François Bayrou inherits a poisoned chalice of Emmanuel Macron’s making

The problems are the product of decades of underinvestment and neglect

The decision to stay out is due not to an excess of ideological purity but to an entirely rational assessment of the probable outcome

That this decision has happened so easily is a dispiriting sign of the Saudis’ increasing hold over world sport

The country deserves maximum international and regional support as it confronts the mammoth tasks ahead

The bank’s latest cut outlook should act as a wake-up call for all member states

The next administration must not get caught in the headlights when looking at the risks ahead

Ireland’s ability to reach its legally binding CO2 reduction targets by 2030 would be fatally undermined by the continued growth of data centres

no one party should bear responsibility for defending policies that benefit the whole population

With populist parties shaping the narrative, Europe’s risky game of border dominoes may topple the historic achievement

Billions are going to be invested in housing and infrastructure and a coherent spatial strategy must lie behind this

A move to suspend talks of EU accession has led to uproar after a controversial recent election left a party sympathetic to Vladimir Putin in power

Much remains uncertain about whether a stable government can emerge and this has major implications for the country and the Middle East

The Labour government in London is planning measures which will address the bulk of the objections raised on both sides of the political divide in Northern Ireland

A new coalition will not be formed before Christmas, but with the options clear a deal should be done by mid-January

Ireland should examine the detail of the proposed agreement and then make a decision

The EU faces some particularly difficult decisions in the months ahead, but two countries which have traditionally led the way have their own problems

The cost of regular healthcare for many, including GP visits, remains far from ideal

The backdrop for talks on the formation of the next government is favourable, but corporation tax receipts remain unpredictable

A botched attempt to impose martial law has backfired on Yoon Suk Yeol, who now faces the threat of impeachment

It seems unlikely that the party can rebuild its old electoral coalition

There has been no convincing rationale offered for the decision, which should be reviewed by the next government

The president must face up to the reality that diplomatic engagement and sharing power with the rebels represent his best hope of survival

The job of the new government will be to protect employment, while trying to figure out ways of improving people’s standard of living, including via better public services

A political crisis in Paris threatens the government and could send tremors across the euro zone

The electorate has bucked the international anti-incumbent trend

Irish voters feel attached to the long, exhausting but gripping exercise in democracy that is about to take place.

A key issue identified by both international and domestic commentary, the vulnerability of the public finances, got little real attention during the campaign

Our electoral system tends to reward consensus and tolerance over extremism and polarisation

Scepticism is warranted - there are some bargains to be had, but companies should not be allowed to mislead consumers

The main reason for the tepid campaign, though, is that the range of potential outcomes seems limited

Ursula von der Leyen has set out an extensive programme of work, but it is up to the EU member state to decide whether they will pay for it

The deal is not a long-term agreement, but the framework for a 60-day ceasefire, with Unifil set to play an important role in implementation

Ireland will try to build bilateral relations with the new administration, but will be part of a wider EU response on trade

Ukraine, the Middle East and the great power rivalry between the United States and China present intractable disputes between sometimes bad actors

The absence of a common framework to assess the commitments and the budgetary outlook presented by the parties has meant they offered little insight to voters

The latest Irish Times/Ipsos B&A poll suggests that competition to lead the next government will once again go down to the wire

The summit was close to failure, but secured a last-minute dal of climate finance for developing countries

The overall impression is of a political class increasingly unable to speak honestly to voters, offering little more than short-term responses to the issues of the day

It is not clear why exactly Sinn Féin believes such a review is required. It doesn’t appear to know itself

The court has found the the Israeli prime minister should face charges that include impeding humanitarian aid, restricting access for relief operations and using hunger as a weapon of war.

The move by the gardaí to post pictures of people of interest has yielded results, but there are some concerns

There are issues requiring urgent attention, but they are getting little discussion during the campaign

Despite all the advances, electricity costs here are still high for consumers and businesses

All participants in this conference have vital interests in its success and all will pay a price if the talks collapse

Biden’s determination to preempt Trump’s inauguration will reassure Kyiv for now, though uncertainty lies ahead

The State apparatus needs new planning and engineering skills and a much improved method of overseeing and coordinating delivery

With little scope for most EU governments to boost spending, the onus is on the ECB to help to support economic growth

Deep political uncertainties and disagreements within the EU make its search for unity on these issues difficult

The story has resonances that will be all too familiar to Irish observers of our own church scandals