Royal Palace Podcast

Our first French guest: Teacher John, a high school history and geography teacher in Seine-Saint-Denis, joins us with returning guest Nancy co-hosting, to talk about the high school students' movement from the teachers' side of the blockade.Image copyright : SAMUEL SOTTO/SIPA

For the past several weeks, high school students have mobilised in huge numbers, blockading their schools to demand the basic essentials of an education. As the movement grows, teachers and education staff have gone on strike, unions are backing protests across the country, and the Yellow Vests hope to make a comeback. Where will it all lead? Photo : Jules*, « Manifestation lycéenne et étudiante du 6 octobre 2026 à Paris 023 », Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, recadrée.

Marlon Ettinger joins us to discuss "Faced With Record Fires, France Skimps on Fire Crews" (Jacobin), on how French austerity has starved the fire service just as climate change makes catastrophic wildfires the norm, leading to an upcoming round of firefighter-lead protests.

France is in its third heatwave of the year. With more than 1,000 deaths recorded so far, climate inaction and the lack of adaptation give way to a culture war over air conditioning.

The second round of the municipal elections has come and gone, and we’re joined by journalist Marlon Ettinger to break down the results. Did LFI secure the victory it was hoping for? Did the far-right National Rally outperform Macron’s so-called center? Why does the PS still exist? And why is everyone so racist toward Bally Bagayoko, the newly elected mayor of Saint-Denis?Thumbnail by Danielmoreno4774, licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), via Wikimedia Commons.

Every six years, voters in 34,935 municipalities elect city councilors, who then go on to elect their mayor. This year, La France Insoumise made significant gains in key areas, while the Socialist Party failed to rise to the occasion in the largest cities. We discuss the results of the first of two rounds and explain how the system works in France.

Luxury brands are big business in France. Although most people cannot afford a coveted Birkin bag, a handbag that costs more than some of France’s best-selling compact hatchbacks, or even a bottle of the “mass-market” Moët & Chandon champagne, their owners wield outsized influence over French politics. One notable example is Bernard Arnault, the billionaire CEO of LVMH, who owns the unprofitable and subsidized newspaper Le Parisien, as well as Les Echos and Paris Match. We are joined by Rachel and Nancy to discuss these luxury brands, their labor practices, the polémique around fast fashion, and their contribution to the consumerism they are sometimes said to oppose.

After the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, the United States is doubling down on its threats to seize Greenland. You might expect French and European leaders to start questioning their alliance with Washington. Instead, as we discuss with our guest Flo, Europe has never been closer to the US, and the tide seems unlikely to turn anytime soon.

In this episode, we’re joined by our cultural correspondent to discuss the latest developments on the Louvre heist, the so-called budget “crisis,” social security, and layoffs in strategic sectors.If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share it with your friends and subscribe to our email newsletter!

On the 19th of October 2025, a group of unarmed thieves broke into the famous Louvre Art Museum, stealing several high-value pieces. It didn't take long for politicans in charge to deflect responsability for decades of underfunding, deferred maintence, understaffing and the poor working conditions which the labor unions have long denounced. Featuring our new culture correspondent, we discuss the daring robbery, the reactions to it, and our cultural obsession with art heists.Thumbnail: Quirinale.it, Attribution, via Wikimedia Commons