France - General discussion

[nath]

Patrick, may be I'm wrong, but I think that Bayrou is may be closer to Royal's program about the social way but he is closer to Sarkozy about the economical way and in this domain , in perfect opposition, with the economical program of Royal.

We'll see, but i'm pretty sure that the way he is actually behaving will turn against him....may be, he will keep some electors for socialist party but I'm pretty sure he has already lost a lot of members from the Right wing and that a lot of persons will leave him soon.

May be a lot of Socialists will follow him in his new party but I think too that his result in the next elections in june will be badder than the result he got last week.

[spyretto]

I placed a bet today, 1000 UK pounds on Mr Sarkozy to win...looks like a sure bet...don't know anything about French politics - nor will I ever care - but my take is that the voters would not go for a socialist let alone a woman. France's natural inclination is conservatism.
Do you think I should put another 1k on it or should I be content with just the one ?? It's 1.25 so we're talking 250 pounds of free, unadulterated, effortless, hot cash... or should I go for the double and the half K?

So France has troops in Afghanistan? Now that's what in laymen's terms is called "effing hypocrites.

[haku]

Originally Posted by spyretto

So France has troops in Afghanistan? Now that's what in laymen's terms is called "effing hypocrites.

Because France doesn't have any troops in Iraq? It's a completely different situation. The operation in Afghanistan is a *NATO* operation, French troops are over there under NATO command, and the operation is backed by a UN resolution agreed upon by all permanent members (exactly like the Kosovo operation where France also has troops).
On the other hand, the invasion of Iraq is not a NATO operation and is not backed by a UN resolution, thus France and quite a few other countries consider it illegal and won't participate.


And i don't know if you should bet more money, all i can say is that it does seem like a slam dunk for Sarkozy at the moment, it's almost certain that he's going to win.

[haku]

A pro-European collective has asked Sarkozy and Royal to endorse 7 measures in favor of European integration:

1. Work to define the role and missions of the European Union for the years to come

2. Give a President to the European Union, eventually directly elected by EU citizens

3. Give as many legal and budgetary powers to the EU parliament as to the Council of Ministers

4. Generalize majority votes and engage reinforced cooperations in areas where unanimity votes cause deadlocks

5. Work to establish a true economic and social governance of the eurozone, including the creation of an EU Finance Minister

6. Create a "European Semester" allowing all EU citizens aged 15 to 25 to spend 6 months in another EU state, during their studies or within a European civil service.

7. Make the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights legally binding

Original article (in French)


Sarkozy fully agrees with all 7 measures.

Royal agrees with the creation of an EU President but is not sure they should be directly elected by EU citizens, and she would limit the European Semester to a student exchange program. She fully agrees with the 5 other measures.


So Sarkozy is ready to go a bit further in European integration than Royal.

[freddie]

Originally Posted by haku

3. Give as many legal and budgetary powers to the EU parliament as to the Council of Ministers.

Whatwhatwhat? This would infact favour the larger nations. How wholey uneuropean.

[nath]

There is something that I don't understand, Patrick, in your state of mind...

*One one hand, you want a big Unification of "Europe",even with one President of this European Union...

*and , on the other hand, for France, you wish the opposite of this Unification: I mean the Autonomy of all the different French Regions...

So,could you explain to me, more in details, your point of view, please, because I surely miss something but it seems to me there is here a kind of contradiction for my poor mind...

[haku]

Originally Posted by nath

There is something that I don't understand, Patrick, in your state of mind...

*One one hand, you want a big Unification of "Europe",even with one President of this European Union...

*and , on the other hand, for France, you wish the opposite of this Unification: I mean the Autonomy of all the different French Regions...

So,could you explain to me, more in details, your point of view, please, because I surely miss something but it seems to me there is here a kind of contradiction for my poor mind...

I don't see it as a contradiction, i see it as a 3-level federation - Province > State > Federation - each with distinct powers and reponsibilities.

