Be British, Sarkozy tells France

Critics of Nicolas Sarkozy like to mock his friendliness towards George W Bush by saying that he is cosying up to a US president who is discredited at home. Uncharitably, the same might be said of the French President's extraordinary admiration for Tony Blair. 

It is only beginning to dawn on France just how much Super-Sarko is modelling his administration and reform ideas on the methods of the last British Prime Minister and his New Labour team. Overtly borrowing from Britain is a big break from the old French view that the only acceptable "models" for France were socially worthy nations such as Sweden, Denmark, Germany, and Canada.   

Sarko, a radical rightist, has long been a big fan of Blair, the Third Way leftist, seeing him as a pragmatic action-man who solved unemployment and fostered new prosperity. He established a complicity with Blair after he became minister in 2002. In his campaign, he borrowed as his motto, Blair's formula that "what counts is what works".

In his campaign book, Sarko said Britain's rise to wealth after being the sick man of Europe in the 1970s was "the most dramatic" case of a national revival. (That was also a nod to Margaret Thatcher of course).  "London ceaselessly sucks in thousands of young French people, as if it was easier to succeed there than at home," Sarkozy wrote.

Early in his campaign Sarko sent François Fillon, his lieutenant and now Prime Minister, to spend three days at Downing Street.  Fillon, whose wife, Penny, is English, enthuses over Britain's "brilliant performance" in curbing unemployment with flexible labour practises.

Since taking over in May, Sarko has been sending his ministers on trips to London to study British methods.  The latest, Eric Besson, junior Minister for Planning and a Socialist, returned from a visit to Gordon Brown's strategy unit saying that he was struck by its open plan office. Staff at French ministries work in separate offices with closed doors.

One technique that Sarko has imported from Blair's Downing Street is tight media management, with a unit to ensure the creation of a daily Sarko story and monitoring ministers to ensure everyone stays "on message", as New Labour used to call it. Alastair Campbell, Blair's original maestro of spin, showered praise on Sarko's methods in le Monde last week. 

Sarko, though a Bonapartist protectionist rather than a free-trade believer like Blair, has been importing British practices in bulk.  These include creating British-style job centres, workfare schemes, flexible employment contracts, selective immigration, CCTV surveillance for crime-fighting and the life-long tracking of sex offenders. He also wants an "Anglo-Saxon"-style cultural revolution for the civil service and education system, with performance-related pay and promotion.

His latest target is the sprawling state broadcasting system. He wants to end costly duplication by rival networks and put them under a single corporation with a charter. His model is, of course, the BBC. He has started by ordering Georges-Marc Benamou, an adviser, to rethink the external broadcasting networks. Sending Benamou off to London, he told him:  "The BBC has the same funding as French external broadcasting but is much more visible and influential." One casualty of this is likely to be France 24, the all-news channel that President Chirac launched with much fanfare last year. It may be merged in some way with TV5 Monde and other channels that are supposed to project France to the world.

Alain Lambert, Budget Minister under President Chirac, told le Figaro that a study trip to London was a psychological shock for French ministers. "This comes from the British obsession with results. If a policy does not succeed, it is replaced. There is real modesty beneath the pragmatism."

Sarkozy's team has drawn heavily on the work of the Cercle d'Outre-Manche (Cross-Channel Circle), a group of French business leaders who advocate British policies for France. "We should take inspiration from Britain because it is a country fundamentally similar to France. What amazes the French most of all is Britain's full employment," said Arnaud Vaissié, co-founder of the Circle.

"For a long time, they used to say that the British model was not applicable to France because the system of society was unacceptable. We are showing that this is false," Vaissié told us. Sarkozy's people drew heavily on the Circle's work for his government programme, he said.

If Sarko is choosing Britain as a model for "best practise" in many fields, there is scant evidence of emulation in the other direction. Blair's interest in France's booming nuclear power industry was a late exception to this. Vaissié said he regrets that Britain, "out of arrogance and self-satisfaction" does not make much effort to copy French ideas. London could learn a lot from France's transport infrastructure and the health system, he said.

