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Chirac: "You are so lucky that you're not British"
TimesOnline ^

Posted on 07/15/2005 10:32:40 AM PDT by Alex Marko

PRESIDENT CHIRAC sought to regain favour with his worried nation yesterday by telling the French that they are far better off than the British and have no reason to take lessons from across the Channel. The head of state’s focus on Britain would normally have seemed out of place in his traditional Bastille Day television interview, but this year M Chirac could not avoid France’s theme of the season as he grapples with record unpopularity. London’s victory in the race for the 2012 Olympics was the final straw in what France sees as a period of British superiority in the ancestral Anglo-French duel.

After leading the silence for the London bombings at an Élysée Palace garden party, M Chirac was asked about France’s losing streak and what is seen as Britain’s triumphant prosperity under Tony Blair.

He said: “I have a lot of esteem for the British people and for Tony Blair. But I do not think the British model is one that we should envy.

“Certainly, their unemployment is lower than ours. But if you take the big elements in society — health policy, the fight against poverty, . . . spending involving the future — you notice that we are much, much better placed than the English.”

M Chirac said that France spent 5.6 per cent of its annual income on education, compared with Britain’s 4.2 per cent. Later, citing Britain unprompted, he noted that 7 per cent of French children lived in poverty compared with 17 per cent in Britain.

He also insisted that he would “not make the least concession” to Mr Blair in his campaign to reform EU farm spending and would fight his attempts to open Europe’s service market to competition. Although polls show that M Chirac, 72, is trusted by only 25 per cent of the public, he refused to rule out running for a third term in 2007.

The President’s chief goal in his 45-minute state-of-the- nation chat was to persuade a dubious French public that he has the ability to respond to an economic crisis that is fuelled by a decade of 10 per cent unemployment. But France remembers that in his first Bastille Day appearance in 1995 he promised a “great campaign to curb unemployment”.

The Socialist Opposition said that he appeared “laborious, self-contradictory and on the defensive” during his broadcast. The Greens said that the President had shown himself “completely out of touch with the discontent of the French people”.

M Chirac’s biggest needling is coming from within his own camp, in the person of Nicolas Sarkozy, the cabinet minister and leader of the President’s UMP party who is campaigning to take the Élysée Palace in 2007.

M Sarkozy, 50, is using Britain as a weapon. He said: “Who would have thought that in 30 years, Great Britain would become a leading light in the world ? They have modernised the country, fundamentally revised their values, abandoned taboos and achieved a great ambition.”

M Sarkozy infuriated M Chirac by dismissing his “policies of 50 years ago” and saying that there was no point in his Bastille Day show since he had nothing new to say. Such insubordination underlined M Chirac’s declining authority as he sought to explain his latest recipe for cutting unemployment yesterday.

France’s rejection of the European constitution was not a humiliation but an opportunity to renew the French model, he said. France would retain the “genius” of its welfare state, he said, but would in future focus on encouraging people to take jobs rather than assisting the unemployed.

The line was an attempt to reinforce a timid drive by Dominique de Villepin, his Prime Minister, to adopt a more British approach to opening the job market.

However, M Chirac faces a big obstacle in articulating the need for change. Opinion polls show that a majority of the nation craves more protection and job guarantees, as desired by the Socialist Party and the hard Left, and not the supposed social breakdown that afflicts Britain.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; United Kingdom; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: bombing; chirac; eu; eurotard; euroweasel; france; london; sarkozy; surrendermonkey; uk; whiner
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To: contemplator

Polls in France seem to suggest they want the Socialist Party in power...is that the French MSM in action or are those real numbers?


21 posted on 07/15/2005 10:46:32 AM PDT by Heartofsong83
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Comment #22 Removed by Moderator

To: Alex Marko
"...but would in future focus on encouraging people to take jobs..."


Uhh, I just don't think this is possible. Unless you can somehow change that "encouraging" with "forcing".

23 posted on 07/15/2005 10:47:25 AM PDT by beauzo (Half empty, or half full of it?)
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To: Puppage
You're lucky YOU'RE NOT SPEAKING GERMAN!!! And, TWICE at that.

A lot of French would be very happy speaking German, judging by how many collaborated with them during WWII.

24 posted on 07/15/2005 10:47:47 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: Alex Marko
London’s victory in the race for the 2012 Olympics was the final straw in what France sees as a period of British superiority in the ancestral Anglo-French duel.

You don't frighten us, English pig-dogs! Go and boil your bottom, sons of a silly person. I blow my nose at you, so-called Arthur King, you and all your silly English k-nnnnniggets. Thpppppt! Thppt! Thppt!

