Ian Johnston
@iancjohnston.bsky.social
Paris correspondent for the Financial Times
ICYMI: I had a tasty and varied lunch with Nobel prize winner Philippe Aghion. Lots of interesting stuff in here on AI and growth, how to deal with wealth taxes and the legacy of his one-time economics student, Emmanuel Macron... on.ft.com/4ogo2F0
Economist Philippe Aghion: ‘Macron’s legacy will be better than people think’
[FREE TO READ] France’s new Nobel laureate on stimulating growth, the power of creative destruction — and why Karl Lagerfeld helped him with his homework
on.ft.com
Car bosses pledge bigger investment in Europe if petrol ban is relaxed on.ft.com/47FSG4E
Car bosses pledge bigger investment in Europe if petrol ban is relaxed
Head of Stellantis and car industry body warn Brussels would be making ‘a catastrophic mistake’ by limiting sales to EVs
on.ft.com
Shot, chaser Young men more likely to vote Green than Reform. Young men second most progressive group of any demographic. Combined right-wing vote barely bigger than Green vote alone for young men
French debt downgrade piles pressure on Macron’s new prime minister on.ft.com/4na8Gm0
French debt downgrade piles pressure on Macron’s new prime minister
[FREE TO READ] Fitch’s change to A+ reflects concerns political instability will affect France’s ability to reduce its deficit
on.ft.com
Macron bets on Sébastien Lecornu, the 39-year-old fixer who has been part of his governments since 2017, to succeed where so many before him have failed. Our analysis: on.ft.com/4gfMyng
Emmanuel Macron’s fixer chosen to tackle political quagmire
[FREE TO READ] New Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has French president’s trust but faces angry opposition
on.ft.com
Whoops for EDF! Click through if you, like me, would like to learn the collective noun for jellyfish on.ft.com/46tkCYX
Jellyfish force partial shutdown at French nuclear plant
[FREE TO READ] Gelatinous creatures gum up EDF nuclear reactors for the second time in a month
on.ft.com
New in FT: French finance minister Eric Lombard tells us compromise on his €44bn deficit reduction plan is “inevitable”, as French PM François Bayrou is set to be booted out of office on.ft.com/3VBm3PD
French finance minister urges compromise on 2026 budget
Éric Lombard says deficit reduction plan will inevitably be less ambitious if the government falls
on.ft.com
The Korean nuclear industry is accusing EDF of being in contravention of state aid rules — after EDF accused Korea’s state nuclear company KHNP of the same thing. In Europe Express with @iancjohnston.bsky.social on.ft.com/45AwjxG
French and Korean nuclear groups in stand-off over foreign subsidy probe
[FREE TO READ] Also in this newsletter: German minister travels to Israel and Palestine after deadly air strike
on.ft.com
FT Editorial: "Unless the Israeli government agrees to an immediate end to the war and a surge of aid into Gaza, western countries should be sanctioning Netanyahu and his government." www.ft.com/content/69d5...
Macron and Merz say they will ramp up defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP ahead of NATO meeting, in a joint FT op-ed. "We will live for the foreseeable future in a deeply destabilised environment, and in a world in which our allies will have other dilemmas and priorities" on.ft.com/4kV3u4h
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
[FREE TO READ] Norms are eroding and old certainties are being challenged — we must act accordingly
on.ft.com
After months of reporting (and even my own attempt at a jiu jitsu class), my FT Magazine cover story on Mark Zuckerberg’s metamorphosis to red-blooded “Maga Mark” is out! Is this political expediency, a midlife crisis or who Zuck has been all along? on.ft.com/4nsoktx
How Mark Zuckerberg unleashed his inner brawler
[FREE TO READ] The boss’s transformation shocked liberals at Meta, but his closest allies say this is who he was all along
on.ft.com
FT exclusive: US private equity group Apollo has agreed £4.5bn in debt financing to support the UK’s Hinkley Point C nuclear power station, easing mounting financial pressure on the delayed and over-budget project led by France's EDF. on.ft.com/4ldOvBY
Apollo to finance UK Hinkley Point nuclear plant with £4.5bn loan
[FREE TO READ] Funding for electricity group EDF is among largest UK private credit deals to date
on.ft.com
Emmanuel Macron’s decision to make a symbolic stopover in Greenland on his way to the G7 and criticise Trump’s desire to control the island had irritated the US President and contributed to his decision to leave early, three officials attending the summit told @financialtimes.com on.ft.com/45XasRu
Donald Trump’s abrupt G7 exit causes disquiet among other leaders
[FREE TO READ] US president’s early departure raises fears over Washington’s commitment to global alliances
on.ft.com
