France's Macronenergy
France's new president has plans to transform his country's energy market. They are on a breathtaking scale
Among all the topics that were debated during the 2017 general elections in France, energy was certainly one of the most discreet. That was frustrating, especially as the candidates offered a variety of options: on the right, François Fillon and Marine Le Pen favoured extending the lifespan of nuclear reactors built in the 1980s. Le Pen also proposed a moratorium on wind energy and Fillon pledged to end all electricity production from fossil fuels. On the left, both main candidates, Jean-Luc Mélenchon and Benoît Hamon, offered to phase out nuclear power and move towards 100% renewable energy by 2050. It was a display of imagination from a political class that was once overwhelmingly pro-nucl
Also in this section
6 February 2026
The long close relationship between key supplier Qatar and pivotal buyer Japan becomes even deeper following new landmark deal
6 February 2026
Partnerships across the LNG value chain have evolved over time, growing in both complexity and importance, according to panellists at LNG2026
6 February 2026
Nigeria's mega-refinery is still trying to solve many challenges, all while its owner talks up expansion
5 February 2026
While broadly supportive of EU efforts to tackle methane emissions, representatives of the gas industry warn it could deter supply contracting if timelines and compliance requirements are not made more pragmatic