25 posted on 07/15/2005 10:47:48 AM PDT by Southside_Chicago_Republican
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To: Alex Marko
Why is it that when I read or hear anything Churchill said it sends shivers down my back but there is not one French quote that inspires anything?

We shall surrender on the beaches...
26 posted on 07/15/2005 10:48:15 AM PDT by Lx (Do you like it, do you like it. Scott? I call it Mr. and Mrs. Tennerman chili.)
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To: MplsSteve

It was something under 15,000, mostly elderly, who died during a heatwave because everyone (their relatives, hospital staff, neighbors, etc.) had gone on vacation, leaving nobody to check on them. That's how socially sophisticated they are. Heatwave kills them by the thousands, but they're too cowardly to fight the terrorists, and the muzzies are literally are taking over their country.


27 posted on 07/15/2005 10:48:38 AM PDT by Ilky Hucktar
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To: TheOtherOne

Screw the paris 2012 sweatshirt for half price. I wanna know how much that schmatte that gal's wearing cost.


28 posted on 07/15/2005 10:50:09 AM PDT by brooklyn dave (I got rejected from "Mullah Omar's Eye for the Infidel Guy")
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To: Alex Marko

In a sane world Bastille Day would scare the heck out of Chirac.


29 posted on 07/15/2005 10:50:47 AM PDT by tfecw (Vote Democrat, It's easier than working)
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To: Alex Marko
Yesterday in the Tour de France coverage an OLNTV commentator was asked why he and another American always pronounced the Tour improperly. Bob Roll always pronounces it the Tour "day" France. Bob responded that after a long mountain stage and driving to the next place to set up he had to wait for a rude Frenchman waiter for an hour to wait on them. He explained that the french do this because they don't care for American cycling fans. His response is to not use his fluent French properly even on TV.

Like me, he hates the French. He and I are not alone. Eddy Mercx (a Belgian great cycling champion in his day) said he was never more like by the French than when he was not winning but they hated him when he won. They are sick sick people.
30 posted on 07/15/2005 10:51:28 AM PDT by Investment Biker
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To: aynrandfreak

At least the French aren't afraid to make the Muslims mad within their own boundaries. They have a very agressive policy to deal with any mosque that starts preaching anti-western or inflammatory speech.


31 posted on 07/15/2005 10:58:10 AM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (G-d is not a Republican. But Satan is definitely a Democrat.)
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To: Lx

Because Churchill gave voice to the ancient Brit spirit that won them an empire.

The French were noted only for their national "skill" at bureaucracy and related endeavors.


32 posted on 07/15/2005 11:00:36 AM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: Blood of Tyrants

France will fall to Islam before Britain.


33 posted on 07/15/2005 11:00:56 AM PDT by aynrandfreak (When can we stop pretending that the Left doesn't by and large hate America?)
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To: Alex Marko
Chirac = Neville Chamberlain

What a fool.....
34 posted on 07/15/2005 11:02:21 AM PDT by PigRigger (Send donations to http://www.AdoptAPlatoon.org)
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To: Heartofsong83

***Polls in France seem to suggest they want the Socialist Party in power...is that the French MSM in action or are those real numbers?***

Sadly, the French have become so used to socialism that they refuse to accept its cure. They have far too many people on the dole, and this reflects in their polls. Take note, America.


35 posted on 07/15/2005 11:03:24 AM PDT by kitkat
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To: dfwgator

"You're lucky YOU'RE NOT SPEAKING GERMAN!!! And, TWICE at that"

Just remember that if it wasn't for France's help in the Revolutionary war, we would be speaking English.


36 posted on 07/15/2005 11:05:10 AM PDT by BadAndy (Specializing in unnecessarily harsh comments.)
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To: Alex Marko

There are only a few people I would label "despicable", and Chirac is one of them.

Couldn't he wait for the Brits to bury their dead?

Nauseating.


37 posted on 07/15/2005 11:05:58 AM PDT by Rutles4Ever
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To: Alex Marko

And this not from the Onion?
Funny stuff! Keep digging Jacque.


38 posted on 07/15/2005 11:06:10 AM PDT by HereInTheHeartland
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To: Alex Marko

Chirac's arrogance is vile but completely expected.


39 posted on 07/15/2005 11:11:24 AM PDT by GiveEmDubya
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To: Alex Marko
France’s rejection of the European constitution was not a humiliation but an opportunity to renew the French model, he said. France would retain the “genius” of its welfare state, he said, but would in future focus on encouraging people to take jobs rather than assisting the unemployed.

Is he channeling Baghdad Bob? What a complete moron. I cannot stand that man.

40 posted on 07/15/2005 11:16:23 AM PDT by TheSpottedOwl (UR 0wN3D: USSC-2005)
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