Le Pen Barred from Politics, Uncertainty over Liberation Day Tariffs and Haggis Hunt Disruption.
Andrew Sheves
Good morning and happy April Fool’s Day. I’m glad to say the big announcement below is 100% real….
But first, some headlines to get you started.
🇫🇷 Le Pen Barred From Public Office
Marine Le Pen has been barred from holding public office for five years after being found guilty of embezzling EU funds, likely eliminating her from the 2027 French presidential race. While she plans to appeal, this verdict throws her National Rally party into disarray, with 29-year-old Jordan Bardella potentially becoming the alternative candidate. The ruling could initially boost support among her base who view it as systemic persecution but may weaken the party’s long-term prospects. More - BBC
🇺🇸** Uncertainty Remains Over ‘Liberation Day’ Tariffs**
Tomorrow is ‘Liberation Day’: the day when President Trump will announce the long-awaited tariffs, but despite it being less than 24 hours away, there’s no more clarity on what might arise than there was weeks ago. Bloomberg has a good ‘Big Take’ Article on the history of tariffs and some high-level observations on what the tariffs mean, irrespective of the exact targets and levies.
🏴** Opening Day of Haggis Season Disrupted by Animal Rights Protestors**
Animal rights protestors in Scotland disrupted the annual opening day of haggis season today, claiming the annual hunt was “barbaric and cruel”. Protestors stormed moors and hillsides across Scotland’s glens at dawn on Tuesday, disrupting the traditional ‘flushing of the haggi’ which signifies the beginning of haggis season. This event illustrates how traditional ways of life are under threat in Scotland but the disruption of haggis hunting is a major economic issue: 43% of Scotland’s economy relates to haggis sales or haggis-related events. More Bagpipes
Announcing our New Partnership with HumanRisks
We’re excited to announce our new partnership with HumanRisks (humanrisks.com). We’re integrating the Decis Country Intelligence feed directly into their comprehensive security risk management platform as a fully embedded data feed. This integration will provide security managers and asset owners with immediate access to Decis country risk ratings, directional assessments, and key news summaries—essential contextual information for making informed security decisions.
The integration goes live on April 1st and will be available to both existing and new HumanRisks users on a trial basis.
Mads and the team at HumanRi
Carpe tomorrow!