France General Discussion

[Hash]

Talks of a mini cabinet shuffle, according to Roger Karoutchi, in 3-4 days. Xavier Bertrand would leave the government to focus on his job as UMP leader, and Brice Hortefeux would replace him in Labour. Eric Besson, the former Socialist, would leave his Secretary of State for prospective portfolio to replace Hortefeux in Immigration and National Identity.

[Hash]

Talks of a mini cabinet shuffle, according to Roger Karoutchi, in 3-4 days. Xavier Bertrand would leave the government to focus on his job as UMP leader, and Brice Hortefeux would replace him in Labour. Eric Besson, the former Socialist, would leave his Secretary of State for prospective portfolio to replace Hortefeux in Immigration and National Identity.

And Bruno Retailleau, MPF Senator from Vendée would take Besson's spot in prospective (mainly, a post dealing with interwebs, technology, telly, downloading and so forth).

[Psychic Octopus]

I don't like France. (Just its President and First Lady)

[Hash]

I don't like France. (Just its President and First Lady)

Any chance you'll ever contribute something on this forum?

[Hash]

Results of the so-called "mini-shuffle"

As expected, Hortefeux takes Bertrand's Social Affairs/Labour portfolio, and Besson takes Immigration/National Identity (his focus is, apparently, on changing the ministry's negative image). Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet moves from Secretary of State for Ecology etc. (under Borloo) to take Besson's job as (get ready for this) Secretary of State for Economic Prospective, Evaluation of Public Policies, and Development of the Digital Economy.

Christine Boutin, Minister of Housing and the City loses the "City" part, which goes to Hortefeux. Fadela Amara, Secretary of State for Urban Policies, is now under Hortefeux.

According to Fillon, Retailleau, who was indeed favourite for Economic Prospective was dropped because the Viscount got pissed. According to Fillon, the Viscount was the author of a scène de ménage (roughly, household feud). And apparently Retailleau is not happy that he wasn't chosen.

[Hash]

Everybody's favourite French politician is making headlines again!

The de Villiers family rape scandal is making some news again. A few years ago, Laurent, one of the Viscount's sons, accused his brother, Guillaume, of raping him. In June 2007, Laurent said Guillaume had asked for forgiveness, but in November 2007 he said that his family told him to lie. The Viscount is denouncing a conspiracy, but the rest of the family is strongly behind Guillaume. Laurent accuses them of treason etc.

In more upbeat news, the UMP is apparently considering changing its name. Just a rumour, of course. There was a similar one in 2004, where they wanted to change the name to The Republicans (roflmao).

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

La Marseillaise sang at Assemblée National by PS deputies.

Do they have a manual to get ridiculous and pathetic or what? I don't know if they have one or not but they manage it very well...

Before our democracy was boring, now it drives pathetic...

I wonderhow big will be demonstrations on the 29th...

[Hash]

La Marseillaise sang at Assemblée National by PS deputies.

The thought of people like Arnaud Montebourg singing scares me.

Anyone have a video of when they sang La Marseillaise? I'd love to hear it.

[Hash]

The Assembly has passed the parliamentary procedural reform, the very controversial one which was the cause of the PS becoming a choir last week. They boycotted the vote.

Breakdown:

Assembly

UMP 283 in favour, 1 abstaining (Jacques Myard, eurosceptic and pro-death penalty guy), 1 non-voting (Accoyer)
Socialist, PRG, MRC 9 against (all PRG)
GDR (Commies + Greenies) 21 against
NC 18 in favour
NI, MoDem, DLR 7 against (MoDem, MPF, DLR, 1-ex UMP Gaullist)

339 voting, 338 valid votes, majority of 170. 301 in favour, 37 against.

The Senate will also vote.

The Assembly also rejected a NCM proposed by the PS, supported by Bayrou. The SRC, GDR groups voted against and so did the MoDem. It received 231 votes, it needed 289 to pass.

The FN infighting also continued today, with two FN regional councillors in IDF, Martine Lehideux and Martial Bild leaving the FN group in the regional council. It is presided by Marine Le Pen, whom they had asked to leave the presidency of the group since she wasn't running in IDF for the European elections, and she refused. Bild and Lehideux also said that 3 to 4 other top FN figures in IDF, Myriam Baeckeroot, Michel Bayvet, and Michel de Rostolan would leave. Jean-François Touzé could also leave. Bild led the FN list in Paris for last years local elections, and has also decided to leave the party itself entirely. Yay for FN divisions!

[Hash]

The PS has adopted a special logo for their version of the plan de relance (economic recovery plan). How so very ugly.

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

Personally, I don't find it ugly. They did really worse. Their current logo party is worse for example. Bad and so old, to me.

Well, a big thing happened last Thursday. The "general strike". The "demonstrations of unhappy ones".