I certainly wouldn't stop there. Sarko should try to see la vie Britannique a little less en rose. The Thatcher revolution and the Blair boom made Britain a richer, but also much rougher place. There is a reason why so many Brits dream of emigrating, and why so many have bought holiday houses in France or crossed the Channel to work and retire in more civilised surroundings. 

Sarko's opponents are naturally pessimistic about the British-inspired cultural revolution that he is trying to graft onto France. Laurent Joffrin, the Editor of Libération, the leftwing daily, said that importing British ideas won't work  "any more than if we were asked to drive on the left and play cricket instead of pétanque." 

Comments

[Jorg Andersen]

Britain is far from being the only country that has shaken itself out of unhealthy old ways in the past couple of decades. But it's obvious that Sarkozy has a fascination for Blair's Britain. He wants to be Blair, both as national saviour and European leader.

[R. Aries]

Has Britain really had "selective immigration" in recent years?
[Yes. Non-EU applicants with valued qualifications and skills are selected. Sarkozy wants to do that for France, citing the UK and USA as models. CB]

[Richard Thomas]

I think Francois Fillon's wife is Welsh actually :)

[Thanks, Richard, but she's not. The media may call her that, but she told me, that as the daughter of English parents and born just over the border in Monmouthshire, she considers herself English and not Welsh]

[Dominique avec son ADN à lui!]

Immigration is a good exemple of the differences : DNA testing and immigrant selection is considered to be a modern slave trade in France. Sarkozy may loose his soul with this DNA testing he wants to impose on immigrants. The french identity is based on law, not on blood nor DNA. There is no link between "being a relative" and sharing the same DNA. Setting up this link is like a denial of 200 years of citizenship values. A human is a human whatever his DNA. How come can the law be different according to your DNA?

On the other side of the channel, DNA testing are being on for the last 15 years and no problem. The "rule of law" does not have the same meaning on both sides of the channel.

More, we do not have the same definition of the word "chomeur". Someone may have work in Britain but will not be looked with envy by a french chomeur.

The real question is therefore : is it better to have a job in Britain or to be a "chomeur" in France? I know this is a "chomeur centered" question. But chomeurs are citizens.

Different countries, different values.

If being british means loosing our values, then Sarko can move abroad!

[peter kinsley www.peterkinsley.com]

The British should now take this new move by the French as a compliment and emulate: some French engineers to advise on how to run the railways; some Dutch teachers on how to teach languages in schools; some Australian customs and immigration officers to advise on border control. An end to arrogance, in other words.

[Paul Whitfield]

I don't think Jorg's analysis is quite right. The real 'national saviour' was Margaret Thatcher, and Blair merely inherited continued many of her financial policies. But of course, it's not yet popular to acknowledge Thatcher's revolution, even in her own country, let alone a country with a leftwards bias like France. Blair will be quite happy to take the credit anyway, even if he doesn't deserve it.

[TEDDY NANOR]

If what counts works, then what works must certainly count. Go for it Sarko! Every human being deserves the best, regardless of where it is emulated from.

[richard jones]

Mme Fillon est née à Chepstow.

[Daniel Strohl]

"any more than if we were asked to drive on the left and play cricket instead of pétanque".

May be Joffrin is not aware that the reverse has been made by the Swedes some decades ago - up to that date, they drived on the left, then switched to right driving. If I remember well, during the two first days, no traffic at all was allowed, with the exception of fire men and medical services; then it was allowed, but at a very slow speed (40 km/h ?) during several days. Perhaps there is a Swedish blogger around who may correct me (i.e my memory) if I am wrong.

Peter,

"some Dutch teachers on how to teach languages in schools"

We do need them also here in France.

[Robin Behan]

God help the French if they follow the Thatcherite Friedman free market obsession.
- the most unhappy people in the EU.
- the highest crime rate
- highest teenage pregnancies
- the worst public services [better
now admittedly]
- highest cost of living
- longest working hours
- the least job security
- the most spied upon

Please France don't be fooled or else millions of us will have to emigrate back to Blighty.

