newsweek-paris-france:

Kiosque

Although the temperature isn’t getting any better (it seems to have scared away even the Parisians who like to smoke outdoors) it provides the perfect excuse to sit inside a café and read the papers.

Le Monde’s front page features President Nicola Sarkozy surrounded by the smiling parents of the now liberated French-Israeli hostage Gilad Shalit. The paper sets the stage for Sarkozy’s official campaign announcement sometime next week. This will mean that the gloves will finally come off (if they were on) and Monsieur le President will enter the ring ready for action. Though polls have Sarkozy lagging behind the Socialist Party’s Francois Hollande, he’s hoping his skill as a campaigner, more or less following a plan to be announced on February 16, will make up the gap.

Le Figaro leads with the annual report by the Court of Auditors which shows that the French economy has been making a comeback though it still has “more than half-way to go” according to Didier Migaud, the President of the Court. Migaud explains that the financial crisis is only partly to blame for the decrease in public finances with poor management responsible for the current debt crisis. He has invited the candidates for the Elysée to present their detailed economic plans. Lets see what they come up with. 

Le Fig also takes a look at the election taking place on the other side of the Atlantic, noting Mitt Romney’s recent walloping by Rick Santorum in the Midwest primaries and caucuses.

“La Syrie torturée” is the headline dominating Libération’s front page. The socialist-friendly publication features chilling first-hand accounts of the situation currently unfolding in Syria. Libé also details the various “networks” that are acting within France to support the Syrian regime, pointing fingers at government officials and Jean-Marie le Pen, the infamous politician from the far right.

Meanwhile the cold continues wreak havoc. According to Les Echos, yesterday there was a record consumption of electricity in France. The price of a megawatt hour of electricity soared to 1,938 euros compared to the average winter price of 100 to 200 euros. Toasty.

On a glossier front, le Parisien tells the tawdry tails of corporate spying practices. Renault, Areva and Karachi all provide examples of recent privacy-invading scandals. Le Parisien notes that while much of the spying is between competing firms, employees are often targeted within their own firms as well. Mon dieu. 

— Clara Zabludowsky

(Photo of the Louvre Pyramid by CZ on her iPhone.)