After the shock resignation of Renault boss Luca de Meo on Sunday to lead luxury group Kering, the head of budget car brand Dacia is a leading contender to succeed him. More details on how De Meo's departure rocked Renault in our story 👇 on.ft.com/4kHbm9d
Head of budget brand Dacia among contenders to succeed Luca de Meo as Renault CEO
[FREE TO READ] French carmaker hopes to avoid lengthy search process endured by rival Stellantis
on.ft.com
Scoop in the FT today: UK authorities have commissioned a human rights review into a $20bn gas development in Mozambique led by France's TotalEnergies. It comes as the UK assesses whether it is going to keep funding the controversial project on.ft.com/43Pdje0
TotalEnergies gas project in Mozambique faces UK human rights probe
[FREE TO READ] Country’s credit export agency tasks legal group led by senior barrister to review $20bn gas development
on.ft.com
Tesla drivers in France sue over Elon Musk’s political antics-to terminate the leases for their vehicles, alleging chief executive Elon Musk’s political activities have made their cars “far-right totems”. www.ft.com/content/ef4a... @iancjohnston.bsky.social @financialtimes.com
Tesla drivers in France sue over Elon Musk’s political antics
Lawsuit seeks termination of customers’ leases, alleging CEO has ‘tarnished’ brand
ft.com
Hedge funds are circling more than a dozen distressed companies in France, we reported in the FT yesterday Shocks from Trump's tariffs to the aftermath of last summer's French elections are weighing on indebted businesses, many of which are owned by private equity groups 👇 on.ft.com/3Tgleux
Hedge funds circle distressed French private equity-owned companies
[FREE TO READ] Economic weakness and high debt burdens have made businesses more attractive targets
on.ft.com
Can oil and gas companies be "major actors in the energy transition" while developing new fossil fuel resources? And is gas a "transition fuel"? France's TotalEnergies is under fire in a landmark "greenwashing" trial that questions how companies communicate their climate goals. on.ft.com/4kuhLo4
TotalEnergies promotion of natural gas under fire in greenwashing trial
[FREE TO READ] Landmark case over claim of misleading commercial practices by oil and gas group
on.ft.com
Macron meets Giorgia Meloni in Rome today, for discussions on Ukraine, migration and more. But it's also a bid to repair relations. The pair do not get on, to put it lightly. Story with @amykazmin.bsky.social on.ft.com/43JxB74
How Macron and Meloni are trying to patch up their tattered relationship
[FREE TO READ] Also in this newsletter: Why the Mercosur trade deal could still survive Poland’s election
on.ft.com
Scoop in today's FT: Starmer and Macron will give the go-ahead to the UK's Sizewell C nuclear station at an Anglo-French summit next month. UK ministers have been drumming up billions of private sector investment for the EDF-designed plant. With @pickardje.bsky.social and team: on.ft.com/3SvDyQb
Sizewell C nuclear project to get go-ahead during Anglo-French summit
[FREE TO READ] UK ministers hope to sign up private sector investors for new Suffolk power plant later this month
on.ft.com
'Forever chemicals' are seeping into waterways across Europe. A vanishingly small, man-made molecule resists all attempts of removal. How will the EU eradicate the pollution? www.ft.com/content/a36c...
Greenpeace activists steal Emmanuel Macron's waxwork from the Musée Grevin, in protest against trade between Russia and France. Bien joué www.lemonde.fr/societe/arti...
La statue d’Emmanuel Macron volée au Musée Grévin par Greenpeace pour dénoncer le commerce entre la France et la Russie
Des activistes de l’organisation écologiste ont déposé la statue de cire devant l’ambassade russe en France, lundi.
lemonde.fr
I don't think the FT would let me write like this, even for a football report. The intro celebrating a PSG victory that will be remembered till the end of time is a triumph of joyous Gallic excess...
Impressive victory for PSG last night in the Champions League, followed by a less impressive reaction on the streets of Paris... on.ft.com/4kDVIem
PSG’s Champions League victory marred by violence in Paris
[FREE TO READ] Nearly 500 arrested after looters raid shops in the Champs-Élysées area and burn cars in the city
on.ft.com
French-Italian carmaker Stellantis got a new chief executive this week: Antonio Filosa. Faced with Trump's tariffs and a not so healthy car market, the water polo-playing boss faces a tough task of keeping the struggling company afloat. Our profile in the FT today: on.ft.com/3SvJad7
New Stellantis CEO: the water-polo player charged with keeping Fiat and Jeep afloat
[FREE TO READ] Sergio Marchionne protégé Antonio Filosa inherits a group which suffered a 70% plunge drop in net profits in 2024
on.ft.com
I'm the Paris correspondent for the FT and I'll be posting mostly, but not exclusively, about France. Follow along if you want to read things I have written, things I find interesting and, sometimes, both of those things