MetaFilter posts tagged with Sarkozy

« C’est maintenant que les ennuis commencent »

theodolite — Sun, 06 May 2012 13:45:09 -0800

France has a new president. With 51.9% of the second-round vote, François Hollande has beaten Nicolas Sarkozy to become the first Socialist president of France since 1995. In his victory speech, Hollande declared that "austerity is not inevitable," but international business interests have already started rumbling about Hollande's plans for higher taxes on the rich and large-scale public sector investment. The change in power is to be effected in next ten days, with Hollande scheduled to appear at the G8 and NATO summits on May 19 and 20.

"I would rather be sitting back home at my desk, believe me. But this is too important."

daniel_charms — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 12:45:12 -0800

"The political elite have actually no interest in explaining to the people that important decisions are made in Strasbourg; they are only afraid of losing their own power." Jürgen Habermas on the crisis of the European project and how it could be overcome.

"Multiculturalism has failed"

Avenger — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 14:56:46 -0800

The State of France has banned prayers in public starting Friday in a move widely seen as being targeted at (what might be) the largest Muslim community in Western Europe. Muslims defy ban on outdoor prayers. Sarkozy: "Multiculturalism has failed" LePen: Muslims in France are "like [the] Nazi occupation" Background from The Economist. Previously on Metafilter. Previously. Previously and possibly related: Sarkozy orders "systematic evacuation" of Roma immigrants from France.

Full veil banned for Muslim women in France.

dubold — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 02:51:23 -0800

A law has come into force in France which makes it an offence for a Muslim woman to conceal her face behind a veil when in public. In September, the French Senate approved a bill that would ban the wearing of the niquab or burkha in public. The bill was to come into effect in 6 months if not overturned by constitutional judges or the European Court of Human Rights. This bill would not ban the wearing of a hijab, or headscarf, but would apply to "any woman - French or foreign - walking on the street or in a park in France and wearing a face-concealing veil". The penalty for any woman wearing the veil will be a fine of 150 euros. She could also be required to attend citizenship classes. However, the penalty for anyone making a woman wear the veil will be 30,000 euros and up to two years in jail. The bill was not overturned by the French courts or the EU's Court of Human rights, and goes into effect today. The BBC's Gavin Hewitt writes: "For from today the wearing of full-face veils in France are banned. Overnight the woman from the suburb has become a dissenter. She says no law should tell her what she can't wear. She also believes that her faith trumps French law, and therein lies her problem in an avowedly secular French Republic. " Last April, a woman who was wearing a full-face veil while driving was fined. Police said that the veil restricted her vision and could have caused an accident. The woman, who is 31 and a French citizen, said her field of view was unobstructed. Critics of the bill say that Sarkozy is using a controversial situation to draw attention from his unpopular presidency and win easy votes. They say that only about 2,000 women in France wear a full-face covering. Supporters of the bill say that it is an issue of women's rights, and that wearing the veil creates an inferior status that is not compatible with the French values of equality. Previously on Metafilter: Les Niqabitches "stroll around Paris fully veiled from the waist up, but in hotpants and high heels waist-down, to protest the burqa ban in France." France denies citizenship to a Moroccan man whose wife wears the veil.

Didn’t you notice the palpable difference between what is happening in Libya and what is happening elsewhere?

Pastabagel — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 20:21:17 -0800

"[T]he real target of Western bombers and soldiers is in no way the wretched Gaddafi...For the target of the bombers is definitely the popular uprising in Egypt and the revolution in Tunisia, it is their unexpected and intolerable character, their political autonomy, in a word: their independence." Philosopher Alain Badiou attacks the left's support for the NATO intervention in Libya. Background: Europe's economic entanglements with Gaddafi's Libya in the Irish Left Review.

