Nicolas Sarkozy Elected

Personally I couldn’t care less whether they like us or vice versa, but it will be interesting…

Contradiction of the week. Brilliant! 😀

A sad result for the ordinary working people of France. They can now look foreward to the same erosion of their hard won rights and conditions of employment as has happened to much of the working people in the UK. Also if the rumours are to be believed Sarkozys election may bring to an end the vital counterbalance to the Anglo/US axis which France has provided for some time past, I don’t see that being good for the world at large either. Certain states in the Near/Middle East may also have lost a valuable ally in Paris. IMO an election result with not much to recommend it and one that a large part of the French electorate could come to regret, unless you have great wealth…. sadly a familliar story:(

I found it quite amuzing that they actually had riots due to the increase in the numbers of hours for the work week (or something like that I think……correct me if I’m wrong).

Nah, that isn’t the reason for the riots. One year ago or so, you saw a huge uprising in many french suburbs (the “cités”, like they call them). Imagine a city made of social housing complexes, 10 story high, a couple of hundred yards long. No work, and no real chance of getting out of there. A good part of the population in those area are immigrants. I think it all started when a police action led to a mistake (not unlike the LA riots).
The possible resurgence of riots you are seeing now are due to the fact that Mr. Sarkozy was prime minister at that time, and he made a comment about using a Kärcher (brand of high pressure cleaner – I’m sure the brand got delighted for the free “ad”) to clean the mess in those places. The rioters weren’t quite pleased with it, and it nearly went out of hand. It also was about to spread to the neighbouring countries.

We’ll see what he’ll do about that situation now.

I don’t know think GA necessarily meant to bash the U.S. or anything (turned over a new leaf GA? 😉 )…….

Hah! Slander, Sir! :diablo:

I’ve never bashed the USA. Show me where I have. It’s a splendid country, and whenever I’ve travelled in the USA I’ve always been struck by how friendly and hospitable most ordinary Americans are to strangers.

US politicians now, well that’s a different matter. Politicians are fair game by definition.

But there’s much more to a country than its politicians, surely? Just look at the UK, for example…….. :rolleyes:

I found it quite amuzing that they actually had riots due to the increase in the numbers of hours for the work week (or something like that I think……correct me if I’m wrong).

It will be interesting to see what this new guy (as well as the next U.S. president) ends up doing for American/French relations.

Personally I couldn’t care less whether they like us or vice versa, but it will be interesting to see if things change from how they are now.

By the way for what it’s worth, I’d be another Yank that understands that a right-winger in Europe would be considered fairly liberal here in the States. I don’t know think GA necessarily meant to bash the U.S. or anything (turned over a new leaf GA? 😉 ), and it is important that the point he made be clarified.

…I also hope that this election will bring an eld to the stupid rivalry and nit picking we saw between the US and France in the past years.

I wouldn’t hold my breath – it’s a cultural thing, not a byproduct of who occupies the Elysee Palace, and it applies just as much to the love-hate relationship between France and England. Disregarding the predictable Socialist cant from our Finnish correspondent, France needs Sarkozy perhaps more than it realises: it cannot afford to keep practicing more of the same thing, which is what it would get under the fragrant, curvaceous Ms Royale. France works far better than it ought to under such a dirigiste tax-and-spend regime, and I look forward as always to my next trip on their wonderful railway system in a couple of weeks (Woosh! Lille to Montpellier at up to 300km/hr in around 5 hours, terrific), but like they found in Sweden there is a limit to the amount you can squeeze the wealth producers while subsidising the feckless underclass. Trouble is, the French are so addicted to government handouts that there will be big trouble if Sarko practices what he has preached, in any significant way….
However, any sort of return to free markets (something that terrifies & offends the French) will be welcome, and will make it easier for them to integrate trade with the rest of the West. I’m hoping Sarko’s tough talk on Islamism and immigration will translate into action, too – Muslims might constitute only 4% of Europe’s population overall, but their extreme elements are a disproportionate nuisance. Go to it, Sarko…
hps

I’d like to also point out that you got the name wrong, Skorzeny (sp?) was a WW2 german officer, and not a nice one..

well you indo-europeans should learn to spell your names as they are pronauched:p :p :p :p

But Its a shame if we get another Whasington lapdog among EUs stronger nations, just as we are almous done with Blair:(

well I think its always sad and misserable when rigth-wingers won elections.:mad: 🙁 😡
I just hope that the emmigrant suburbs doesent “blow” up like some anticipated.

