Gallic genius will save France says Villepin

[Bluezoo]

Gallic genius will save France says Villepin

Jon Henley in Paris
Thursday June 9, 2005
The Guardian

France's new prime minister, Dominique de Villepin, refused yesterday to push the country down the road towards free-market reform, saying "Gallic genius" would help put back on its feet a "suffering, impatient and angry" nation that has failed to adapt fully to a changing world.

In a speech to the packed lower house of the national assembly, Mr Villepin said his top aim was to cut the country's stubborn 10%-plus unemployment rate and announced €4.5bn (£3bn) of extra money to achieve it.

But he insisted that an increasingly heated public debate about the shortcomings of France's high-tax, high-protection social model compared with the more liberal Anglo-Saxon system was irrelevant.

"In a modern democracy, the debate is not between the liberal and the social, it is between immobilism and action," he said. "Solidarity and initiative, protection and daring: that is the French genius."

The part-time poet and former foreign minister added: "My government will be guided by one principle: the imperative of justice; by one criterion: the general interest; by one aim: to improve the lot of every French man and woman."

His speech came as speculation mounted in France over Tony Blair's plans for the British presidency of the EU, which starts next month.

Many commentators have said the British prime minister will seek to capitalise on the crisis after the French and Dutch rejection of the EU constitution by trying to persuade "old Europe" to modernise its creaking social systems.

"Tony Blair will try to convince his partners that the policy ... of flexibility and solidarity that has been followed with success in Britain ... can also serve Europe," Le Monde said yesterday, adding that "Blairism" is taboo in France, despite the concrete responses it has offered to unemployment and globalisation.

Mr Villepin said he was convinced France was still committed to Europe and its vote was "not a signal of French isolation". But he acknowledged that the country was at "an exceptional moment in its history" and that his first duty was to "look reality in the face".

France faced a difficult situation, he said: "While the world is undergoing unprecedented change, Europe is divided and the process of adaptation in France is lagging behind ... We have to get this country working again."

Polls showed most French voters rejected the EU treaty in their May 29 referendum because they feared it would lead to more unemployment, and were unhappy with the social and economic situation. Many on the left also felt the constitution enshrined a free-market vision of Europe at odds with France's social ideals.

Sociologists have also said the referendum result was a huge vote of no confidence in France's political and administrative elite, and particularly in President Jacques Chirac, who is seen as having presided over the country's slide over the past 10 years.

Mr Villepin will take no comfort from a new poll yesterday showing that 65% of the French were pessimistic about the country's political situation, 79% felt the new government would be unable to do anything about unemployment in the near future, and 72% thought social unrest was "certain" or "likely" to mount over the next few months.

Most economists believe the key to getting France back to work is reform of the country's inflexible, over-protective labour laws. But France's powerful public sector unions warned the prime minister this week that any attempt to water down jobs legislation would prompt protests.

Mr Villepin said he was setting aside an extra €4.5bn for job creation next year and unveiled a series of steps to boost job creation by small and very small businesses. These include encouraging firms with fewer than 10 workers to hire more people by cutting social charges and paperwork.

He also ordered France's job centres to redouble their efforts to find jobs for the one in four young people who are out of work, and said that penalising the hiring of unemployed workers over 50 would be scrapped. France currently has among the worst unemployment rates in Europe for the under-25s and over-55s.....

For the full text, go to:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/france/story/0,11882,1502371,00.html

Right on! Good luck. p-)

[joe mama]

..."Gallic genius" would help put back on its feet a "suffering, impatient and angry" nation that has failed to adapt fully to a changing world.

If your "Gallic genius" is so great, how'd you end up a "suffering, impatient and angry" nation that failed to adapt? Do you need to be a super genius to adapt, but just a regular genius to get back on your feet after not adapting?

Is it Gallic genius that was responsible for 5000 (was it that many? more?) old people roasting to death in their own homes last summer?

[duck]

He probably means France will hope to rely on the German taxpayer for financing their experiments also in the future. Wonder how the Germans see this?

[Bluezoo]

He probably means France will hope to rely on the German taxpayer for financing their experiments also in the future. Wonder how the Germans see this?

Well, this would help...... :lol:



Villepin wants union with Germany in key areas
09.06.2005 - 10:07 CET | By Elitsa Vucheva
The New French prime minister, Dominique de Villepin, has called for an economically strong and united Europe, and for a union between Germany and France.

"We have a strong currency [the euro]. Let's give ourselves a strong economic policy. Let's give ourselves the means to defend a European [economic] preference, just like all the other big economic blocs", Mr de Villepin said on Wednesday during his inauguration speech before French parliament.

"Let's open new perspectives, such as fiscal harmonisation or a union with Germany in some areas we would have chosen together", he added.
The call is likely to prompt fears in certain areas that both countries may try to establish an "inner core" Europe.