The fact that i want a European federation doesn't mean that i would want everything to be decided and managed at the top federal level, there are many things that are best managed at the state level and many things that are best managed at the provincial level. Each entity would be far enough from the other 2 in terms of size and population so they would not compete or interfere with each other's powers and responsibilities, i mean, it's obvious that a province would have nothing to do with foreign affairs, and it's obvious that the federation would not manage daycare centers.

I want a European federation because i don't think any European state on its own has enough weight to be heard in international matters, especially with powers like the US, China or India that are (or will be) so much more powerful than any European state. I also want a European federation because i think European people have enough in common to live together, after all the descendants of those same Europeans live together in the US federation or the Canadian federation for example, i don't see why they could not live together in a European federation.

A European federation would only manage continental and global matters like foreign affairs, international relations, defense, protection of civil liberties and human rights, and any other areas that states would decide to transfer to the top federal level.
That leaves many things for the state and provicial levels.

And yes, i do think that it would be better if French provinces had a greater autonomy to manage their local affairs, i think that way too many things that only concern a local population are decided in Paris. Maybe it's the word 'autonomy' that bothers you, i could have called it 'greater decentralization', i'm not asking for much, i think it would already be great if the powers of departements and regions were merged into one entity. I think provinces should manage things like roads, transports, schools, hospitals, etc, the things that are close to people's everyday life and are best managed by a local authority (in my opinion).
But let me be clear on one thing, those provincial powers would be *delegated* by the state, not *transfered*, meaning that the state keeps the right to take those powers back if need be, and those provinces would have no law-making powers, they would have to follow state and federal laws.

Hopefully i'm clear enough.

[haku]

Presidential election, second round, final results:

1. Nicolas Sarkozy (UMP) - 53.06 %

2. Ségolène Royal (PS) - 46.94 %

Turnout: 84 %

[spyretto]

would like to thank misogynist conservative Frenches for making 500 pounds with 2 minutes of effortless work..a couple of clicks away on the betting site..you can go ahead and delete this, but you can't delete my hapiness.

Long live France! LOL

ps. Richard Gasquet being thrashed in tennis also made me a few spoils. You can't go wrong with laying those losers...it's the post-Zidane just go agaist the French sure money revenge era.

[the unforgiven]

I'm not surprised at all
let's wait and see the reactions
I hope riots won't happen, that's all
people need to respect the choice of most of french

I'm already fed up with media and their analysis

[freddie]

Kind of a let down eventhough she didn't have much chance. I don't like conservatives of any particular flavour. They're all bad news as far as I'm concerned. I was hoping for a new matriarchal western world lead by Merkel-Royale-Clinton holly trinity. Oh well... one can dream.

[forre]

spyretto, You could bet on that? Halliluia! I wish I lived in your country.

Yeh, there were some riots as usual. Only God knows why people need to destroy shops and turn streets into a mess. Sarko wasn't forced onto France by a third party. French people chose the guy. So, end of the story.

We were on the spot, mosly stuck in the press section until the votes were announced. There're a few pics from the event:
http://rittz.livejournal.com/133738.html#cutid1

[haku]

Originally Posted by forre

there were some riots as usual.

There are still some riots tonight. This is exactly why Sarkozy has been elected, most French people are completely fed up with those thugs.
And it's particularly stupid to riot now considering that there are parliamentary elections next month, the more they riot, the more the general population feel unsafe, and the more seats the UMP will get in the next parliament, personally i'm expecting a UMP flood in the next parliament if this goes on for a few days.

[haku]

Nicolas Sarkozy will be sworn in next wednesday (16 May), right after the ceremony he will immediately fly to Berlin to have his first official meeting with Angela Merkel, a clear sign that Nicolas Sarkozy intends to maintain and even strengthen the French-German close friendship.

It's to be noted that Tony Blair flew to Paris a few days ago to meet Nicolas Sarkozy before he was sworn in, they had a long private meeting, a sign that Paris and London are probably going to be closer during Nicolas Sarkozy's mandate.
Tony Blair even posted a video on YouTube to congratulate Nicolas Sarkozy.

