The people are at the polls this week, as major elections and leadership transitions dominate the front pages. In France, François Mitterrand’s political domination continues into the late ‘80s as he secures a second term, while nearly two decades later, Nicolas Sarkozy takes over from Jacques Chirac to begin his turbulent presidency. In the UK, Tony Blair’s premiership enters its final days, raising questions about his legacy and paving the way for Gordon Brown. Meanwhile, Northern Ireland begins a historic new chapter as power-sharing is formally agreed between the Democratic Unionists and Sinn Féin. Explore these headlines and much more in this week’s archive snapshot.
5 May 1987 - MI5 plot over CIA claims
Following its initial exposé the previous week, The Independent publishes further details of an alleged 1974 conspiracy by MI5 officers to oust Prime Minister Harold Wilson. The plot hinged on leaking an official investigation into CIA claims that Wilson was a Soviet agent, calculating that the resulting public scandal would force his immediate resignation.
9 May 1987 - Nine killed in Loughgall shootout
Nine people, including at least eight IRA paramilitaries, are killed in a fierce shootout with undercover security forces in County Armagh. The deadly clash erupts after security forces spring a carefully set trap on the group as they attempt to blow up the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) station in the village of Loughgall.
9 May 1988 - Mitterrand secures second term
François Mitterrand wins a second seven-year term as French President, capturing over 54 percent of the vote in a decisive victory against Prime Minister Jacques Chirac. The result marks a severe personal defeat for Chirac, whose campaign failed to gain final-week momentum despite his role in securing the release of three French hostages from Lebanon.
10 May 1999 - Embassies under siege in Peking
Hundreds of demonstrators besiege the US and British embassies in Peking, now Beijing, trapping the American ambassador inside with a barrage of concrete and paint bombs. The intense protests erupted in outrage after US forces bombed the Chinese embassy in Belgrade during the NATO air campaign over Kosovo, an incident that killed three Chinese journalists.
4 May 2007 - Labour avoids meltdown in Blair's final electoral test
Tony Blair's Labour Party suffers significant losses across the UK's local, Scottish, and Welsh elections but manages to avoid a total political meltdown against rival parties. The widespread polls serve as the Prime Minister's final electoral test before he officially announces his resignation just days later, paving the way for Gordon Brown.
7 May 2007 - Sarkozy succeeds Chirac as French President
Nicolas Sarkozy wins the French presidential election, promising to unite the country despite building a divisive reputation through his hardline rhetoric as interior minister. Though he vowed to be a "president of all the French," he would ultimately serve only a single term before his 2012 defeat, and would later face unprecedented criminal convictions for corruption.
9 May 2007 - Historic power-sharing begins in Northern Ireland
After decades of bitter conflict, Northern Ireland reaches a historic milestone as Democratic Unionist leader Ian Paisley and Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness formally pledge to share power. The once-unthinkable sight of the veteran Protestant cleric and the former IRA commander laughing together is dubbed the "miracle of Belfast" in The Independent’s front-page coverage.
6 May 2008 - Deadly cyclone hits Burma
As Cyclone Nargis ravages Burma and claims an initial estimate of 10,000 lives, the isolated military regime makes a rare plea for international assistance. However, the death toll would ultimately soar past 138,000, and the junta would soon face global condemnation for heavily restricting access for foreign aid workers and blocking crucial relief supplies.
7 May 2023 - King Charles III and Queen Camilla crowned
Britain formally enters a new age as King Charles III and Queen Camilla are crowned at Westminster Abbey in a ceremony steeped in centuries of tradition. The historic pageant marks the United Kingdom's first coronation in 70 years, following the record-breaking reign of his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II.
