As the world turns, French edition

[Valin]

Power Line: Paul Mirengoff

6/17/12

 

The French tend to view American politics with a mixture of bemusement and condescension. Yet French politics has a soap opera quality that America cannot match. And it’s not as if that politics is producing presidents that make one forget Charles de Gaulle.

 

The latest soap opera installment involves France’s new president Francois Hollande and the parliamentary run-off elections being held this weekend. Hollande’s long-time lover and the mother of his four children, Sigolene Royal, is running for parliament with the expectation of becoming a parliamentary leader. Readers may remember that Royal ran unsuccessfully for president against Nicolas Sarkozy in 2007.

 

Hollande has declared his strong support for Royal. However his current lover, journalist Valerie Trierweiler, is openly supporting Royal’s opponent.

 

(Snip)

 

 

[Valin]

As The World Turns, Part Two

Paul Mirengoff

6/17/12

 

Sigolene Royal has lost her catfight, or whatever it was, with Valerie Trierweiler. As I mentioned yesterday, Royal was the long-time “companion” of France’s new president Francois Hollande, and the mother of his four children. An unsuccessful candidate for president in 2007, Royal ran for parliament this year with the expectation of becoming Speaker of the National Assembly.

 

(Snip)

 

It’s been a tough five years for Royal. As noted, she lost to Nicolas Sarkozy in the 2007 presidential elections. She then lost a bitter fight for the leadership of the Socialist Party the next year. And last year she was defeated by her former partner, Hollande, in the battle to the Socialist nominee for president.

 

(Snip)

 

Royal isn’t taking her latest setback well. Asked whether Trierweiler’s message had contributed to her defeat, she responded: “It certainly did not help, to put it mildly.” She then cited Victor Hugo for the propostion that “traitors always pay for their treachery in the end.”

 

Meanwhile, Royal’s four children reportedly are no longer on speaking terms with their father’s new companion.

 

(Snip)

[Valin]

France may extend TV licence fee to computer screens

Culture minister says government is considering making those who own a computer screen but no television pay up

Reuters in Paris

guardian.co.uk, Sunday 1 July 2012

 

The French government is considering extending the television licence fee to include computer screen owners to boost revenues for public-sector broadcasting operations, the culture minister said on Saturday.

 

President François Hollande's Socialist government aims to raise an extra €7.5bn (£6bn) this year through tax rises included in an amended budget bill to be unveiled next week.

 

"Is it necessary to extend the fee to [computer] screens when you do not have a television? It is a question we're asking ourselves, but obviously it would be a fee per household and you would not have to pay an [additional] fee if you have a computer and a television," Aurélie Filippetti said on RTL radio.

(Snip)

[NCTexan]

The French love to paint today's America as the bigoted society of Bull Connor days..

 

Yet there are very few blacks, browns or mocha's that move up in French society or business.

 

It's a very interesting pastime for them as they ignore their blind spots and seemingly don't own a mirror.