Is France facing civil war? President Emmanuel Macron is claiming no less just a week before the first round of parliamentary elections. Both the National Rally (RN) and the left-wing party La France insoumise (LFI) will lead to chaos, Macron said Monday on the „Generation Do It Yourself” radio program. He warned against „the political programs of both parties.”

On the one hand, the National Front divides society on security issues by assigning people either religion or origin. On the other hand, the “Proud France” movement spreads “a form of sectarianism.” Macron said both lead to “civil war.”

Macron is facing criticism from his camp

The head of state’s statements were criticized from both the left and the right. Outgoing National Rally Party MP Edwige Diaz criticized the “irresponsible statements”: “Emmanuel Macron is ready to say any nonsense, spread fake news, and try to save what he can from his camp. His comments show how nervous he is and that he is losing his balance.”

Jean-Luc Mélenchon of La France insoumise accused Macron of „always there to incite.” Communist Ian Brusatte accused the president of being the one who has been causing chaos in the country for seven years: “I remind you that the yellow vests appeared in the first five years of Emmanuel Macron’s term in office. Today we have a country in ruins, with growing inequality. “This is the result of Emmanuel Macron’s policies.”

Even within his camp, Macron faces criticism. A former Macron minister, who requested to remain anonymous, told the press: “It is unbearable.” „I don’t understand him anymore.” As one outgoing member of the ruling party complained: “Macron is exaggerating, and we are losing our political compass.”

Security expert: „Anything is possible in France”

It looks completely different Well-known security expert Alan Power. He told RMC on Tuesday that there was “in fact a risk of civil war.” There was an enormous amount of anger building up in France, which had “intensified over the past thirty years due to the estrangement between the people and the politicians.”

In two weeks, exactly a year after the unrest following the death of teenager Nahil, violent clashes are expected to occur again – especially if the National Front wins the election. “There have been unrest in France for a thousand years. But right now it is escalating, there are more and more riots on TikTok. They start very quickly and stop quickly. You go from rioting to looting and then you move on,” said Bauer. Since „A few years later I realized that anything is possible in France.”

But Power primarily blames Macron himself for the chaos, saying of the president: “For the first time I see an arsonist surprised that there is a fire.” This actually sparked a civil war in New Caledonia.

In response to the resounding defeat of the Ennahdha Party in the European elections, Macron dissolved the National Assembly and announced new elections for the French House of Representatives in two rounds on June 30 and July 7. In the latest opinion polls, the National Front is leading with 35 percent, followed by the green left electoral alliance, the New Popular Front, with just under 30 percent. The government camp lags behind by about 18 percent.

The Kenyan government plans to increase some taxes. Thousands of people protested in the capital, and some of them stormed the parliament grounds. The situation is currently unclear, and it appears that there are dead and wounded.

During the debate on controversial tax increases, demonstrators stormed the parliament grounds in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. Images broadcast on Kenyan television showed several hundred people overcoming police barricades.

ARD correspondent Thelko Glasgen Reports from Nairobi of a “very confusing” situation. The police acted brutally and opened fire on the demonstrators. According to the human rights organization Kenya Human Rights Commission, at least one person was killed. Reuters reported, citing a paramedic, that at least ten were killed and about 50 wounded. This has not been confirmed yet.

Fire in Parliament and City Hall

Protesters set fire to parts of Parliament and Nairobi City Hall, Glasgen reported. Television footage showed broken windows and damage to the parliament building. The deputies are said to have fled.

Chanting, „Ruto must go,” the demonstrators, most of whom were young, demanded the resignation of President William Ruto and effective public administration. The country’s internet service was also widely disrupted during the protests, NetBlocks said, citing real-time network data. Demonstrations and clashes also took place in several other places in the East African country.

higher Cost of living He is afraid

However, Parliament approved the Finance Law. At the time of the raid, the third reading of the controversial tax law was taking place in Parliament. Two-thirds of the representatives voted in favor of it. The law will now be presented to President Ruto for his signature.

Many people fear that the law will increase the cost of living. Among other things, an environmental tax is planned that will increase the prices of hygiene products for women and children. The government has already made some concessions, promising to cancel new taxes on bread, cooking oil, car ownership and financial transactions. But the demonstrators are demanding the complete repeal of the law.

Two people were killed in the last protests

There have already been protests in the past few days in which two people were killed. Civil society groups said members of protest groups who were moved from their homes and workplaces before Tuesday’s demonstrations were missing. Speaker of Parliament Musa Wetangula ordered the Inspector-General of Police to provide information about the people the opposition said were abducted by the police.

Kenyan President William Ruto is not particularly popular among young Kenyans. But the new taxes have also angered many of Ruto’s former voters. Due to rising inflation in the East African country, the already small middle class has shrunk again. Many in Kenya still live in poverty.

The Chinese lunar probe Chang’e-6 returned to Earth, carrying with it rock samples from the far side of the moon. The mission was technically demanding and considered a great success.

China has already made space history with the Chang’e-6 mission, even before the probe has landed back on Earth: for the first time, the People’s Republic has succeeded in taking samples from the side of the Moon facing away from Earth.

