Sweltering temperatures across Western Europe triggered by a heat dome have transformed air conditioning into an increasingly topical — and contentious — debate.
European countries that have not historically relied on air con are navigating a complex decision: whether to embrace it fully — which experts have warned could come with environmental and financial concerns — or to resist, as part of a quest for alternative solutions.
In France, politicians laying the groundwork for their electoral campaigns ahead of the 2027 presidential election have seized upon the air conditioning debate.
Leading far-right figure Marine Le Pen has renewed calls for a nationwide expansion of air conditioning, echoing a pledge she made in 2025 for a "major air conditioning equipment plan."
Meanwhile, her far-left rival Jean-Luc Mélenchon has come out on the opposite side of the debate.
