France defends EU recovery plan after far-left, right criticise

France's foreign minister on Tuesday dismissed accusations by far-right and far-left parties in the country that President Emmanuel Macron had struck a deal that sold Paris short, saying it was "historic" and showed European solidarity. "You call this a failure. "It was normal to help Italy and Spain because they were most hit by the crisis.

France's foreign minister on Tuesday dismissed accusations by far-right and far-left parties in the country that President Emmanuel Macron had struck a deal that sold Paris short, saying it was "historic" and showed European solidarity.

"You call this a failure. I call this a historic advance," Le Drian responded to lawmakers in parliament. "It was normal to help Italy and Spain because they were most hit by the crisis. Europe has found solidarity."