French press review 25 July 2016

Claims that the French interior minister meddled in Bastille Day terrorist attack security reports dominates front pages in France - with Bernard Cazeneuve set to sue to the Nice police officer involved. And US presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton is tipped to face "discontent" at the Democratic National Convention underway today.

"Hilary Clinton in the face of democratic discontent" declares a front story of Le Monde - published Sunday.

After designating her running mate Tim Kaine, Hilary Clinton will face major challenges at the Democratic convention which gets underway today writes the paper.

The convention in Philadelphia aims "to broadcast a picture of unity" after the controversial primary which pitted the former First Lady against independent senator from Vermont, Bernie Sanders.

The convention opens on a note of "discontent" claims the paper, from "a party of militants who want Madame Clinton to be more left winged."

Did the government meddle in Nice attack security reports?

Meanwhile on its website Le Monde leads with a defamation complaint by French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve in the wake of security concerns over the Nice terrorist attack.

Cazaneuve is suing a Nice police officer following allegations that his ministry meddled in the Bastille Day attack report.

Yesterday Cazeneuve strongly denied the accusations by the officer Sandra Bertin - and will file a defamation case.

Bertin, who was in charge of CCTV on the night of the attacks, claims to have been pressured the Interior Ministry to change her report on police security on July 14.

In the continuing controversy the paper says, President François is backing his interior minister and has promised "truth and transparency".

Germany to look urgently at gun laws

Le Figaro reports on the latest German attack - a bomb outside a music festival near Nuremberg. That comes on the heels of the shooting rampage at a Munich shopping centre Friday night, in which 8 people were killed. Following the Munich siege, the German government says it will urgently review the laws governing the sale of weapons.

German interior minister Thomas de Maiziere said on Sunday he must assess "very carefully" whether legislative changes are needed for the sale of firearms.

According to investigators, the Munich killer - who was a "psychologically frail young man, fascinated by mass killings" - purchased his weapon on the internet.

A total of 58 bullets were found at the scene of the killing - and another 300 rounds of ammunition for the Glock 17 pistol found in his backpack after he committed suicide. This suggests the toll could have been much heavier Le Figaro concludes.

Germany's Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel has also come out saying that German "urgently needs tighter gun control laws in wake of the Munich mass shooting".

Turks rally en masse for democracy

The leftwing daily L'Humanité focuses on Turkey - 10 days after the attempted military coup which left 265 dead.

"The response is organised in Turkey to defend democracy" says the main headline, following a massive pro-democracy rally bringing together thousands of people on Istanbul's Taksim square yesterday.

The clear message at the gathering says L'Humanité was "Neither dictatorship, nor coup. A democratic Turkey".

The rally was backed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the opposition Republican People's Party, CHP.

French "hero" lauded - as Brit wins Tour

And finally, the sporting daily L'Equipe published yesterday dedicated its cover to what it called an "heroic" act by Frenchman Romain Bardet -- the only French stage winner of this year's Tour de France.

The paper spotlights the daunting and in its words "Dantean" stage - in which Brit Chris Froome fell from his bike - over and above Froome's victory yesterday, when he claimed his third Tour de France crown.