The Latest Breaking News from Stephane Sejourne

How do you solve Europe's lagging economic growth and reverse its industrial decline?

Promising a "simplification shock", the EU will unveil a much-anticipated blueprint to revamp Europe's economic model on Wednesday, as the bloc struggles to keep up with China and the United States.

French President Emmanuel Macron has proposed Stephane Sejourne, the country's outgoing foreign minister, to replace Thierry Breton as its European commissioner, after Breton announced he would be quitting, claiming EU chief Ursula von der Leyen had asked Paris to withdraw his candidacy.

Deadly Israeli strikes hit Lebanon and Gaza on Saturday as the US secretary of state headed back to Israel aiming to finalise a Gaza truce agreement, which diplomats say could help avert a wider regional conflagration.

Lebanon's health ministry said an Israeli air strike on Saturday in southern Lebanon killed nine people, as the Israeli military reported hitting weapons stores of the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement.

Watch as foreign secretary David Lammy and his French counterpart Stephane Sejourne deliver a joint statement during a visit to Jerusalem on Friday 16 August.

Negotiators seeking a Gaza ceasefire were set to meet for a second day in Qatar on Friday, while top European diplomats were expected in Israel to stress the urgency of averting a wider war.

French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne said Thursday from Beirut that a cease-fire in Gaza was "necessary" for peace in the region including Lebanon, as talks resumed in Qatar aiming to end the conflict.

President Emmanuel Macron's decision to plunge his country into a snap election was taken behind closed doors with a few advisors after a worse-than-expected drubbing in European elections, sources close to him say.