The prime minister also reiterated president Jacques Chirac's position that France would "keep its entire place" within the EU despite the rejection of the EU Constitution by its citizens, and that it would "respect all its commitments".

He also insisted that the French did not say No to Europe, as they "are not afraid of Europe, they want to know what the rules are and participate in their elaboration".

"They want to know where it [Europe] goes. The rapid enlargement of the continent surprised our compatriots. Let's give ourselves the time to better know each other and build together with the new countries", he also said.

"The adventure does not end. Our European dream will only be stronger after the obstacles", he concluded.

Mr de Villepin's speech convinced 363 MPs to vote for him while 178 voted against.

Fighting unemployment
But the greatest part of Mr de Villepin's speech, which lasted almost an hour, was devoted to a programme to fight unemployment in France.

Unemployment in the country has reached 10.2 percent, and was quoted as one of the main reasons for the French rejection of the EU Constitution last week.

Mr de Villepin has repeatedly claimed that decreasing unemployment will be his main priority during his term.

He called for "action" both from the government and the employers, but also from the unemployed.

Mr de Villepin avoided his usual flights of rhetoric during his speech and gave a concrete programme to increase employment, the French press remarks.

He tried to adopt a balance between deregulation - to please the right - and appeals for social solidarity - to appease the left.

Amongst other things, a €1,000 state bonus will be given to any unemployed person taking a job after having been unemployed at least for a year, under the minister's plan.

He also announced an extra €4.5 billion to the budget to achieve the programme's goal.

The French still dubious
Meanwhile, a CSA poll published today shows that 51 percent of the French think that the new government will be "neither better nor worse" than the previous one, as far as social policy is concerned.

Twenty nine percent think the de Villepin government will do better, eight percent think it will be worse and 12 percent gave no answer.

And a CSA poll published on Tuesday (7 June) showed that 79 percent of those questioned did not believe the new government will improve the situation in the country within 100 days, as promised by Dominique de Villepin.

But the French president is one of the least popular politicians in the country currently, an Ipsos poll published in weekly Le Point on Thursday (9 June) shows.

Jacques Chirac's popularity has reached its lowest level since his election in 1995, as only 27 percent of those questioned have a positive opinion about him, compared to 47 percent in May.

No French president has ever been so unpopular, according to French daily Le Figaro.
http://euobserver.com/?sid=9&aid=19286

[fdt]

Speaking of Gaelic Genius that saves...

http://www.asterix-international.de/asterix/pics/characters/panoramix.gif

...and speaking of Germans and Gaelic spirit in close co-operation.

http://asteriximages.dirtyrubbish.com/books/goths/asterixandthegoths11.jpg

[roland]

He probably means France will hope to rely on the German taxpayer for financing their experiments also in the future. Wonder how the Germans see this?

?? strange one.
no, German taxpayers don't fund France afaik, first time I heard of that.
In fact France and Germany are exactly in the same sh!t, but I believe Germany has already started to reform. France NOT, and not in the right track with this generation of politicians in power and unlikely to reform before we had run bankrupt imho :(

[Wodan]

He probably means France will hope to rely on the German taxpayer for financing their experiments also in the future. Wonder how the Germans see this?

?? strange one.
no, German taxpayers don't fund France afaik, first time I heard of that.
In fact France and Germany are exactly in the same sh!t, but I believe Germany has already started to reform. France NOT, and not in the right track with this generation of politicians in power and unlikely to reform before we had run bankrupt imho :(

The thing with german taxpayers is related to german payments to eu, french payments to EU, and what those countries again get from the EU, here the french are benefited, mostly due to the big agrarian sector which gets strongly subsidyed by the EU.


PS: Did you know what some EU states said, as a german finance minister told them that he is pissed at the high payments of germany (was under Kohl government), they said that germany should accept it as kind of reparation for WW II :roll:
I think some of the trolls on this board would make good european politicans... (just compare german payment per capita to the one of as example UK)

[roland]

The thing with german taxpayers is related to german payments to eu, french payments to EU, and what those countries again get from the EU, here the french are benefited, mostly due to the big agrarian sector which gets strongly subsidyed by the EU.


PS: Did you know what some EU states said, as a german finance minister told them that he is pissed at the high payments of germany (was under Kohl government), they said that germany should accept it as kind of reparation for WW II :roll:
I think some of the trolls on this board would make good european politicans... (just compare german payment per capita to the one of as example UK)

Well France pay more than she recieve too. At the time Germany was rich, I see no much trouble with Germany paying more than other for example to help the development of Ireland and Spain, witch everybody profited. That is what the EU is meant for, some kind of solidarity. But now that Germany is in trouble I agree, you should not pay that much. But hey lets be reasonable, the sums are big but don't explain our current trouble ok ?
Everybody know that the EU should be reformed, only stupid and outdated politicians, notably French I admit, don't understand that.
It's just that saying that Germany pay for France is not exact nor fair and is only meant to try to divide the EU any more. And btw, the French agriculture being much more efficient than the German one, I think the German agriculture would suffer much more from the end of subsidies than the French one. So ..

