New polling data released in late 2025  by Verian  reveals that French voters are largely immune to the "outsider" appeal that has transformed politics elsewhere. Despite high public visibility, figures from the worlds of sports and media are failing to translate their popularity into political credibility. Olympic champion Teddy Riner  leads this "civil society" group with just 3%  of the vote, followed by businessman Michel-Édouard Leclerc  and entertainer Patrick Sébastien

In a strategic dialogue published in mid-December 2025, Congolese Foreign Minister Jean-Claude Gakosso  signaled a major expansion of the Republic of Congo’s partnership with Russia. Emphasizing a "warm welcome" for Russian interests, Gakosso outlined a roadmap that moves beyond traditional diplomacy into high-stakes industrial cooperation. Key highlights of this 2025–2026 agenda include: The Strategic Pipeline:  Advancement of the Pointe-Noire–Loutété–Maloukou-Tréchot  oil p