Raffarin's resigned

[minionofmidas]

Just watching him live on N-TV.

[minionofmidas]

De Villepin to succeed him.

[Jake]

God no. Not that bastard

[Colin]

Nothing out of the ordinary. De Villepin was probably the safest successor to Raffarin that Chirac could find. Sarkozy would be too much of a gamble and might cause Chirac to lose alot of power inside his party and the government. Still I don't think this will help any of Mr. Chirac's problems.

[Notre Dame rules!]

Other than Chirac himself, De Villepin is the most despised Frenchman in America.  Since Chirac seems more intent on 'sticking it' to the US, rather than trying to solve high unemployment and a stagnant economy,  it makes perfect sense for Chirac to tap him for PM. 

[Colin]

Other than Chirac himself, De Villepin is the most despised Frenchman in America.  Since Chirac seems more intent on 'sticking it' to the US, rather than trying to solve high unemployment and a stagnant economy,  it makes perfect sense for Chirac to tap him for PM. 

Actually I believe it has very little to do with that. Chirac wants somebody in the PM spot who is loyal to himself and is loyal to the UMP. Raffarin fits the bill and is less volatile and more realiable, from Chirac's position, than any of the other possible PMs. Chirac is not overtly concerned with "sticking it to the US". He is more concerned at this time with saving his own ass, mind my language, than with pissing off America. His government has just lost what can be called a referendum on Chirac's rule and he is trying to come back and consolidate his position.

[Emsworth]

Nothing out of the ordinary. De Villepin was probably the safest successor to Raffarin that Chirac could find. Sarkozy would be too much of a gamble and might cause Chirac to lose alot of power inside his party and the government. Still I don't think this will help any of Mr. Chirac's problems.

I completely agree. Sarkozy is extremely popular, probably the most popular conservative in France. Villepin, on the other hand, is not particularly well-liked among conservatives, particularly because of the disastrous results of the 1997 election.

[Notre Dame rules!]

If Chirac wanted to save his ass, he would institute real economic reforms in France.  At present, he is either unwilling or incapable of doing so, and his pretenses of being a player on the world stage do little to alleviate the economic mess that is France today.

[Democratic Hawk]

God no. Not that bastard

I'm afraid so!

Dave

[Angel of Death]

HAHAHA! I see you guys still manage to get riled up by the French! I guess you never forgave them for being 100% right about Iraq.

GO DOMINIQUE!

[Democratic Hawk]

HAHAHA! I see you guys still manage to get riled up by the French! I guess you never forgave them for being 100% right about Iraq.

GO DOMINIQUE!

Yes, I admit the the feckless French do rile me, as well as many others. They need to stripped of their permanent status on the UN Security Council or, at least, lose their veto. They still seem to suffer from an acute state of Dien Bien Phu syndrome. As far as Iraq goes, they put French interests above global interests

Napoleon Bonaparte must surely be turning in his grave

Dave

[minionofmidas]

HAHAHA! I see you guys still manage to get riled up by the French! I guess you never forgave them for being 100% right about Iraq.

GO DOMINIQUE!

Yes, I admit the the feckless French do rile me, as well as many others. They need to stripped of their permanent status on the UN Security Council or, at least, lose their veto.

The veto needs to be scrapped altogether.

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Funny, similar things were getting said about Britain regarding Iraq.

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Er...when did Napoleon Bonaparte put global interests over French interests? He put his own interests over French interests of course, but then I guess so does every autocrat.

[Democratic Hawk]

HAHAHA! I see you guys still manage to get riled up by the French! I guess you never forgave them for being 100% right about Iraq.

GO DOMINIQUE!

Yes, I admit the the feckless French do rile me, as well as many others. They need to stripped of their permanent status on the UN Security Council or, at least, lose their veto.

The veto needs to be scrapped altogether.

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Funny, similar things were getting said about Britain regarding Iraq.

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Er...when did Napoleon Bonaparte put global interests over French interests? He put his own interests over French interests of course, but then I guess so does every autocrat.

The point I was making was that Napoleon Bonaparte wasn't feckless

Dave

[CARLHAYDEN]

Other than Chirac himself, De Villepin is the most despised Frenchman in America.  Since Chirac seems more intent on 'sticking it' to the US, rather than trying to solve high unemployment and a stagnant economy,  it makes perfect sense for Chirac to tap him for PM. 

You are quite correct.

Chirac is taking a page out of the playbook of a number of third world tyrants in the eighties who destoyed their countries economies with their stupid policies and sought to retain power by blaming everything on the United States.

Chirac's buddy has never held public elective office, and is loathed by most of the county.

Chirac tried to play the anti-American card in the referendum, and it failed.  Apparently his hatred of the United States is so great that he cannot change his failed polcies.

[Gustaf]

I don't know if Villepin is so unpopuar with the French...but he sure is with me.

[Emsworth]

BBC: "Solving the Villepin name riddle."

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I find the Latest News bar at the top right particularly interesting.

[minionofmidas]

He's always addressed as "de Villepin" in French, and German, media. I guess that solves the question.