France General Discussion

[Hash]

Quite a lot happening in France (and Chad) nowadays. So, if Ireland can have one, France can have one too.

Feel free to post here.

[The Man From G.O.P.]

LOL France

[Democratic Hawk]

Chad? Are the French going in like? I'd have had much more respect for France had she gone into Iraq. About as much use on the UN Security Council as an ornament, which is a shame. The UN? Now there's a tiger with no teeth

Struggle to name any other leading nation blighted by it's "Non, Non, Non" self-interest .

Nevertheless, I'm sure France if she has a will to do so become, significantly, less introspective in international affairs

Dave

[Verily]

Chad? Are the French going in like? I'd have had much more respect for France had she gone into Iraq. About as much use on the UN Security Council as an ornament, which is a shame. The UN? Now there's a tiger with no teeth

Struggle to name any other leading nation blighted by it's "Non, Non, Non" self-interest .

Nevertheless, I'm sure France if she has a will to do so become, significantly, less introspective in international affairs

Dave

Sarkozy basically flew to Chad and airlifted the accused Frenchmen (and Spaniards) out, my impression is without the consent of the Chadian government.

(Accused of attempting to kidnap around 100 Chadian "orphans" who really had families, if you missed that story.)

[Hash]

Yes, basically a bunch of "humanitarians" wanting to take kids back to France for adoption; they didn't tell their Chadian aides until the day before. They're all in jail and the Chadian people are understandably quite mad. They released the journalists and Spanish hostesses only, not the main conspirators. Chad should release the 74 year old Belgian pilot and 3 remaining Spanish crew soon to be left only with the main criminals IMO.

[Kevin]

Btw does Sarkozy still have the popularity that he had only a couple of months ago? Because I was reading in the Economist, That he had a higher disapproval rating then approval?   

[opebo]

Chad? Are the French going in like? I'd have had much more respect for France had she gone into Iraq. About as much use on the UN Security Council as an ornament, which is a shame. The UN? Now there's a tiger with no teeth

Struggle to name any other leading nation blighted by it's "Non, Non, Non" self-interest .

Nevertheless, I'm sure France if she has a will to do so become, significantly, less introspective in international affairs

What, you're suggesting the French should use the americans and the British as role models?  I would suggest that the Empire follow the French model.

Anyway, its ridiculous to say the French military is a 'tiger with no teeth' just because it isn't used to rape countries as often as the anglo-saxon ones are.  They're extremely capable.

[minionofmidas]

Btw does Sarkozy still have the popularity that he had only a couple of months ago? Because I was reading in the Economist, That he had a higher disapproval rating then approval?   

He never was particularly popular.

[minionofmidas]

Chad? Are the French going in like? I'd have had much more respect for France had she gone into Iraq. About as much use on the UN Security Council as an ornament, which is a shame. The UN? Now there's a tiger with no teeth

Pot calling the china black, anyone?

[Јas]

So, if Ireland can have one, France can have one too.

woot! Trendsetting

About as much use on the UN Security Council as an ornament, which is a shame. The UN? Now there's a tiger with no teeth

Struggle to name any other leading nation blighted by it's "Non, Non, Non" self-interest .

In all honesty, I think all of the other Permanent Members of the Security Council meet this standard.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

In all honesty, I think all of the other Permanent Members of the Security Council meet this standard.

Of course. That's the whole point.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

In all honesty, I think all of the other Permanent Members of the Security Council nations meet this standard.

Fixed your post.

[Јas]

In all honesty, I think all of the other Permanent Members of the Security Council nations meet this standard.

Fixed your post.

But what about...eh...mmm...oh, nevermind.

[Hash]

Btw does Sarkozy still have the popularity that he had only a couple of months ago? Because I was reading in the Economist, That he had a higher disapproval rating then approval?   

You must have misread, his popularity is still above 50%.

[Hash]

Paris Municipal Elections, 2008

Old September Poll

Delanoë (PS) 47%
de Panafieu (UMP) 33%
de Sarnez (MoDem) 8%
Baupin (Verts) 5%
Bild (FN) 4%
LO/LCR u3%

[Hash]

Lyon Municipal Election, 2008

Old Poll

Collomb (PS) 39%
Perben (UMP) 27%
MoDem 17%
Millon (DLC) 6%
Gollnisch (FN) 5%

[Hash]

Strike Tracker
November 7, 2007

Decided I might as well initiate this too, since my lazy countrymen are taking up their national sport again.

University Students Strike: Rennes II, Toulouse, Lille, etc To protest Valerie Pecresse's plan on autonomy of universities.
Fishermen's Strike: Brittany, Atlantic France To protest very high oil prices
Upcoming EDF, SNCF, RATP, etc Strike: Nationwide, intense in Paris and Suburbs To protest the equalization of retirement plans reform

Must be others I haven't heard about.

[Verily]

DLC?

[Hash]

DLC?

A small right-wing liberal-christian-crazy party led by Charles Millon. Irrelevant.

[Bunwahaha [still dunno why, but well, so be it]]

Well, well, well...

Some news from France by a frenchman living in France (first of this topic...)

Concerning Sarkozy in France:

He's still highly popular in France (never less than 50%) and he imposes his-self more and more as a providential man that can rule every problems, opposition is highly down, more than ever. Actually, this mounth of november will be his first big obstacle cause of all the troubles that mentionned Attorney General Hashemite, fishermen is already ruled: 2 days and everybody is happy on this.

The ambiance that I can feel in my country is that he will pass this mounth of november and he will win on every problems, he's so strong and opposition is so bad and too used.

Then, concerning Sarkozy and international:

On this domain he's also strong. After the success of Lybia, Chad. I don't know what will be the result for Chad, but for sure it will be positive for its media image in occident.