[Daniel Strohl]

Dominique,

"DNA testing and immigrant selection is considered to be a modern slave trade in France".

By you, yes, but not by every Frenchman or even by a majority of them. I am not aware if there has been an opinion poll on that specific matter - if yes, please let us know.

[Andy]

Ref Peter Kingsley: And how about importing Hausmann's great-great grandson to get rid of some of ghastly inner city mess with which many (most?) British cities are blighted?

[Robert Marchenoir]

"There is no link between 'being a relative' and sharing the same DNA." (Dominique)

Our resident genius has come up with a brand-new method for fathering children. Is it sex or biology you are not privy to, Dominique?

Could you please stop embarrassing your fellow citizens, just for a little while?

[Daniel Strohl]

Terry,

"national socialism is socialism”

There is nothing to add to Lilly's outstanding post - she wrote with a great talent what I believe since a long time and what I would not be able to formulate as clearly as she did. And the quoted school manual of 1957 is perfectly pertinent too.

Hitler was not a true and convinced socialist, otherwise he would have called his party right at the beginning "Sozialistische National-Deutsche Arbeiter Partei" (acronym SNDAP) instead of "Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiter Partei" (NSDAP).

Instead, he was a ruthless fanatic, "un possédé", but very charismatic, who exploited cynically and methodically the circumstances of that time to get to his ends.

Terry, I am sorry for you, but you should not add Hitler to the evils of socialism ...

[Sam Young]

@ Dom: There is no link between "being a relative" and sharing the same DNA...."

Really? Try that little line in a court of divorce law... you won't get far.

There is a reason why so many Brits dream of emigrating, and why so many have bought holiday houses in France or crossed the Channel to work and retire in more civilised surroundings.

- I do agree with what you are saying. But the main answer to this question is not what you are infering. It is because they can afford to!

[Turing]

How ironic that N.S. should look up to Blair for inspiration just as the UK happily consigns the latter to history. There are many admirable things Outre-Manche, but the wholesale import of British ways strikes me as very odd, perhaps more style than substance (an accusation, precisely, often leveled at Blair). I am often reminded of a comment by Matthew Parris in The Times, earlier this year:

"Ambitious men and women who claw their way to high office and fight to stay there are often curiously two-dimensional as personalities. They are not heavily into self-examination. Their diaries are dull, unperceptive and self-exculpatory. Mostly they sleep well, and when they cannot sleep the cause is more likely to be anxiety about their own prospects than guilt at the effects of their policies on others."

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/matthew_parris/article1293956.ece

[Nick]

To be precise, one can be related to people without sharing DNA. We call it adoption, and it is quite a common practice....

Robert Marchenoir,

Just read the law. You can adopt children (no DNA link), you can make children with sperm donnors (no DNA link), you can make children without recognizing them (then you have DNA link with no family link), you even can call the girls you raise your "daughter" eventhough they are not (Sarko's daughters...), and i do not talk of the foreign definitions of a family (often much wider).

Robert, family satus in France is based on law, not on DNA. You should know that.

Could you please stop embarrassing intelligence, just for a little while?

Sam Young,

i have no idea about the law in the US. I just know the law from here. Sorry.

DNA tests are allowed for criminals only. No judge will ever dare asking for DNA testing in case of a divorce in France. No way!

By the way, do you have any idea of how many people on earth believe their father is their genitor evethough they are not? huge!

[Dominique]

Daniel Strohl,

"DNA testing and immigrant selection is considered to be a modern slave trade in France".

There is no need to be a "majority" as you say for being able to write this. If it is considered by "a few", then, it is considered. I am not sure this is such a few by the way...

I did not give an opinion, i just describe a strong point of view often discussed in France, and not in the UK where selective immigration is in practice.

In political debate, Immigration is often considered in france as a "must" for immigrants. It's often the "i must leave or die" black mail. What counts is not the "recieving country" needs, but the "immigrant country" needs. Sarko is trying to reverse this trend. Many lobbies still fight for the right to move with no visa at all. The "sans papiers" are often called "migrants", and this is what they are.

