MetaFilter posts tagged with france and politics

High earners in France consider moving in response to 75% tax

shivohum — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 11:36:54 -0800

“We’re getting a lot of calls from high earners who are asking whether they should get out of France,” said Mr. Grandil... “Even young, dynamic people pulling in 200,000 euros are wondering whether to remain in a country where making money is not considered a good thing.” French president François Hollande's plan to tax income above a million euros ($1.24 million) a year at 75% is alarming some.

Paris, London, Berlin, Brussels

rollick — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 08:48:01 -0800

The Big Three of EU Foreign Policy: Stefan Lehne on the contrasting roles of Germany, France and the UK.

« 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.

Strauss-Kahn arrested for sexual assault

strangely stunted trees — Sat, 14 May 2011 19:19:20 -0800

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Managing Director of the IMF and likely French Presidential Candidate, was arrested in New York for sexual assualt today. The Port Authority of New York removed Strauss-Kahn from the first class cabin of an Air France flight ten minutes before it departed for Paris and handed him over to the NYPD, whose Special Victims Unit is handling the case, for questioning. He is expected to be arraigned later tonight. According to the New York Post, Strauss-Kahn is accused of forcing a hotel maid to perform oral sex on him and then immediately heading to the airport to fly to France, leaving his cell phone and other personal articles in the hotel. Fellow Parti Socialiste politician Jean-Marie Le Guen claimed hours before the arrest that "there is now a totally structured and orchestrated campaign, which has already been announced by Mr. Sarkozy and his closest allies, to attack the character of Strauss-Kahn." Strauss-Kahn had been due to meet Angela Merkel in Berlin on Sunday to discuss the European monetary crisis and the upcoming G8 summit.

La beauté est dans la rue

Sat, 23 Oct 2010 03:27:58 -0800

French general strike is going on. It's against a proposal by the French government to raise the normal retirement age for public pensions from 65 to 67 and early reduced pensions from age 60 to 62. All society is concerned. Voilà the manifestations of high-school students, so damn chic.

Hero of WWI. Traitor of WWII. Honored in Milltown, NJ.

zarq — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 22:55:17 -0800

A Local Street and a Lesson in History Background: Marshal Henri Philippe Pétain was a revered and honored hero of WWI in France, but after the War, "the glorious savior of Verdun (pdf)" rose to head the Vichy state, which collaborated closely with the Nazis. After WWI, a Milltown, NJ street's name was changed to Pétain, in honor of his military leadership. (See: "What's a Name.") But a recent campaign by a local teenager asking that the name of the street be changed gave borough officials something to consider: should Pétain's subsequent actions as head of the Vichy government outweigh his prior heroism?

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

All is forgiven, tout est oublie.

psmealey — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 11:28:47 -0800

Sarko l'Americain addresses US Congress. French President Nicolas Sarkozy has told the US Congress it can count on France's support against terrorism in Afghanistan and Iran's nuclear plan. [Full Text here PDF]. Here also, is a recent take on Franco-American relations From the French and Indian Wars, to the American Revolution, the French Revolution, the Louisiana Purchase, World War I, World War II, the Vietnam War<>, the Cold War and through de Gaulle, Giscard-d'Estaing, Mitterrand, Chirac and Freedom Fries, there has never been a dull moment in this long and complicated relationship between two of the world's great powers.

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

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

sarkozy, sarkozy, sarkozy.

Bonaparte and Bush on Deck

homunculus — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 20:20:27 -0800

Lessons from Past Western Incursions in the Middle East. A speech by Juan Cole at the New America Foundation in which he discusses his new book, Napoleon's Egypt: Invading the Middle East, and the relevance and lessons of Napoleon's expedition in Egypt to the current American occupation of Iraq. A shorter version, covering many of the same points, is in this article: Pitching the Imperial Republic.

‘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.

Solutions For Grandeur

Kwantsar — Fri, 09 Sep 2005 21:25:57 -0800

Solutions For Grandeur Nicolas Sarkozy has become the most popular French politician by diving headfirst into the country’s most explosive political issues. If he has his way, this hyperactive, pro-American, Gaullist, free marketer will transform French politics for good. via

.

jfuller — Mon, 30 May 2005 07:38:12 -0800

Red State/Blue state France. Les résultats département par département. Remarkable that the U.S. isn't the only country that's split down the geographic middle. No translation, but the picture speaks for itself.

neo-nazis + jewish exremists

Tlogmer — Thu, 17 Jul 2003 18:25:43 -0800

In france, neo-nazis and extremist jews unite against arabs -- so says left-leaning anti-racist group MRAP (view machine-translated page) in a new report. Yeah, the conspiracy theorists sure need more ammo...

French Muslims Influence Government Policy on Iraq

Postroad — Tue, 18 Feb 2003 10:22:21 -0800

French Muslims Influence Government Policy on Iraq This piece from an on-line Arab source helps us to understand the French reluctance to want a war with Iraq. And you thought it was only about French oil interests, but non.

They missed a good opportunity to keep quiet

Mark Doner — Mon, 17 Feb 2003 15:59:10 -0800

"They missed a good opportunity to keep quiet." Is it wise for France to make opposition to war against Saddam such a central tenet of their foreign policy? Opposing the war may be politically sound today, but this seems a bit heavy-handed, and perhaps short-sighted. Is "European solidarity" just a code phrase for "France and Germany get to call the shots"?

Failed assasination attempt on Chirac at Bastille Day parade.

me3dia — Sun, 14 Jul 2002 12:12:04 -0800

Failed assasination attempt on Chirac at Bastille Day parade. According to police reports, the man who fired a rifle as President Jacques Chirac passed by in the parade celebrating the French revolution is a neo-Nazi with a history of emotional problems. Chirac was unhurt.

semmi — Sun, 05 May 2002 13:29:00 -0800

There is no far-right Vichyite renaissance in France, no Pieds Noirs uprising, nor, really, is there any antiSemitic rampage (Le Pen is spasmodically anti-Semitic but systematically anti-immigrant; i.e., anti-Arab.), but it's a safe bet that Jean-Marie Le Pen can never peacefully become President of the French Republic. It used to be said that for evil to triumph it was necessary only for good men to do nothing; in France, historically, for evil to enter it is necessary for good men to tell other good men that nothing is the best thing a good man can do. As the French are now being reminded, it is better to muddle through with your pants around your ankles than to die lucidly with your nose in the air. How relevent these words and events are here in the US?

Sacre Bleu!

liam — Sun, 21 Apr 2002 12:27:58 -0800

Sacre Bleu! The French presidential election run-off will be between the conservative Chirac and the extreme-right Le Pen. What's a French liberal to do?

A conservative applauds high taxes and socialized French medicine

Postroad — Fri, 09 Mar 2001 16:26:20 -0800

A conservative applauds high taxes and socialized French medicine We are often subjected to comparisons (often false one) of medical coverage between the U.S and Canada or the U.S. and Great Britain. Here is a happy Frenchman who loves his medical coverage.