French courts

A new RTL poll on the 2027 French presidential election shows Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon meeting in the second round in every scenario tested. Other surveys and commentary depict a deeply fragmented electorate, with a 'rejection barometer' finding no candidate able to unite the French, and Écologie chief Marine Tondelier rated the least appreciated. Mélenchon is meanwhile courting young voters in Auvergne as he sharpens his presidential profile.

The plaintiffs in the trial of the man dubbed the 'Meetic rapist' have spoken publicly after the verdict was handed down, with one saying she encourages other victims to come forward and speak. The women addressed the court's decision following the case, which involved a man who assaulted women he met through the online dating platform.

Michèle 'Mimi' Marchand, the well-known French celebrity publicist, has been definitively convicted for blackmailing television presenter Karine Le Marchand, according to franceinfo. The ruling closes the legal chapter in a case that had drawn wide attention in France, given the prominence of both women in French media and celebrity circles.

The Africa Cup of Nations is back in the headlines on two fronts. The Court of Arbitration for Sport is set to deliver a ruling concerning the tournament final, while the Confederation of African Football is reportedly reconsidering its calendar and may return to holding the competition every two years. French-speaking football fans are closely following both developments.

A Syrian man described as an 'antifa' militant and accused of violence is the subject of an extradition request from Hungary to France. Le Parisien reports that a French court decision on the request is expected on 25 November. The case is drawing attention amid ongoing political debate in France over antifa activism and cross-border justice cooperation within the EU.

French tennis player Arthur Fils is set to face American Martin Damm in the first round of qualifying at the ATP 500 tournament in Tokyo. The matchup is drawing attention among tennis fans in France and beyond as Fils continues his season on the Asian swing, with the draw now confirmed for the Japanese hard-court event.

France's Cour de cassation is expected to rule before 18 April on Marine Le Pen's appeal against her conviction for embezzlement of public funds. If her appeal is rejected, the Paris appeals court ruling becomes final and must be enforced, with potentially major consequences for the Rassemblement National leader and her political future.

The French true-crime series 'Faites entrer l'accusé' is set to broadcast episodes on the Vincent Person and Martin Meyer cases on RMC Découverte on Sunday 18 October 2026. The programme, known for revisiting criminal cases and court proceedings, is drawing attention from viewers of crime and justice programming ahead of the scheduled airing.

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final between Senegal and Morocco has been clouded by a dispute heading to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. French-language media report that Morocco is tense ahead of the verdict, while coverage frames the arbitration ruling as deciding how the tournament's final chapter ends. Interest is high across French-speaking outlets as fans await the outcome.

A French court has rejected the legal challenge brought by François Piquemal seeking to have the Toulouse municipal elections annulled ahead of the 2026 contests. The ruling, reported by Actu.fr, ends his attempt to overturn the results through the courts. The case has drawn attention in local politics as parties begin positioning themselves for the next municipal cycle.

The head of French charcuterie maker Ruel appeared before the tribunal in Le Mans over the fire that destroyed his business. Asked why he would have set fire to his own company, the owner faced questions in a case that has drawn attention in the Sarthe region, where the firm was a well-known local employer.

France's administrative court has rejected comedian Rémi Gaillard's challenge and validated the municipal election results in Montpellier. The prankster had contested the outcome of the vote in the southern French city. The ruling closes his attempt to overturn the results, and the elected municipal team can now govern without legal uncertainty over its mandate.

Administrative tribunals in France have annulled municipal election results in several towns, including Saint-Fons and Évreux, over electoral irregularities. In Saint-Fons, the courts cancelled the municipal vote entirely, and in Évreux the tribunal struck down the 2026 municipal elections. The mayors involved say they are stunned and have announced appeals, keeping the towns' political leadership in limbo.

Mimi Marchand, the renowned French paparazzi figure, is returning to court to face a retrial over charges that she blackmailed television host Karine Lemarchand. The case, reported by Midi Libre, reopens one of the most closely watched legal sagas involving the celebrity press in France. The retrial renews debate over the tactics of the paparazzi world and the boundaries of press power in French celebrity culture.

The trial over the fire in Saint-Laurent-de-la-Salanque, in the French Pyrénées-Orientales, has drawn attention as the main defendant gave his account to the court. He reportedly said he was told "today, you're going to set the fire", revelations that Le Parisien highlighted as the central truths of the case.

Cloudflare has avoided penalties in France after keeping its 1.1.1.1 DNS resolver out of court-mandated piracy blocking measures. French authorities had pressured DNS providers to block access to pirate sites, but Cloudflare's resolver reportedly remained outside the scope of the blocking orders, allowing the company to escape fines. The outcome is being closely watched as a precedent for how DNS providers handle anti-piracy injunctions across Europe.

Left-wing French presidential hopeful Jean-Luc Melenchon has joined a protest march over schools, voicing his support for the demonstrators. His appearance ties the education protest to the presidential campaign, with the veteran France Unbowed leader using the march to court voters and press his party's agenda ahead of the election.

A man from Villeurbanne, near Lyon, accused of killing his childhood friend will face trial for murder, according to Lyon Capitale. The case follows an investigation into the death of the victim, and the suspect has now been sent to the assizes court to answer an assassination charge, which carries the heaviest penalties in French law.

A court in Nantes has ordered the French state to pay 1,200 euros in compensation to the mother of a seventh-grade pupil in Vendée who missed 239 hours of class because his teachers were repeatedly absent. The administrative tribunal ruled the state responsible for the lost teaching time, a decision that could set a precedent for other families affected by chronic staff shortages and absenteeism in French schools.

A French court has ruled against a video games distributor in a case involving Gameloft tied to Ethiopia, according to Africa Intelligence. The ruling concerns the distribution of Gameloft mobile games in the Ethiopian market. Details of the parties involved, the damages awarded, and the specific grounds for the decision have not yet been made widely available.

A Paris court has upheld a terrorism conviction connected to the hostage-taking of captives by Islamic State. The appellate ruling affirms the original verdict in a case tied to hostages held by the jihadist group. The decision closes another legal chapter in France's efforts to prosecute those linked to the detention of its citizens by the group.

French businessman Cédric Meston, who previously stepped in to save Tupperware's operations in France, is attempting another rescue, this time for glassmaker Duralex. The Orléans commercial court is examining three takeover offers on Monday, including his bid, which will determine the future of the iconic Made-in-France glassware brand.

The daughter of French billionaire Pierre Castel has won a court case, though details of the dispute and the ruling have not been disclosed in the available reporting. Castel, co-founder of the Castel wine and beverage empire, is one of France's wealthiest businessmen. The verdict resolves a legal battle involving his family, drawing attention from business and legal observers.