[christopher muir]

Did the French really vote for a president who simply copies the ideas of other countries? I thought that the French prided themselves on their capacity to be original. Tony Blair a figurehead? How is it that the ex-PM has become almost invisible since his departure? Sarkozy should learn a lesson from this English reaction towards their former "charismatic" leader. Following the shop-worn policies of Bush and Blair in today's tense international climate surely reveals weaknesses in Sarkozy's armour. The French voter had most probably missed them before the election. France could, as a result, feel sorry for itself next year

[Dominique]

Ooops again! some of my post (answer to Rabert & Sam) are anonymous... Sorry

[Tim]

Having just returned from a weekend in France, I'm not sure the French have much to learn from us, the quality of life seems much superior for the average French citizen than the overcrowded high pace life style us Brits have to endure. Vive la difference.

[eygh]

Re:

@ Dom: There is no link between "being a relative" and sharing the same DNA...."

This is not false. It is possible to be a relative to someone and not share any DNA :

- adopted children,
- children, nieces, nephews, ... on your partner's side

Personaly I'm more embarrassed by French self-loathing/bashing people than by French left leaning ones even if I don't always share their opinions.

Robin Dehan has put down a certain number of very important points IMO.

What worries me the most about the Sarko team, besides the fact that I disagree with several of their analysis on what ails France and the consequent remedies proposed, is that far from being pragmatiques with good common sense they appear to be ideologues who are completely blind to the negative consequences of certain policies, especially in the UK and US.

[eygh]

Very interesting article that can feed the debate at :

http://www.eurotrib.com/story/2007/9/29/185648/947

[rocket]

Tim

"Having just returned from a weekend in France, I'm not sure the French have much to learn from us...."

ROTFL. One tourist weekend has made Tim a believer.

[elemjay]

The French come to the UK (London in particular) to make money. The English retire over there when we've made loads of money. I suspect Sarko is trying to bring some of the migrants back (cf Ireland in the past 10 years)

[Dot KING]

Last week the French TV channel FR2 showed a drama documentary film "HB" (Human Bomb). It took us back to 1992 when a man with explosives strapped to his body and a detonator in his hand held an "classe maternelle" (children aged 3-4) and their teacher, hostage for more than 2 days, demanding an enormous sum of money or he would blow up the school and the children with it.
The school is in Neuilly, a Parisian suburb of which Sarkozy is mayor and MP. Naturally, attracted by the media coverage, Sarkozy appeared on the scene and insisted on negotiating with HB and managed to extricate some of the children, carrying them off firstly towards the cameras and secondly towards their parents.
The special police team's dilemma was that they had a doube rôle - to end the siege and to protect the Minister (as NS was then). In the event of a crisis, what should they do?
In my opinion, NS can be described as more of a bully than a highly trained squad of police marksmen and than the Human Bomb.
He was (and is) exceedingly authoritarian (to smile and smile . . .), but what matter if he got some children out?
However, what WAS chilling is that we heard him say to HB "Give me that one - the little girl, you see, she isn't even French" and then again "Give me that one, the little black boy".
In such a situation, he was conscious of nationality and colour. I wonder if the French realise exactly what they've done in electing him?
His most recent exploit is to "parachute" his successor to the mayorship election in Neuilly despite there being a loyal and popular candidate in situ. It's highly unlikely that the people of Neuilly will elect anything other than a right-wing candidate, but surely they had a right to choose him or her? Key posts are going, not necessarily to the most competent, but to family friends and protégés.
There is a law in France that says that each commune (local council) should provide 20% of housing for low-income families. Neuilly has 2%. And it doesn't look like changing. He's the president of the rich French. Good for them, I fear bad for everyone else.
That's a short appraisal of the personality of NS, a racist bully, just about sums him up for me.
His media omnipresence is even upsetting his own camp. Could become really interesting soon when those who are keeping quiet and awaiting their opportunity realise that they are not going to get it!
Watch this space . . .

[Dot KING]

From listening to the lunchtime news on France Inter, I think it likely that the DNA check Law proposed by the Sarkozy government is likely to be scuppered by the Senate (equivalent House of Lords), who seem from the outset to look unfavourably on it. UMP members are busy adding amendments to "humanise" it - make it more acceptable. The vote is this afternoon.