And I think we should not so hastly correlate european politics to US ones. Skorzeny presents the arch type of european bourgerous rigth-winger, where as it migth have its conterpories across the gulf, the european opponents for such, socialist with strong labour union connection is something that US lacks… (for its loss IMO)

Well, if the suburbs catch fire (litterally), it will be good gor the car building economy 😀

I’d like to also point out that you got the name wrong, Skorzeny (sp?) was a WW2 german officer, and not a nice one…

As for the french navy, I’m sure they are delighted as Mrs. Royal said that if she got elected, she’d cancel the PA2 (2nd aircraft carrier).

I also hope that this election will bring an eld to the stupid rivalry and nit picking we saw between the US and France in the past years.

Withdraw never!!!:diablo:
The thread was asking opinions about news from France….not your opinion of the state American politics.

Nooooooo – I can’t let you get away with that, my dear fellow.

I made no comment at all on the state of US politics. None whatsoever.

Now, I did make a comment on the difference between the semantics of the US political spectrum and the European counterpart, which seems to have been abundantly clear to another of our trans-Atlantic colleagues who is hardly a gentleman of the Left.

You appear to be “Pwned”, as I believe the young people are given to typing these days. 😀

Keep on kicking over those straw men…….. 😉

well I think its always sad and misserable when rigth-wingers won elections.:mad: 🙁 😡
I just hope that the emmigrant suburbs doesent “blow” up like some anticipated.

And I think we should not so hastly correlate european politics to US ones. Skorzeny presents the arch type of european bourgerous rigth-winger, where as it migth have its conterpories across the gulf, the european opponents for such, socialist with strong labour union connection is something that US lacks… (for its loss IMO)

Viewing Sarkozy in the light of the American political machine is not a bad idea. He’d be considered a liberal in the USA, ok. He also claims that he wants to restore the US-France alliance (why?), which is why his views as they relate to American politics are important. If a Republican gets elected in 08, it’ll be someone more conservative than liberal. Opposite is true if a Democrat gets elected, unless it’s the Socialist Clinton. So if Sarkozy is going to be trying to get along better with America, understanding that he would be a liberal over here is an important thing to understand: he’ll probably get a far more receptive welcome to his plans from a liberal Democrat.

I’m an American, and I didn’t take it as US-bashing, though I will grant you that I might have put a little more thought into it than most 😀

OK – I’ll bite.
Kindly quote the passage in my posting that constitutes US-bashing, or withdraw your comment.
Come on, old chap. Put up or shut up! :diablo:

Withdraw never!!!:diablo:
The thread was asking opinions about news from France….not your opinion of the state American politics. Besides, after the recent elections what you said is, stictly speaking, no longer accurate.
(I really don’t see a connection with the US-France….it might have worked had you mentioned the Louisiana Purchase, the French & Indian War or something.)
Consider yourself “put up” (to re-use your school-yard taunt). 😀

Now may we get back to the topic?

OK – I’ll bite.

Kindly quote the passage in my posting that constitutes US-bashing, or withdraw your comment.

Come on, old chap. Put up or shut up! :diablo:

It’s probably worth bearing in mind that M. Sarkozy would almost certainly be regarded as a political “liberal” in the USA. 😎

And a reactionary in the UK?:cool:

PS. Well done! Less than an hour and someone’s already tried to hijack the thread into another round of US bashing!
FlyPast Forum never disappoints!:rolleyes:

It seems France has elected a new conservative President.

It’s probably worth bearing in mind that M. Sarkozy would almost certainly be regarded as a political “liberal” in the USA. 😎