Ra ra, ah ah ah, roma, roma-ma, GaGa, oh la-la, don't want your Bad Roma

2bucksplus — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 08:33:32 -0800

In the wake of a deadly clash between Roma (better known as Gypsies) and police in the Loire Valley region of France, French President Sarkozy order the French government to “systematically evacuate” Roma illegal immigrants and dismantle their camps, citing "reasons of public order". Roma, often referred to pejoratively as Gypsies or Travelers, are typically itinerant people from Bulgaria, Romania and other Eastern European countries. Three hundred troops have been sent to patrol the typically quiet village of Saint-Aignan in the Loire Valley following an ongoing riot by Roma. The rioting was triggered by the death of a Roma man who was shot by police on Thursday during a chase when he failed to stop at a checkpoint. Roma attacked the village police station with hatchets, iron bars and other improvised weapons. They also toppled traffic lights and road signs, burned three cars and hacked down trees. "It was a settling of scores between the Travelers and the gendarmerie*," said the village mayor, Jean-Michel Billon. President Sarkozy and his administration have been fielding claims of racist motivation for the policy change. Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux defended the measures, claiming that they "are not meant to stigmatize any community, regardless of who they are, but to punish illegal behavior." *A military body charged with police duties among civilian populations.

Because they're Woerth it

Skeptic — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:34:39 -0800

Forget the Ewings, the Carringtons, or the Channings and Giobertis, France is in the grip of the real-life soap opera of the Bettencourts, heiresses to the L'Oréal cosmetics empire, featuring a suave gigolo, a scheming wealth manager, a paradise island, feuding lawyers, embarrassed politicians, squabbling magistrates, New Media, another major multinational, and even a butler with a tape recorder... In past episodes: Outraged by the alleged one billion euros in gifts that photographer and socialite François-Marie Banier has apparently managed to extract from elderly Liliane Bettencourt, allegedly with the connivence of her wealth manager Patrice de Maistre, and possibly alarmed by the rumors that she was set to adopt Banier, her daughter, Françoise Bettencourt, launched legal proceedings against Banier and de Maistre for "abuse of frailty", and tried to get her mother legally incapacitated. The lawsuit, however, became apparently stuck in the offices of a prosecutor with close links to the governing party. Bitter personal recriminations between the Bettencourts as well as their lawyers ensued, and culminated when 100 hours of secret recordings by the elder Bettencourt's butler were handed over to the police by her daughter, and simultaneously leaked online. The recordings revealed the greed of Banier and de Maistre, but, most embarrassingly for the government, the close links of de Maistre with Eric Woerth, current Minister of Labour and previous Minister of the Budget, and simultaneously treasurer of the governing party. Not only did de Maistre employ Woerth's wife, which according to the tapes was no coincidence, but there was also significant evidence of tax evasion and possibly illegal campaign contributions. Woerth is now fighting for his political life, and even French president Nicolas Sarkozy is badly hurt by the scandal. Banier and de Maistre apparently managed to win the sympathy of the government not only with campaign contributions, but also by convincing Woerth and Sarkozy that the daughter intended to sell L'Oréal, pride of the French economy, to minority shareholder Nestlé of Switzerland. In today's episode: half the cast is arrested.

The Economist: The World in 2010

goodnewsfortheinsane — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:09:43 -0800

In 2010, Obama will have a miserable year, NATO may lose in Afghanistan, the UK gets a regime change, China needs to chill, India's factories will overtake its farms, Europe risks becoming an irrelevant museum, the stimulus will need an exit strategy, the G20 will see a challenge from the "G2", African football will unite Korea, conflict over natural resources will grow, Sarkozy will be unloved and unrivalled, the kids will come together to solve the world's problems (because their elders are unable), technology will grow ever more ubiquitous, we'll all charge our phones via USB, MBAs will be uncool, the Space Shuttle will be put to rest, and Somalia will be the worst country in the world. And so the Tens begin.

The Economist: The World in 2010. Previously: 2009, 2008, 2007. How did we do last time around? Guest contributions: President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso lines up Europe's priorities President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev argues for dialogue and cooperation President of the Maldives Mohamed Nasheed wants his island nation to remain above water President of Indonesia Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono would like for Islam and the West to live in harmony President of South Africa Jacob Zuma says Africa should rise to the occasion Director-General of the World Health Organisation Margaret Chan predicts the development of the flu pandemic Managing director of the International Monetary Fund Dominique Strauss-Kahn explains how to prevent another crisis CEO of Yahoo! Carol Bartz believes business leaders should tap into the information flood Chairman of HSBC Stephen Green argues that the financial sector should welcome emerging economies CEO of Fiat Group and Chrysler Group Sergio Marchionne thinks greener cars require bolder action CEO/CTO of SpaceX Elon Musk says the private sector should handle space travel

Literary Political Protest, French Style

lucia__is__dada — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 09:06:20 -0800