[Sam Young]

@Daniel Strohl
"..I am not aware if there has been an opinion poll on that specific matter - if yes, please let us know..."

Daniel: according to a online survey in the Figaro newspaper (13 September), in which 10157 people replied to the question: "Peut-on imposer un test ADN aux candidats à l'immigration ?" (Should immigration applicants be made take a DNA test?), the replies were 74% YES, and 26% NO.
Thus, even allowing for the fact that the Figaro is right-wing, and adjusting somewhat to the left, the results still point to a strong majority of French people in favor of these tests.
As usual, the loudmouths on the left are shouting the most as usual.

[eygh]

Regarding one of the major differences (historical as well as cultural) between the UK and France : the UK is a country of emigration (almost always has been), France is not.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5237236.stm

It is normal for a Briton to move abroad, for a Frenchman it's not.

The reasons why emigration is still as high in the UK despite the good economic health of the country should make our governants think twice before implementing any british-like policy.

Why is it that the UK has the biggest diaspora ?

[Dominique]

Charles,

Can you please tell us why DNA is such a problem in france and not in the UK? Is the UK terribly racist or is France completly wrong with it's commité d'éthique?

[Dominique, much of the hostility to DNA testing of would-be immigrants reflects the French conscience over the world war two collaboration. The rounding-up of Jews and other "foreigners" in France stirs bad memories. One radio commentator this morning brought Nazi eugenics into the equation. CB]

[Sam Young]

@ Dot KING

Comment 1: What the French have do in electing NS is to try and repair the damage done between 1981 and 2007 by two incompetent Presidents.

A betting man for many years now, i have never lost a political bet (just sports ones). Here is one for you: NS will be re-elected President in 5 years time. I'm willing to go evens on this, even though 5 years is a long time. That's how reliable NS is.

Comment 2: The 20% rule is contingent on having space available. In the municipality where i live, which is run by a socialist mayor, the rate is only 7%. What do you want them to do? Knock down buildings to put them back up again? You know you're a socialist when ....

[Iain]

I lived in France for 20 years and it definitely needs to change, way too much needless bureaucracy, everything is "interdit".

Most small businesses have to do things illegally just to survive, which has created a "magouille" culture where everyone is trying to get around the system, if they just made the system simpler it would help a lot.

I now live in Holland and it's quite the opposite, here almost everything is allowed as long as you don't disturb anybody you can do pretty much what you want without a permit. Makes life so much easier.

Of course there are rules and regulations but they are usually pretty sensible and if the rule isn't working it gets changed sharpish!

But I must admit the food in France was excellent, and cheap, I do miss that a lot.

[Dominique]

Charles,

I do not agree with you about the reason why DNA testings are not accepted in France. I believe it goes much deeper than WW2 and the Vichy regime.

It is linked to the french revolution and the hatred, since then, for all kind of legal classifications for citizens. No more Noblesse, clergé nor tiers état. No more "sang bleu". The king Louis XVI was named "citizen Capet" before he was gillotined.

There is always this idea of complete and formal equality before the law, all citizen, whatever the color of your blood (noble or sans culotte), the color of your skin (hatred for ethnic statistics), now the color of your papers (avec ou sans papier), and of course now the color of your DNA.

The Vichy regime's impact was, at the end, a reinforcement of these principles, but they are much deeper and older than WW2 and the genocide.

The commentators are, i believe, not in touch with the issue if they only see Vichy. Don't forget that the British never dared call the Queen "citizen Windsor". Elisabeth II has sang bleu! By the way, how is her DNA?

