A new year, familiar chaos!

In the first So French! episode of 2026, Sara Bertilsson and Stefan de Vries look back at a turbulent 2025 in French politics and ask what lies ahead in the final full year of President Emmanuel Macron.

From collapsing governments and record-low approval ratings to court rulings that reshaped the political landscape, we unpack the key moments that defined last year. And then we turn to 2026: a country without a budget, a fragile prime minister, and a growing cast of contenders already positioning themselves for the 2027 presidential race. From Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella to the ever-dramatic Rachida Dati and the lingering shadow of Nicolas Sarkozy, French politics promises anything but calm.

We also briefly reflect on the controversy surrounding the death of Brigitte Bardot, once a global movie icon, who later turned into Brigitte Bigot, and the uncomfortable questions it raised about memory, legacy, and power.

Sharp analysis with a tongue firmly in cheek and zero political downtime.

Bienvenue to 2026! 🇫🇷