Well, first, something funny. Lot of people who take public transports to go at work expected a black very hard day, and news used to relay that angry opinions a lot. Here the media noise, was that people were unhappy because in fact there had not been so much problems in it. Trains, metro and bus were here! Or at least far more than expected, and so people complained about the fact they got up more early when in fact they didn't need to. I don't know if thats the result of the minimum service of Sarkozy or if it's a low number of strikers.

Second, something interesting. The union named "SUD" takes more and more place in media, and so in public opinion. SUD is a bit the equivalent of Besancenot for unions. They are never happy and they propose nothng really possible. They go the more they can in strike to protest against almost everything. That's at least the image they give. So, it seems that as Besancenot develop his popularity, SUD does the same thing through unions. Precision, Besancenot's party and SUD are not tied, they just have the same kind of speech.

Then, an other interesting thing. The whole France was in demonstration and there wasn't an only motive for it, and there wasn't really a goal. This day has been just used by people to say they were unhappy. Unhappy of this for some ones, of this for some other ones, of this for other other ones, etc, or unhappy of the whole thing, but unhappy. I heard that a lot arround me and in the media.

Well, here's the climate here. People are fed up of the "whole". The only common thing that come in lot of mouths is maybe "they gave lot of money for banks, and what for us??".

So, here we are. If we had a credible opposition it could profite to it, but PS is just down, we don't feel the slightest dynamic thing from there.

Well, tomorrow, meeting of unions to organize the following.

Result of all of this? To me, in the end, or a coup, or euh, nothing spectacular but some people still more unhappy, despaired, believing less and less in politics, trying to find new ways to live. What can give interesting new things but also bad dark ones, because when people are despaired and angry, they use to not be very clever. Anyway, until the economical situation goes better, a more and more divided, fragile and nervous society...

A coup?? Mouhahaha, no! Besancenot would dream on it, and more and more these days, but no. There's not the slightest political move to permit a unification which would give some force to make something like that. That said, radical speeches are more and more in the trends...

Well, no coup, so...

[Hash]

The PG's founding convention finished today in the Val-de-Marne. They talked a lot about their wet dream, le front de gauche (left-wing front). Apparently, there were some delegates from the PCF and the NPA.

A newsclip showed the cliche lefties singing L'Internationale with their raised fists. Looked cool, but also hilarious, considering it's 2008! But then, the French left is still stuck in the days of the Soviet Union and they still have to sing L'Internationale. Didn't the PS itself still sing it until 2006 or 2007?

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

Didn't the PS itself still sing it until 2006 or 2007?

Hmm, I personally don't really remember, but maybe yes. Until 2006 or 2007? Hey, it could suit with the time where Segolene Royal made them discover La Marseillaise.

Segolene Royal, a Nationalist! Mouhahhaha. The worst being that some, I think it was Jean-Christophe Cambadélis, so not a slight figure of PS, went until saying something like that: "She claims for socialism and for the nation, so some national-socialism, haven't we already hear that?" (refering to nazis of course). Poor socialists, they spend most of their time to lose themselves in poor words.

Currently, it seems that the best opponent to Sarkozy will be the one who will find the best word to qualify him "ego-president", "omni-president", "monarch", etc. Ayrault, Emmanuelli, especially Montebourg, Hollande, they all participate to that so important brainstorming...

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

France Inter, news of 1pm:

The oil consumption of France decreased by 2.8% in 2008.

[Hash]

It's a busy time on the left in France, with yet another founding congress. This time, the Revolutionary Communist League (LCR), Besancenot's political machine, died today. The New Anticapitalist Party (NPA) replaces it. The NPA won't be a Trot party (officially), and it will not be a member of the Trot Fourth Internationale.

The NPA is just a temporary name, and we should know the new name by Saturday! (It's sad that I'm all happy about a new name for a Trot party).

Already, the NPA is off to a good start, claiming 9,000 members, a lot more than the LCR had. It is also at around 10% in polls for the June EU elections.


Also, the midget was on TV tonight.

In other news, the drug addict (Segogo Royal) wants to organize another Fête de la fraternité, where she acts like a retard/druggie in public with her fans.

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

In other news, the drug addict (Segogo Royal) wants to organize another Fête de la fraternité, where she acts like a retard/druggie in public with her fans.

Don't laugh on her. She's forth. That's our first national televangelist.

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

Interestingly, I've been on both websites, the one of the Segolène Royal's movement "Désirs d'avenir", and the one of the PS.

By Segolène Royal, on forums, we find fans who seem to see her as a kind of Messiah, sounds they just wait for her words in order to do what she says, the fact that she's in photo everywhere on it go in that sens.

And, on the PS site... no forums! And not the slightest invitation for the one to express himself. Good for one of the 2 biggest political party of France. They just have a system of comments on their articles, which is currently closed. Plus, the site is messy and the pinky ambiance is awful.