[perdurabo]

(just compare german payment per capita to the one of as example UK)
what you pay to EU is based on your GDP not your population (UK is diffrent thing M.Tacher negotiated very good terms for them) if you check spain poland italy ireland germany france you will see that % of GDP payed to EU budget is same for all amount is diffrent cause GDP is diffrent imagine Poles paying same amount per capita as Germans that would be like 1/2 or 2/3 of our budget :roll:

[Roaming East]

He probably means France will hope to rely on the German taxpayer for financing their experiments also in the future. Wonder how the Germans see this?


I know how the french see it
http://jasonandcodi.com/guinness/guinness%20guys.jpg
BRILLIANT!

[oldsoak]

What does the man in the street in France make of all this ?

[Atlantic Friend]

What does the man in the street in France make of all this ?

I'd say the man on the street is probably dreaming of pushing Bluezoo under a car by now... ;)

We've been told, for the umpteenth time, that "the battle of employment" had begun, and that this time the government would pursue a no holds-barred policy to win it. Yawn.

As for de Villepin's comparison with Napoleon, there was a happier, simpler time when people who thought they were the Emperor were gently led to a comfy cell in the nearest ward.

All of this declared by a Galouzeau de Villepin (which, in old French, means "the jester from Villepin") who is the grand strategist of the 1997 dissolution of the National Assembly (a disaster), the leader of the 2002 Ivory Coast negotiations (a disaster), and the responsible for the management of the Iraqi crisis at the UN (a disaster) ? Me, it makes me think it's urgent to discover how to travel back into time so as to make sure little Dominique becomes a poetry teacher instead of a ENA apparatchik...

[fdt]

ENA aparatchik... rofl a Very Good one...

My crystal ball tells me that it might be....

http://delirium.lejournal.free.fr/livre_villepin.jpg

After Borodino, Moscow, Leipzig, Elbe there it comes ... What was after, we all know.

[Wodan]

(just compare german payment per capita to the one of as example UK)
what you pay to EU is based on your GDP not your population (UK is diffrent thing M.Tacher negotiated very good terms for them) if you check spain poland italy ireland germany france you will see that % of GDP payed to EU budget is same for all amount is diffrent cause GDP is diffrent imagine Poles paying same amount per capita as Germans that would be like 1/2 or 2/3 of our budget :roll:


of 2005:

German payments: 21,313,000,000
German population: 82,500,000

per capita => 258.34 Euro
(in relation to the per capita income: $28,700
=> payments are 0.9% of per capita income)

British payments: 12,339,000,000
British population 59,000,000

per capita => 209.15 euro
(and now we could set it into relation to their per capita income: $29,600
=> payments are 0.7% of per capita income)

:roll:

so germans have to pay more on absoulute numbers almost double of UK, if you calculate it per capita still 1/4 more, and on percentage of per capita income it makes a even worse relation, cuz germnas have a lower per capita income, so it makes 0.9% for average german and just 0.7% for average brit...

AND

don't forget if you compare german payments with others, that germany is a country that has as no other that big country in EU really low rates of money it gets back again, as subsidys...

[abncougar]

save France.....can anything save France......? :roll:

[Rakki]

I give Villepin 2 years before he too falls by the wayside.

[Wodan]

(just compare german payment per capita to the one of as example UK)
what you pay to EU is based on your GDP not your population (UK is diffrent thing M.Tacher negotiated very good terms for them) if you check spain poland italy ireland germany france you will see that % of GDP payed to EU budget is same for all amount is diffrent cause GDP is diffrent imagine Poles paying same amount per capita as Germans that would be like 1/2 or 2/3 of our budget :roll:



"Man hat verstanden, dass es nicht teurer werden darf, sondern dass wir vorankommen müssen mit der Entlastung."
--- Juncker

Einzelheiten über den künftigen deutschen EU-Beitrag nannte er nicht.

Interesting....
that juncker says, that the EU has understand, that german payments in future have to get lower, not higher, but that at the same time, germany shall pay this year an extra payment of another 10 billion....


:|

[Rifleman]

Does this link explain "Gallic genius"?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20050609/od_afp/afplifestylefrance_050609191745;_ylt=AlrInDzKaPqKnM2eEB3vRbMFO7gF;_ylu=X3oDMTA5bGVna3NhBHNlYwNzc3JlbA

[duck]

The French greed and egoism are clearly hurt by this decision to make the cash flows within the EU more just. Many guys in their berets must have been bitter at other Europeans this Weekend to refuse to pay for Gallic ingenuity even if they are just subhumans compared to the French Herrenvolk.