Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Popular Actor Gérard Depardieu says he will give up French passport over tax rises
The Guardian ^ | 12/16/2012

Posted on 12/16/2012 7:23:06 PM PST by SeekAndFind

Gérard Depardieu has said he is handing back his French passport and social security card, lambasting the French government for punishing "success, creation, talent" in his homeland.

A popular and colourful figure in France, the 63-year-old actor is the latest wealthy Frenchman to seek shelter outside his native country by buying a house just over the border in Belgium in response to tax increases by the Socialist president, François Hollande.

The prime minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, described Depardieu's behaviour as pathetic and unpatriotic at a time when the French are being asked to pay higher taxes to reduce a bloated national debt.

"Pathetic, you said pathetic? How pathetic is that?" Depardieu said in a letter to the weekly newspaper le Journal du Dimanche.

"I am leaving because you believe that success, creation, talent, anything different must be sanctioned," he said.

An angry member of parliament has proposed that France adopt a US-inspired law that would force Depardieu or anyone trying to escape full tax dues to forgo their nationality.

The Cyrano de Bergerac star recently bought a house in Nechin, a Belgian village a short walk from the border with France where 27% of residents are French nationals, and put his sumptuous Parisian home up for sale.

Depardieu has also inquired about procedures for acquiring Belgian residency.

He said he had paid €145m (£120m) in taxes since beginning work as a printer at the age of 14.

"People more illustrious than me have gone into [tax] exile. Of all those that have left none have been insulted as I have."

The actor's move comes three months after Bernard Arnault, chief executive of the luxury goods giant LVMH and France's richest man, caused uproar by seeking to establish residency in Belgium – a move he said was not for tax reasons.

(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government
KEYWORDS: france; grarddepardieu; passport; taxes

1 posted on 12/16/2012 7:23:27 PM PST by SeekAndFind
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

How’s that European Union Thingy working for you France?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union


2 posted on 12/16/2012 7:28:12 PM PST by HangnJudge
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Of course they’re upset - he’s getting away with their money!


3 posted on 12/16/2012 7:42:08 PM PST by biggerten (Love you, Mom.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Of course they’re upset - he’s getting away with their money!


4 posted on 12/16/2012 7:43:06 PM PST by biggerten (Love you, Mom.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Another FRENCHMAN SURRENDERS to the tax Nazis!


5 posted on 12/16/2012 7:44:04 PM PST by Jack Hydrazine (It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
guess he felt the heat...

6 posted on 12/16/2012 7:46:15 PM PST by Chode (American Hedonist - *DTOM* -ww- NO Pity for the LAZY)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Well, France’s prime minister could always put up a Berlin wall around the border to keep the French in. The East Germans tried that with some success. Or he could just lower taxes so people don’t want to leave.... Nahhh.


7 posted on 12/16/2012 7:49:24 PM PST by Avid Coug
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Go Gerard!!


8 posted on 12/16/2012 8:01:04 PM PST by originalbuckeye
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Typically it’s a two stage process: step 1, become a Belgian citizen; step 2 (a couple of years later), become a Monaco citizen. Monaco doesn’t allow French citizens to become Monaco citizens directly (so as not to piss off the neighbors).


9 posted on 12/16/2012 8:01:59 PM PST by Vide
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

I’m liking this guy!


10 posted on 12/16/2012 8:02:32 PM PST by Lancey Howard
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
Gérard Depardieu has said he is handing back his French passport and social security card, lambasting the French government for punishing "success, creation, talent" in his homeland.

Taxes??
But according to local Mayor Daniel Senesael, "I think he wanted to enjoy the atmosphere in Belgium, our identity, the rural, bucolic setting," Senesael told RTL radio.

11 posted on 12/16/2012 8:11:54 PM PST by Lancey Howard
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
The Cyrano de Bergerac star recently bought a house in Nechin, a Belgian village a short walk from the border with France where 27% of residents are French nationals, and put his sumptuous Parisian home up for sale.

"So long, Stinktown!"


12 posted on 12/16/2012 8:18:27 PM PST by Lancey Howard
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

In 70s Bjorn Borg moved from Sweden to Monaco for tax avoidance.

This is not new, and is predictable. Britain is losing high income tax filers, because of increased tax rates.


13 posted on 12/16/2012 8:25:29 PM PST by truth_seeker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: biggerten

Of course they’re upset - he’s getting away with their money!


They also hate the fact that he is exercising his God-given freedom to move in the face of being robbed. Many of these socialists likely believe the government should control where you live.

Where does it end? Tax rates like this are robbery - pure and simple - defined as the taking of one’s property by another through the use of force or implied use of force.


14 posted on 12/16/2012 9:27:58 PM PST by volunbeer (We must embrace austerity or austerity will embrace us)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
Keep reading about this dude, but couldn't put a face to him. So....


15 posted on 12/16/2012 9:35:31 PM PST by MCH
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: truth_seeker

A lot of Brits found other places to live back in the 70’s over high taxes.

Sean Connery lived in Spain, Julie Andrews in the US, Benny Hill had an address in France to avoid the British tax rates at that time.

The Beatles put up with high taxation but did a song about it called “Taxman” with lyrics like “one for you, nineteen for me......”


16 posted on 12/16/2012 10:17:16 PM PST by Nextrush (PRESIDENT SARAH PALIN IS MY DREAM)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

[[Gérard Depardieu has said he is handing back his French passport and social security card, lambasting the French government for punishing “success, creation, talent” in his homeland.]]

He might not want ot live in the us- dear leader here is set to punish success too


17 posted on 12/16/2012 11:24:57 PM PST by CottShop (Scientific belief does not constitute scientific evidence, nor does it convey scientific knowledge)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Nextrush
The Beatles put up with high taxation but did a song about it called “Taxman” with lyrics like “one for you, nineteen for me......”

That does not seem too unreasonable :^)

18 posted on 12/17/2012 12:24:37 AM PST by Oztrich Boy (By doubting we come to inquiry, and through inquiry we perceive truth. -; Peter Abelard)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: MCH

Obviously in his younger years. Now days, he’s just a 63 year old bloated, overweight, pot-bellied semi-retired actor. Still, wish him all the best.


19 posted on 12/17/2012 6:33:22 AM PST by nfldgirl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson