This is the world's smallest violin (actual size) playing for President Jacques Chirac of France.
Posted on 05/02/2003 7:24:28 PM PDT by blam
Chirac popularity falls as economic problems return
By Philip Delves Broughton in Paris
(Filed: 03/05/2003)
The political benefits of President Jacques Chirac's diplomatic war with America appear to have reached their expiry date as the latest polls show his domestic popularity dropping sharply from a month ago.
At their highest, the polls showed that M Chirac had the confidence of 75 per cent of French voters and more than 85 per cent backed his opposition to war in Iraq.
Not since Georges Pompidou had a president received such support. But with the memories of the war fading and social and economic problems returning to the fore, M Chirac's "Baghdad bounce" is history. Polls to be released today show his support back down to 53 per cent, around its pre-war level.
May is traditionally the month of public sector demonstration and on Thursday 285,000 protesters marched against reforms to the state pension and health schemes.
This was just a warm-up for May 13, when the unions hope to bring the public and private sectors to a halt and menace the government of the prime minister, Jean-Pierre Raffarin.
The recent economic news has been unremittingly bleak. Unemployment is rising, growth is at its lowest in 10 years and Brussels wants to punish Paris for breaching the public deficit limits set for countries in the euro zone.
M Chirac briefly addressed these problems during his May Day speech, saying he backed his government's economic reform plans.
But the situation is forcing him to reassess his style of governing. He can continue micro-managing foreign and defence policy while merely nudging and prodding domestic affairs. Or he can take a more decisive role on the domestic front.
Given that he cannot depend on another great diplomatic tussle to present itself, some on the Right are urging him to use the capital he earned fighting America to lead a Thatcherite assault on France's social edifice.
If he does not, they fear, voters will come to see his grand foreign policy manoeuvres as simple acts of vanity, far removed from their daily concerns.
Simple acts of vanity is the way I see it!
This is the world's smallest violin (actual size) playing for President Jacques Chirac of France.
This is the time to hit France with everything we've got economically. Bring them down and the whole world will know what happens when erstwhile American "allies" betray us.
Alas, when you boil it all down, Frenchmen have to govern Frenchmen. hahahahahaahhahaaha
As we head out for summer vacations, boycott Motel 6, Red Roof Inn, Studio 6. (All on the boycott list)
Patronize instead these American-owned hotels: Comfort Inn, Super 8, Days Inn. (All on the "good" list, as posted on FR)
Do I smell commie five year "plans"?
Brussels should invade French surrender monkeys (oops, frogs), it should be short war. Good to see Eeeeeuros to go at each other. How dare they not to grow! French should be severely punished, pay stiff penalties and be forced to eat all that unexported cheese.
Freep & Roll!
Reeeeeeally? "Simple acts of vanity"? Whooda thunk...???
Doesn't bode well for the weasles, all of them.
If they had sided with us, they would have been stronger and the Euro would be more stable.....
But like the democrats who weren't smart enough to just work with GWB and make gains by showing they could work with a beloved President, (because the clinton crime machine and legacy builders were terrified of a successful GWB showing the real stains of the rapist in cheif), the Euro will loose it's appeal as the area becomes less stable.....
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