Euro 2012: Could A Greek Victory Over Russia Decide The Nation's Elections?

As a refresher course in French politics, presidential elections are a two-stage process. In the first round, voters select from candidates of all the political parties. The second round pits the top two vote getters against each other. Never before in history has a sitting French president polled so low 100 days before the first round of votes.

I am amused by the Financial Times headline Tsipras shrugs off gaffe about Hollande. When Evangelos Venizelos, the Greek socialist leader, boarded a 7.30am flight to Paris on Tuesday, only his closest aides knew he was on the way to a hastily arranged meeting with the French president.