The sales of a book by Madame de Lafayette, "La Princesse de Clèves", are up in France and there have been public readings of it in theatres and universities. The reason? Sarkozy hates it. As Sarkozy's popularity plummets, the "17th century tale of thwarted love" gets unexpected attention beyond the classroom. Badges inscribed with "I am reading The Princess of Clèves" were the most popular item at the opening of the Paris book fair this week. Mr Sarkozy, a man often ridiculed in France for preferring fitness to literature, has frequently expressed his disdain for "La Princesse de Cleves" (The Princess of Cleves), a novel by Madame de La Fayette which was published in 1678 and is taught in most French classrooms. from the Telegraph. Also, full text of "La Princesse de Clèves" at Gutenberg.

L'affaire du mariage annulé met Rachida Dati en difficulté

djgh — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 06:46:01 -0800

Rachida Dati, France's Minister of Justice, faces a difficult position after a judge annulled a Muslim marriage because of lies over the wife's virginity. En francais.

Sarkozy unbleeped

elgilito — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 10:36:52 -0800

Pardon my French: after (allegedly) showing up drunk at the G8 (Mefi), walking out from 60 minutes, and almost getting in a fight with angry fishermen (translation), French President Sarkozy, while visiting the Paris International Agricultural Show, snaps at a man who refused to shake his hand "Casse-toi pauvre con". But what exactly does this mean in English? He hasn't (yet) slapped a kid, unlike his presidential rival Bayrou, but he's still not in the same league as De Gaulle, who answered to a heckler shouting "Mort aux cons!" ("Death to the idiots!") the sublime "Vaste programme, en effet" ("Tall order, indeed").

My, Easter eggs aren't what they used to be in 1995.

goodnewsfortheinsane — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 17:48:23 -0800

sarkozy, sarkozy, sarkozy.

High spirits in Heiligendamm

Skeptic — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 05:27:55 -0800

The Heiligendamm G8 summit just ended. While some stuck to alcohol-free beer, fresh French President Nicolas Sarkozy clearly had something a bit stronger before his press conference.

Allo Sarkozy

acro — Sun, 06 May 2007 12:51:17 -0800

newsfilter!! more inside Conservative Nicolas Sarkozy wins France's presidential election.

A new era for France?

homodigitalis — Sun, 22 Apr 2007 02:58:00 -0800

Goodbye Jacques! Today french voters will get rid of Chirac - charmingly called "The Bulldozer". Although he was not as bad as Silvio, France is in dire need of economic reform - something Frau Merkel has already started in Germany. So who will win this important election? Meet the candidates: Royal, Sarkozy and Bayrou.

‘we will become the people you imagine we are, just watch'

funambulist — Sat, 03 Dec 2005 07:38:40 -0800

Joblessness is a major motivating force of these riots, which is why the politicians and the press turn endlessly around the question of job creation in the banlieues. [...] An injection of vigorous enterprise, a big deregulating kick, and racial discrimination would evaporate in the tremendous, creative release of market forces. No race riots in an untrammelled market economy: that’s what Sarkozy really means. It’s an ingenious, high-pressure sales pitch for the ‘Anglo-Saxon model’ – indeed, it’s bordering on blackmail. Jeremy Harding in the London Review of Books goes among the arsonists in Paris and offers some insights on the economic factors and political consequences of the riots.

What the hell is going on in France?

loquax — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 12:19:59 -0800

Newsfilter: Rioting continues in the suburbs of Paris. In Clichy-Sous-Bois, a predominantly (80%) North African muslim banlieu of about 28,000 people, night battles have been raging (video) between youths and the police after two muslim youths died by electrocution while they thought the police were chasing them, a charge the police denies. That was 5 nights ago. Since then, 27 people have been arrested, 3 convicted, numerous cars destroyed and property damaged, and 23 police officers wounded in street battles involving "up to several hundred" participants. The muslim community now accuses the police of firing tear gas into a mosque, and things look far from calming down. These tensions are hardly confined to Paris, however - In Lyon, 800 cars have been burned in "low level" violence this year; Across France, 9,000 police cars have been "stoned" this year, and 20-40 cars are destroyed a night (!!!), according to Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy. I knew that relations between "the French" and the "Beurs" were somewhat less than pleasant, but am I the only one that was unaware that France has been in a state of low-level but direct civil and religious war for the last few years?