[Dot KING]

@ Sam Young - what interest is there in betting whom the French will elect in 5 years' time? - So YOU think they'll make the same mistake again - fine, that's your view and you're welcome to it. It reinforces a generally-held view of the French system as being somewhat psycho-rigid. (Iain in Holland - spot on!)
Of course no poor people could really afford to live in Neuilly, though Mr Sarkozy seems to have got a very good deal on his own "des res" there, but one is allowed to think, surely, that the President should abide by the law. (That others before him haven't doesn't make it all right for him to do the same.)
And if your commune hasn't knocked down houses (ironic tone please, such an idiotic idea and purposely missing my point) to increase its paltry 7%, then all I can say is that where I live they make up for it; PCF mayor and more than 20% new and renovated old, quality housing for low-income families.
Citing one wrong doesn't justify the other. Grown-ups shouldn't need to be reminded of this.
You know you're a right-winger when . . .

[Daniel Strohl]

EYGH,

"Why is it that the UK has the biggest diaspora ?"

One of the reasons why the UK has the biggest diaspora (a part of it in France since some years) is may be population density : France has 113 inhabitants per square kilometer, the UK 245. And the actual density is even higher in the center of the UK, since big parts of Scotland and of the adjacent islands (Hebrides, Orkneys, Shetland) are scarcely populated, but their surface is nevertheless accounted for in the above figure of 245.

Another reason could be the climate.

And may be also the local food ! MAGGIE MILLINGTON : of course, I am kidding!

Seriously now, Maggie : I understand what you said about the lack of variety of cooking styles in some regions (Brittany in your case) and I have seen it myself; it is due to the feeble population density in many regions - it is not possible to have several (good) restaurants somewhere if there are not enough potential customers around. In most of French villages (may be with some exceptions), there are almost no immigrants (they are concentrated in cities) - therefore no exotic cuisine; and many villages are populated mainly with elderly people, since there is no industry or activities able to hold back young people. "Les anciens" are most of the time not especially wealthy .

[Daniel Strohl]

"the replies were 74% YES, and 26% NO "(Sam Young).

Sam,

Thanks for the info - ok, as you pointed out, the figure comes out of a poll by a right wing paper, but nevertheless ... It is unlikely that 74% of the Figaro readers are stupid antediluvian proslavers.

Dominique,

"is France completly wrong with it's commité d'éthique?"

What is wrong in France is the high number of various "comités", "collectifs" and "associations" spending their time "phosphoring around" and delivering urbi et orbi blackmail-style "leçons de morale", instead of working and giving some of the earned money to people needing it (for instance poor immigrants).

[Fiona]

Re teaching languages in schools.

English television seems to work for the Dutch so perhaps we should take France 24 if they don't want it.

[richard jones]

The French go to the South-East UK. They live there for the week and can make a hasty (becoming hastier) retreat into France pour le weekend - pardon - fin de semaine.

[rocket]

Dot King

"...then all I can say is that where I live they make up for it; PCF mayor and more than 20% new and renovated old, quality housing for low-income families."

Make no mistake about it. It has always been in the interest of the PCF to keep it's adherents poor. If not they would bolt the party as soon as they moved from one income group to another.

[Judith]

It seems sensible for Nicolas Sarkorzy to have his ministers look across the Channel for ideas. He was unequivocal in his campaign promise for 'changement' and one way to find new policies is to see what works in other countries. It wouldn't be much use his looking into French archives if he were really looking for new approaches.

In my experience this international cross fertilisation is already a continuing process in many professional areas. And I wouldn't be surprised if a few French public servants didn't have some innovations in their back pockets ready to dust off and put forward to their Minister when the climate was right.

[Brompeter]

Check this. This is the same Sarko who, while Mayor of rich surburb Neuilly in the early 90s, when asked of the (then) Thatcher "model" went on record in press and TV as remarking of Margaret Thatcher:" The English example? We might just as well adopt the Burkina Faso model"... which was met with loud applause.

What a crowd-pleasing clown!

[Dominique]

Daniel Strohl,

So the problem is freedom of association? freedom of speech?

Regarding "leçon de morale", every one considers it's own opponent as a lesson giver. that's life. I usualy do not take for granted what people say. You shouldn't either. Morale is always being discussed and that's the way it should be.

(you just gave one lesson your self!)

[eygh]

"The French go to the South-East UK. They live there for the week and can make a hasty (becoming hastier) retreat into France pour le weekend - pardon - fin de semaine.
Posted by: richard jones "

***********

I don't understand your post. What are you saying exactly ?

