[chimera]

Nothing like cutting your own throat. They get 80% of their electricity from nuclear. They've spent decades building the infrastructure to not only be self-sufficient in electricity generation, but an exporter of electricity to surrounding nations. And they want to throw that away? Sounds like killing the goose that laid the golden egg to have a turkey dinner (or maybe a dinner for turkeys).

I seem to recall that when Mitterrand first campaigner he was mildly on board the anti-nuclear bandwagon. Within a year of taking office he was firmly back in the pro-nuclear camp. I think the trade unions had something to do with that. Socialist that he was, he knew what side of his bread was buttered.

[Longinus]

Not to defend the French nation per say but ""Tens of thousands of people"" combined (from several cities no less) is not that many.

The French as a nation have a better attitude about nuclear power than we do - and a pretty good safety and cleanliness record on top of that.

I wonder how many of these Luddites were imports from Germany, Spain and England as well - professional leftist protesters.