Through rock and soil samples in their luggage, scientists hope to gain insight into the nature of the far side of the Moon, which can never be seen from Earth. Because of the so-called restricted rotation, it always shows us the same side.

Back 'more geologically interesting’

The six Apollo missions in the 1960s and 1970s only brought samples from the far side of the Moon. However, the back side is geologically more interesting because it is older, explains space expert Paolo Ferri, who worked at the European Space Agency (ESA) for many years:

„The biggest difference between the two sides of the Moon is that on the far side of the Moon there is more lava on the surface. It has covered the older surface. So the samples from this side are relatively new. The samples from the far side come from the original surface of the Moon.”

Earth’s gravity likely caused more volcanic activity on the front side.

Cooperation with the European Space Agency

On board the Chang’e-6 probe was a device belonging to the European Space Agency that discovered negative ions on the moon for the first time. Space expert Ferrie explains why this is interesting for science:

“The Moon has neither a magnetic field nor an atmosphere. Therefore, charged solar wind particles – unlike the Earth – directly collide with its surface, interact with it, and produce positive and negative ions.” These are practically the key to the composition of the Moon’s surface.

It is still unclear whether the European Space Agency will continue to work with China on China’s follow-on missions Chang’e-7 and Chang’e-8 and other projects. European Space Agency on this issue at the request of tagesschau.de He is not quite ready to provide information and only says: „There are currently no decisions on continuing cooperation on 'Chang’e-7′ and -8.”

Competition for manned lunar missions

The reason may be that both China and the United States are planning to send manned flights to the Moon in the next few years. The European Space Agency, in turn, plays an important role in the American lunar program „Artemis”: an important module of the Orion spacecraft comes from Europe. It is assembled in Bremen at Airbus, provides propulsion and is the heart of the spaceship.

Former astronaut Ulrich Walter suspects that the United States is not happy about further cooperation between ESA and China: “The Chinese lunar program consists of four phases. This Chang’e-6 mission was the end of the third phase, and the next phases are two Chang’e missions.” “They are the fourth stage and at the same time two preparatory missions for the subsequent Chinese manned landing on the moon.” This would put the Chinese in competition with the Americans.

Forming camp while exploring the moon

Both the United States and China are currently looking for partners for their lunar programs. The United States launched the so-called “Artemis Accords.” These contracts regulate, among other things, the legal details of future lunar exploration.

After some hesitation, Germany also signed the agreement last September, becoming the 29th country at the time. The United States recently announced that Slovakia has become the 42nd country to sign the Artemis Accords.

The formation of the camps is progressing because the Chinese also want to implement their lunar program in an international partnership, says former astronaut Walter: „China is working with emerging space nations like Brazil, Azerbaijan, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. They want that.” Communicate with these countries by linking the lunar program.”

Russia’s role

Russia also cooperates with China and has its own lunar plans, but China has long overtaken Russia, says the former ESA official Ferry: “The Russian program has certainly been delayed. Today there are two major powers in space, and they are no longer Russia or Russia.” „. “At that time, they were the Soviet Union and the United States, but this is the United States and China.”

Ulrich Walter has a similar point of view and adds: Chinese technology has been based on Russian technology – since the 1970s. “But China has developed it so much that it has nothing to do with Russian technology anymore. In fact, the Chinese are now making fun of Russian space technology. They actually don’t want to have anything to do with the Russians in space technology anymore.”

What interests do China and the United States pursue?

According to current plans, the Americans will land astronauts on the moon before the Chinese. The American Artemis 3 mission is scheduled to take place in September 2026, and the Chinese mission is officially scheduled for 2029 at the earliest. For the United States, the moon is a stop on the way to Mars.

On the Earth’s satellite they want to learn how to live in space with people for a certain period of time. Since the Moon is relatively close to Earth at a distance of about 400,000 km, “life in space” can be easily experienced here. In life-threatening situations, for example, you can return to Earth within three days.

The scientific nature of Artemis missions aims to help advance space exploration. Water ice on the Moon can be melted and split to produce rocket fuel – oxygen and hydrogen. There are also ideas to travel from the Moon to Mars at some point. Since the Moon’s gravity is only one-sixth that of Earth, less fuel would be needed.

For the Chinese, the moon is a prestigious technological project, says former astronaut Walter. „On the one hand, it’s about educating young people; young people should be fascinated.” They also want to develop technologies. “If you look at China’s five-year plan, it says very clearly: We need new technologies.” Space travel is a technology driver, which is why China runs the very extensive lunar program. “They want to cover the Moon with many satellites, observe the Moon, and make many lunar landings, as well as manned landings from 2029.”

Military interests on the moon

From today’s point of view, it does not seem logical to use the moon for military purposes and place weapons on it. The moon is too far from Earth for that. Plans to militarize the Moon did exist during the Cold War, but were rejected.

However, the militarization of space is already taking place in low Earth orbit. Satellites that are part of critical infrastructure orbit there. Laser attacks from the ground, anti-satellite missile tests, and approach maneuvers by enemy satellites are realistic scenarios.