[Valentin]

As said already, there's no better proof of paternity like the DNA testing, so there is justification for it, especially when we know how things go about papers in african countries.

What puzzles me though is the recklessness self-righteous lefty moralist shows about this, when it's supposed to happen under a judge's supervision and, above all, completely non compulsory.

[Dot KING]

It isn't true any longer that French villages are largely exclusively populated by old people and don't attract immigrants - not in the attractive rural or coastal areas anyway.
In the greater south-west, just a quick glance at the telephone directory for any village or hamlet will reveal a fair proportion of British, Dutch, German-origin family names. Some are permanent residents, though others owners of holiday homes of course.
The northern Europeans who emigrate to France often do it because they can afford to, that is true, but many come hoping to start and run a small business, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
When it doesn't, it can be because the person hasn't taken into account the importance of being able to speak the language, added to the difficulty and expense involved in getting through the often impenetrable "Catch 22" of French bureaucracy and administration.
For Rocket: whatever the political colour of the mayor / local council, respecting the housing quota policy is what keeps villages alive, bringing in new people to assure that schools, post offices, medical practices, pharmacies, artisanal bakers, butchers, superettes, libraries - you name it - remain available and accessible to all the inhabitants.
For the elderly who have lived all their lives in these villages, preservation of services and amenities is very important - often the women (especially) have never learned to drive - hard to believe, but true.
Most local mayors welcome their new settlers for just the above reason.
I've lived in France for 16 years and for 13 of those years have been a salaried worker. I know that my salary costs my employer about the same amount as he pays me. Professional charges are unrealistically high - this needs to be reformed, and not just by tinkering about with untaxed overtime for low-paid workers, but really tackled and reformed.
As Iain of Holland remarks, setting up a small business in France is a minefield - I looked into it (being bilingual it wasn't a pie in the sky project) and having investigated the costs and the risks involved, carried on working for the boss!
And it isn't only elderly British who come to spend their retirement in France, there are families with children of school-age too. I teach French to Anglophone pupils in a collège (11-16).

[Dominique]

Valentin,

"there's no better proof of paternity like the DNA testing"

Paternity is not parentality. Who cares who is the genitor?

[Dot KING]

Valentin, I believe that DNA testing, if it becomes law (and it looks as if it will though Senate discussions seem to be working towards making the procedure so complicated that it will hardly ever be used), will only test the DNA of the mother, to avoid revelations of infidelity and/or adultery.
And Dominique is right, the person who wants the best for the child is the true parent - DNA-linked or not.

[Valentin]

"Paternity is not parentality. Who cares who is the genitor?"

Do you think you can trust the adoption procedures in countries were everybody is ready to die trying to reach Europe, Dominique?

We're not speaking about democratic countries, nor about "what is the best for the child", who is the "genuine parent" and so on, you're in the wrong context.
In this case, just like that with the blank marriages and the selection of the immigrant workforce, one must choose what one wants: unmanageable immigration, ghettos and all the consequences, or the opposite.

[Sam Young]

@Dot King,
"...what interest is there in betting whom the French will elect in 5 years' time?...
Why.. to make money, of course. How else pay the Welfare State that is France?

I got 1.9 on NS winning. When one considers the airhead he was up against, it was money for nothing.

Et pourtant... if the socialists had put forward Strauss-Kahn, he may well have won. That's what i like about the Socialists: yes, they are stupid, but at least one can rely on their stupidity. Roll on 2012!

[Daniel Strohl]

Dominique,

"So the problem is freedom of association? freedom of speech?"

Of course not. Fortunately, we live in a free country.

What I wanted to say, may be with some exaggeration, is that some members of these "associations, comités et collectifs pétris de bonnes intentions" have found there the modern Ersatz of the indulgences bought at churches in the Middle Age ... As soon as they think they have done enough to deserve their pardon, they are again able to fight ruthlessly for their own interest with the best "bonne conscience".

PS : Dominique, this is not at all an attack against you - I know that you are sincere. But you will probably recognize in my description some people you know ... Sadly enough, we have the same "faux culs" on the other side ...