Hell, they really follow a manual to be bad...

(even UMP give more place for debates than them on its site...)

Speaking about the 2nd "Fête de la Fraternité", seems this year it will take a new dimension, Segolène Royal wanna make it a "Social Forum" with all kind of stands for debates, sounds they really wanna make a big thing. That can be serious.

[Hash]

By Segolène Royal, on forums, we find fans who seem to see her as a kind of Messiah, sounds they just wait for her words in order to do what she says, the fact that she's in photo everywhere on it go in that sens.

Somehow I'm not surprised that her fan base is as mentally unstable as she is.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

The PS site is one of the worst political party site I've seen. I'm not that surprised though, that a party lacking unity, structure and always fighting over words has a crap site. Another interesting thing, I've never been able to find a link to a political platform on the PS website. Proof that they don't have one.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

The UMP and the Elysee's websites have been a lot more modern and clean since Sarkozy took over. They seem to have entered the age of internet.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

I can't wait.

[PGSable]

The NPA is just a temporary name, and we should know the new name by Saturday!

The delegates voted 316-270 to keep the name NPA rather than adopt the name PAR (Revolutionary Anticapitalist Party).

[Hash]

The NPA is just a temporary name, and we should know the new name by Saturday!

The delegates voted 316-270 to keep the name NPA rather than adopt the name PAR (Revolutionary Anticapitalist Party).

Tinpot name.

[Hash]

Segolene Royal wants to be in charge of the DOM-TOMs in the PS, in the wake of the massive strikes in Martinique and Guadeloupe.

Her reason: She lived three years in Martinique. 1960-1963, or from age 7 to 10. Now, that's some real experience!

[big bad fab]

The NPA is just a temporary name, and we should know the new name by Saturday!

The delegates voted 316-270 to keep the name NPA rather than adopt the name PAR (Revolutionary Anticapitalist Party).

Tinpot name.

NPA was also the abbreviation of a talk-show on "young", urban, liberal (in the US meaning) and quite leftie TV channel Canal +:
"Nulle Part Ailleurs" (= not anywhere else)....

Even among our revolutionaries, marketing isn't far away....

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

The NPA is just a temporary name, and we should know the new name by Saturday!

The delegates voted 316-270 to keep the name NPA rather than adopt the name PAR (Revolutionary Anticapitalist Party).

Tinpot name.

NPA was also the abbreviation of a talk-show on "young", urban, liberal (in the US meaning) and quite leftie TV channel Canal +:
"Nulle Part Ailleurs" (= not anywhere else)....

Even among our revolutionaries, marketing isn't far away....

I'm not sure they thought about it. Anyway, that's the second time I hear it, I'm 25 and I personally didn't think about it.

Talking about this name. "Nouveau parti anti-capitaliste". Anti-name. No future. The more they could is making grow the current mess and anger of people.

I'm personally waiting to see what will give the second general strike day, March 19th, if Besancenot makes a good media come back and if Sarkozy doesn't succeed in managing the anger of people, it could be important. A lot want make grow the radical anger, and the PS is just down, Sarkozy's behavior will be very important.

Segolene Royal wants to be in charge of the DOM-TOMs in the PS, in the wake of the massive strikes in Martinique and Guadeloupe.

Her reason: She lived three years in Martinique. 1960-1963, or from age 7 to 10. Now, that's some real experience!

No, no, that's not her reason, and you probably knows that the reason is surely before in your post (underlined).

Once again, if the govt doesn't well manage the thing, risk of spread of those massive strikes to home country are real, and some would certainly love it.

NPA affirms more than ever that really would like a new May 1968, with more self-assurance than they did before.

[Hash]

Segolene Royal wants to be in charge of the DOM-TOMs in the PS, in the wake of the massive strikes in Martinique and Guadeloupe.

Her reason: She lived three years in Martinique. 1960-1963, or from age 7 to 10. Now, that's some real experience!

No, no, that's not her reason, and you probably knows that the reason is surely before in your post (underlined).

No. She actually boasted her 3 years in Martinique as a reason she should get it.

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

Segolene Royal wants to be in charge of the DOM-TOMs in the PS, in the wake of the massive strikes in Martinique and Guadeloupe.

Her reason: She lived three years in Martinique. 1960-1963, or from age 7 to 10. Now, that's some real experience!

No, no, that's not her reason, and you probably knows that the reason is surely before in your post (underlined).

No. She actually boasted her 3 years in Martinique as a reason she should get it.

Yeah, but we both know that's just the official reason. Right?

That said, she dared claiming it for the reason you quoted!

(Luckily it has not a big media noise, otherwise, I wonder how people in French Antilles would appreciate it, those who are in genuine problems).