austerity as their sole option.

For Le Figaro, the eurozone is in a “state of alert”, as Greece “decides on its future” in the monetary union with central banks the world over ready to step in, if the outcome of the vote sparks panic in the markets.

Le Figaro also looks at the “high tension” presidential runoff underway in Egypt this Saturday. The vote pits an Islamist candidate against the last premier of ousted strongman Hosni Mubarak.

According to the rightwing newspaper, the democratic process that was set to oversee a handover of power to civilians is ending in “bitterness”, following a decision by the Highest Court to dissolve the newly-elected Islamist-dominated parliament.

Dossier: Revolution in Egypt

La Croix takes its readers on a guided tour of the Chinon nuclear station in Central French region of Indre-et-Loire. The Catholic daily sat down with the engineers and support staff, working round the clock at the plant, which produces five percent of French electricity.

«Trigger mechanism activated» crows Le Parisien/Aujourd’hui en France, as it celebrates France’s 2-0 victory over Ukraine, the co-hosts of the Euro 2012 football tournament.

The win is a “great step for the Blues” to qualify for the quarter finals, according to the popular Parisian newspaper.

L’Equipe, describes the “majestic” performance of the Blues in Donetsk as «Blue thunder» on a night of rains and lightening that forced an hour-long pitch evacuation.

The sports daily recalls that the win “clarifies the skies” and puts France on course to qualify for their very first quarter finals in a major competition, since their 2-0 win over Togo at the 2006 football World Cup finals in Germany.