Closing summary
We’re ending our live coverage of French politics for today, but readers can find our main story here:
And for those who prefer bullet points, here is a summary of what has happened today in French politics, as well as across Europe:
Outgoing French prime minister Sébastien Lecornu started a last-ditch, two-day effort to pull the country out of political deadlock after President Emmanuel Macron requested he withdraw his resignation.
Lecornu’s office said the talks would focus on agreeing on the national budget and the future of the French overseas territory of New Caledonia.
Despite the efforts, far-right leaders Jordan Bardella and Marine Le Pen of the National Rally party declined an invitation from Lecornu to participate in talks.
Bardella called for the dissolution of parliament, followed by new elections.
Other former allies of Macron, including former French prime minister Édouard Philippe, urged Macron to call an early presidential election.
Away from the French crisis, the European parliament voted to preserve the immunity of Italian left-wing MEP Ilaria Salis, denying a request from Hungarian authorities to lift it over assault charges.
Russia’s state nuclear energy company, Rosenergoatom, claimed that a Ukrainian drone attempted to strike a nuclear plant in the Voronezh region but caused no damage.
In Germany, newly elected mayor Iris Stalzer, a Social Democrat, was hospitalised in critical condition after being found with multiple stab wounds.
A construction site building in central Madrid partially collapsed, and four construction workers are missing.
Gisèle Pelicot was back in court as her convicted rapist, Husamettin Dogan, appealed his sentence.
Four construction workers missing in Madrid building collapse
At least four construction workers are missing in the Madrid building collapse, authorities have said.
The three men and one woman were reported missing by the construction company in charge, Madrid’s Deputy Mayor Inma Sanz told reporters.
“The upper floors collapsed and fell downwards, therefore we’re talking about a very significant amount of rubble that will take a long time to clear - not just hours, but probably several days,” Sanz said.
Police and firefighters were using drones and sniffer dogs to search for the missing inside the building located near the Spanish capital’s opera house and the royal palace.
The partial collapse of the five-storey building occurred inside, leaving its facade intact.
Updated