[haku]

The French government resigned today (that's normal, the government always resigns the day before the new president is sworn in), and Jacques Chirac said his final au revoir this evening.

[haku]

In pictures: Sarkozy sworn in as president
(in the 2nd picture, it's his wife, 2 sons (out of 3), and 2 step-daughters)


************
Sarkozy pledges new era of change

France's new President Nicolas Sarkozy has taken office at a ceremony in the Elysee Palace, after waving goodbye to President Jacques Chirac.

The new centre-right president succeeded his former mentor after defeating the Socialists' Segolene Royal in the 6 May run-off election.

In his inaugural address, Mr Sarkozy called for change and national unity.

He said his first decision was to make all schools read a letter home written by a World War II resistance fighter.

'We need results'

Mr Sarkozy said France needed "to take risks and follow initiatives".

The country also needed to "rehabilitate the values of work, effort, merit and respect" and defeat intolerance, he said.

A 21-gun salute marked his assumption of the presidency, after a brief private conversation with Mr Chirac.

One of Mr Chirac's last tasks was to hand over the launch codes of France's nuclear arsenal.

Mr Sarkozy, 52, was accompanied at the ceremony by his wife Cecilia, wearing an eye-catching golden dress, and other family members - their son Louis and four children from their previous marriages.

In his speech Mr Sarkozy attacked racism and stressed that "order and authority is needed" to deal with security challenges.

"We need results because the French people in their daily lives need improvements... We need to invent new solutions."

He warned that "never have the risks of inertia been so great for France" as in today's fast-moving world.

But he vowed to "defend the independence of France... the identity of France".

He also called for "a Europe that protects" and the development of "a Mediterranean union".

Mr Sarkozy later rekindled the flame on the tomb of the unknown soldier at the Arc de Triomphe.

He said he could never read the letter from a young resistance fighter, Guy Moquet - who was executed in 1941 - to his parents without being "profoundly moved".

Mr Sarkozy said it was essential children knew the horror and barbarism of war and the extent of Moquet's sacrifice.

Berlin trip

On Tuesday, Mr Chirac bade farewell to the nation in a televised address after 12 years at the Elysee.

The BBC's Paris correspondent Caroline Wyatt notes that Mr Chirac leaves behind unemployment of more than 8% and a nation uncertain of its place in the world and divided over its future.

Mr Sarkozy, formerly interior minister, has a reputation as a law and order hardliner. He made the fight against illegal immigration and crime prominent in his election campaign, along with the issue of national identity. For the first time modern France is now being ruled by an immigrant's son.

"The people conferred a mandate on me... I will scrupulously fulfil it," he promised. He won with 53% of the vote and enjoys a powerful mandate after a massive turnout by the electorate.

He praised Mr Chirac's contributions to peace and the environment. The two men have been both allies and foes over the past 30 years.

Mr Sarkozy is later to travel to Berlin to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel, a key ally and the current president of the European Union.

Mr Sarkozy is not expected to name his prime minister and cabinet until Thursday.

A former minister, Francois Fillon, is expected be made prime minister.

Reports also suggest that a senior member of the defeated Socialist party, Bernard Kouchner, is a leading candidate for the post of foreign minister.

BBC

[the unforgiven]

I've watched a part of it on tv, not the all thing cuz I had other things to do but I have to say that Sarko is such a show man
anyway, adieu Jacques

[forre]

Sarko needs to learn how to walk better otherwise he soon will face lots of parodies on his walking.

A sort of big inauguration. Cannons shooting, horses, etc. LOL. Well, an impressive show.

[haku]

The official portrait of President Sarkozy has been revealed (it's the portrait that is put in all public buildings), i like it.

[the unforgiven]

Originally Posted by haku

The official portrait of President Sarkozy has been revealed

he looks gayish YAY for the european flag
I didn't watch news for days I should read some newspaper to stay tune with his "brand new" politic