An Inside View of Life in France

New tax. And everybody is happy

admin — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:27:30 +0000

Starks is on his way out but he has made a move that appeals to most French people. Tax the bankers

Blaming the referee

admin — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 13:59:05 +0000

One thing that you quickly have to learn in France is that the referee is always against the French team. It doesn’t matter what the sport is, it doesn’t matter what the occasion is, the referee will always be against the French.

So it was with some amazement that I read that the French coach is not blaming the referee for their narrow defeat in the rugby World Cup final to New Zealand. France played out of their skins and probably deserved to win but luck was not on their side. The French coach graciously acknowledged this.

However, his players are not so ready to upset a long-standing French tradition. They HAVE blamed the ref. for the defeat.

Can you just let me finish?

admin — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 15:00:25 +0000

The big problem with watching a political program on French television is that speakers are never allowed to finish a sentence. As soon as they start, somebody else tries to interrupt them. It becomes a question of who speaks loudest … Continue reading →

Hollande in France shock?

admin — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 16:02:14 +0000

The Presidential elections are next year. And for the first time in France, we are seeing primary elections, American-style. The Socialist party got a mauling last time with its candidate, the beautiful but shallow Segolene Royal. So this time, it has opened up its selection process to everybody.

We have just had the first round and the biggest casualty was Mme Royal herself. Her vote was reduced to just 7% and she was reduced to tears.

To make matters worse for Royal, the father of her children, Francois Hollande topped the poll in the first round and is now the clear favorite to win. Hollande left Royal shortly before her last presidential defeat for a much younger journalist.

Hollande is an uncharismatic figure who has modelled himself on former president Francois Mitterand. Satirical TV programs make fun of repeating clios of the two men saying identical words, so closely is Hollande copying his model.

His opponent in the run off will be Martine Aubry, the daughter of ex-EU President, Jacques Delors. Aubry is a much more of a conviction politician from the left of the party. However, she is from a privileged background and has problems making contact with ordinary people. Above all, she carries the blame for introducing the 35 hour working week. At the time, this was warmly welcomed but now many people see that it was exactly the wrong thing to do for the then weakening French economy.