Val d'Huisne college in Le Mans, western France. The college was completely destroyed by the fire that broke out
shortly after midnight, most likely the result of arson according to Le Mans' mayor Jean Claude Boulard...
Posted on 10/19/2010 2:36:43 PM PDT by bruinbirdman
Nicolas Sarkozy has staked the credibility of his entire presidency on making the French work an extra two years before they can legally retire.
To back down now would be political suicide. His detractors are calling him a Gallic Thatcher for taking on the unions, a nickname that could win him support among his disillusioned core conservative electorate, with whom he desperately needs to reconnect before the next presidential elections in 2012.
But there are other issues at play.
"
Val d'Huisne college in Le Mans, western France. The college was completely destroyed by the fire that broke out
shortly after midnight, most likely the result of arson according to Le Mans' mayor Jean Claude Boulard...
The global economic crisis has seen France's deficit and state debt balloon and the president knows renouncing the reform risks losing France its coveted AAA credit rating, which allows it to finance public debt at low market rates. Objectively, raising France's retirement age to 62 is a small sacrifice given that Britain, Germany, Italy and others are on 65 and considering further raises.
Diplomatically, for a leader who hopes to raise his statesman credentials by chairing the G20 and G8 next year, failure to reform pensions and tackle his country's economic problems will weaken his bid to champion a new world economic order.
The unions, meanwhile, used to seeing successive governments back down in the face of mass protests, are in a bind.
On the one hand they risk losing face and perhaps control of the protest movement, which has massive public support, should they choose to end the strike without wrenching significant concessions. However, the more moderate unions have already said that they cannot ignore the "legitimacy" of a democratically elected parliament and Senate approving the pension bill,
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
It appears that the French president has cojones of size a few magnitudes larger than our Limp-O-Dent.
Ping
*** FRENCH POLITICS AND CULTURE PING LIST *** FREEPMAIL ME IF YOU WANT TO JOIN ***
Thanks to Impy for the PING and to bbm for the post
Sarko will not back down.He can’t.
Everyone looking at this from a budgetary point of view knows that the money has run out and the tresorie is vide.
On Francem chaos and anarchy from the Left almost always lead to power gains for theRight.
I doubt that any of these rioters have ever served their Country. Take them back 50 years to WWII and see how their parents and grandparents lived during the War.
They should be grateful for their Freedom! NON, they have lived under an entitlement system that was created to rejuvenate France for the future. Instead they now have a Socialistic Program that the French seem to think is funded by some fairy Godmother.
This is what the USA is headed for under the current administration. I haven’t seen anything in the Media about how this situation as well as the one in Greece is what WE are headed for if we don’t stop all the Government Entitlement Programs.
Everyone on the ping list in 06 (!) knew this was coming, Sarko was not willing to cater to the Union demands, and he ran on a platform that the retirement age had to be raised.
My one complaint would be Sarko should have planned ahead for the fuel crisis as Unions in Europe are more than willing to riot/blockade/burn if they will lose a single Franc.opps..Euro..in subsidies.
Very good point. I thought that Sarko would be much more successful in implementing his agenda, much quicker, and that would diffuse some of their power.
The strange thing is that the rioters , union thugs and all are a small percentage of the population, and the majority of the French agree with his plans to raise the retirement age.
Doesn’t France have a history of violent minorities overthrowing the government for over two hundred years now, From Louis XVI through Charles DeGaulle?
At this point if the Socialist retards who think they run France aren’t scared enough to understand what backing down means........
Sarkozy will keep pushing it through,at this point people in France are going to be a lot more scared of the chaos in the Streets then anything about the retirement age.
I think those 13 colleges they made from the old University of Paris are creating some geniuses under the Shadow of the Eiffel tower.
Going out rioting is going to look great on their work credential.
Well, I’d think Sarko’s agenda was hijacked by the world financial difficulties so that delayed what he wanted to accomplish, now that the situation has stabilized Sarko is moving forwards but the Left in France is emboldened.
Sarko seems like a tough minded leader so I doubt he backs off now, especially since the riots mean if he does back off he will look spineless and France will have gone through these problems for nothing.
All these people who rioted, resorted to violence and overthrew their government have akways been French.
The Far Left in France is a very vocal, powerful minority in terms o fnumbers, but they are 100% French.
‘All these people who rioted, resorted to violence and overthrew their government have always been French’
Naturally, it has always been said that the French are truly revolting.
Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Help!
The people are revolting!
Don’t say that, you’ll hurt their feelings.
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