Welcome to the briefing room with me, David Oronovich.

Into the room full of maps, flip charts and whiteboards,

come people who know what they're talking about

to give us the best insights possible in less than half an hour

into the big matters of the moment.

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If this briefing room helps you understand what's going on in the world, you might like other editions of the podcast.

Among the topics we've

looked at this year are the Home Office, the Parole Board, Syria, Brexit, Council funding,

violent crime and plastic. This week, I'm getting briefed on the first year of President Macron

of France. How has he done so far? And what does the future hold for him and his country?

So take your seat in the briefing room.

I'm in the Chances Ely-Elise, between the Elysee Palace and the Arc de Triorvre,

and I'm recreating on foot in a rather kind of pathetic fashion, I suppose,

a journey undertaken in much grander style, almost exactly a year ago,

by a young man who'd come from being a rank outsider

with no political party to becoming President of the Republic,

Emmanuel Macron.

...