I think that if USA choose a president who less play the "Cow-boy of freedom", Sarkozy could want to become this new "Cow-boy of freedom". This man want to go far, far, far, in France, in Europe and in the world...

[Bunwahaha [still dunno why, but well, so be it]]

In two hours, strikes versus government begin, first are railroad men.

I put a comfortable bet on the victory of Sarkozy.

[Verily]

For those interested in approval ratings...

"Do you have confidence in ~ to face France’s problems?"

Sarkozy
Confidence: 53 (-4)
No Confidence: 42 (+2)

Fillon (Prime Minister)
Confidence: 44 (-8)
No Confidence: 47 (+5)

http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/view/28970/sarkozy_fillon_lose_points_again_in_france/

The UMP honeymoon is rapidly coming to a close. (Sarkozy enjoyed a rating of 64-32 in August, and Fillon 53-39.)

[Hash]

Rant

University "Strikes" by "Students"

The students, who I would bet are a majority as shown by the referendum in Rennes II where the pro-work and anti-strike side took 62%, are blocking access to the university for those that actually want to study instead of acting like wannabe Communists and politicians. Apparently, some "students on strike" went into the strike with iron bars and baseballs, those students are idiots and should be expelled from school pure and simple. These students are clearly a bunch of red communists who want to keep a nanny state that gives money to everything instead of being capitalist and independent like North America and other sane countries. Either that or its a sad excuse to skip classes. Those students deserve to be expelled, flunk, or become unemployed.
In Rennes II, a referendum yesterday where students voted 62% against continuing the blocking of universities was sabotaged by this same group of wannabe commies who decided to ignore a democratic rejection of their stupid tactics. They decided to go into the streets and continue to block the university. I can't say I'm enchanted about the next generation. In Nanterre, it went to the point that the CRS needed to escort those students wishing to study to their classes. The CRS got into a violent confrontation with the lazy students.
I have absolutely zero compassion with these students or this "cause" which is entirely ridiculous and retarded.

Pensions Strike

I have slightly more compassion with the rail workers, some atleast, those who still work long hours. However, going on a huge general strike which will very likely anger the majority of public transport users is ridiculous. There's nothing wrong with having the same rules for everybody and no advantages, especially not to the SNCF. These people don't shovel coal anymore. This is 2007, not 1930 we're in darlings. Nurses, my aunt is one, work crazy hours at night, much worse than these "poor darlings" in the SNCF/RATP. They're protesting the fact that sometimes life is tough and it ain't fair and that sometimes you need to work more. This is like me going on strike protesting my flunking of the Science test.
Hopefully this useless strike, the 6 millionth by the SNCF/RATP, won't last too long and will not penalize the normal citizen who needs to actually work. Unlike some who want to keep their special nanny-state advantages from the 60s.

[Bunwahaha [still dunno why, but well, so be it]]

Attorney General Ashemite

I agree with you for what you say about what's happening here and for what you think about the strikers, from students (students who block are effectivly so scilly, so irrealist and so unrespectfull of the ones who don't think like them) to rail workers.

On the other hand, I don't really like the current economical system and the current ideals of the societies of this epoch.

So what I am reaaly fed up with is that all these people who strike for all and anything, just for keeping unjustified and unrealist advantages without any concrete ideas and without any direction to follow, who want butter, money of the butter and the approbation of the butter seller, are discrediting the idea of a possible opposition versus Sarkozy who can impose his-self as the only way to follow, given that the ones who are not ok with the reforms are stupid and discredit democratic debate. That's what I am really fed up with.

I consider France as a very fragile country psychologically, she does not need all of this.

[Bunwahaha [still dunno why, but well, so be it]]

Concerning municipal polls:

The polls for the big cities don't show a good picture of France, most of these cities are mostly populated by people who have a comfortable life level but who vote on the left by compassion with the ones who have not this comfortable life, peoples who do that are called "BOBO" (BOurgeois-BOhème... could be translated by High middle class person-Bohemian)

Concerning the ratings:

First, Fillon is quite like a ghost in France, he appears here or there sometimes, when Sarkozy allow him (he revealed it really happened like that in a small video that someone put on internet). We don't really know what he do, maybe something, don't know... The one who is everywhere and do everything is... Sarkozy! He has made a tiny team of hard-worker collaborators who work in Elysée (presidential office) making that the nominated ministers are here more to comunicate with medias and to go to speack when there is a problem. But overall, Sarkozy is everyday on TV (it's not just a word, it's a reality, everyday), and like I said, he has more and more the image of a providential man, he gives the impression that he takes care personnaly about every problems that happen and that he rules all of them. Sarkozy is drugging France by his media omnipresence, I think it could make risks for the future if people use to refer to a providential man, what will they do when this man will leave the power?

All of this make that you should take care with the ratings, more of that his popularty use to be arroud 60%-65%, and when french answer pollsters only 52% trusting Sarkozy to face France problem, I think it's cause they do not want to confess that he is the only one who can do something to make France entering definitly in this begining of XXIst century, all other french politicians are absent, lost, or down.

If you want to have a view of the media omnipresence of Sarkozy you can watch french news on the websites of the 3 main french TV channels. Here are the main news we have every evening on TV, channel by channel:

Biggest (far): TF1 (like ABC in USA): http://videos.tf1.fr/video/news/

Second one (less big): France2 (public channel): http://jt.france2.fr/20h/

Third one (still less big): France3 (other public channel): http://jt.france3.fr/1920/

Currently, 60 universities are blocked, these poor extremists will make explode themselves.

I double my bet on the vistory of Sarkozy over all the movements of protest, strikers to students.