"I usualy do not take for granted what people say" - nor do I.

[Dot KING]

@ Valentin: "we're not talking about democratic countries"
Sorry, I thought I was on the Paris Weblog and that France was inevitably the subject. The last I knew, France was still a democratic country and a law being proposed is what's under discussion by some of the contributors, who all appreciate the freedom of expression living in France allows them. Even an immigrant like me, with no DNA match in site . . .
You are the one in the wrong context, you're just plain angry. You should go on to a different blog to air your anger. Why not try the Burmese Junta Weblog? - If you can find one.

For anyone who's interested in protesting against the Mariani Amendment (to the DNA testing proposed law), there's a petition at: www.ne touche pas à mon ADN.com
with full explanation.

[Sam Young]

For anyone who's interested in protesting against the Mariani Amendment (to the DNA testing proposed law), there's a petition at: www.je n'ai rien dans la crane mais j'ai une grande gueule.com
with full explanation.

[Valentin]

lol Dot, cool down now will ya, where do you get it from, that I'm angry?

I wasn't referring to France, I was speaking about the countries being source of illegal immigration - China, south Asia, Central Africa.
There's no point in playing around with definitions of paternity and parentality in these countries, we're not discussing a divorce case in France or the US, but matters related to emmigration in deeply corrupt countries whose people would do anything to leave behind.
Western way of assumming that everything is nice and rosy and that showing a document (be it marriage license, or birth, or adoption etc) suffices to prove you're related to a person living in a western country, this is pure naivity.

[Dot KING]

@ sam young : what an exceedingly boring and presumptious person you are - make your money however you like - bet to your heart's content - it's of no interest - and don't presume my politics - I haven't defended or supported anyone in particular - take a look and see how much air there is in your head

and @ valentin: earth calling, earth calling, not everyone is as naïve as you think, what comes from you is verging on extreme racism, i'm surprised they let it through

logging off

[Dominique]

Valentin,

So is ADN : "pure" naïvity.

The tests are supposed to be made in the source country. Do you think they will be safe?

More, you have a very selfcentered view of family.

[Lilly]

"The French go to the South-East UK. They live there for the week and can make a hasty (becoming hastier) retreat into France pour le weekend - pardon fin de semaine." (Richard Jones)

"I don't understand your post. What are you saying exactly?" (Eygh)

Eygh,

the title reads "Be British, Sarkozy tells France." - Mr. Jones imagines what will happen if the French follow Sarkozy's advice, i.e. they will work in GB and spend their weekends in France... It takes a little imagination(?) to understand but I think this is what Richard Jones is saying exactly.

For once someone sticks with the subject, he gets misunderstood...

[Sam Young]

@ Dot King,
Don't you mean King Dot?

[Brompeter]

@ Sam Young, @ Eygh,

Sticking to the subject as you suggest: "Is Sarkozy recommending that the French 'be British' "? Sarkozy is a politician who tries to make up his agenda to suit the moment as most politicians tend to, apart from the "conviction" breed which Sarkozy surely is not. Some of you point out that he has picked a "wrong 'un" with les "Anglo-Saxons" - Blair or Bush. But who knows what he will be recommending next week? I already posted about his crowd-pleasing diatribe against Thatcher in the early 90s.
All we know is that whatever his recommendations will be, they will most probably reflect the man himself, a man who is sorely conscious of not being of "pure" French stock who tends to compensate by casting himself as ultra-French, a SuperDupont, bashing foreigners and putting France first (which may be catastrophic for France just like a certain Austrian private with a chip on his shoulder was for Germany.) Just watch.

[David Powell]

I live in France.

I use to live in a South Wales mining village.

There is a lot of unemployment around here, far more than the government figures show. (Is there a case for a Europe wide treaty on 'counting' to make sure we all have the way of presenting the figures?)

A lot of my friends in this predominately left wing area accept the need for change, the French are not fools and can see that things must change.

But having lived through the Thatcher years in an area which saw massive unemployment, soldiers disguised as policemen attacking working class people and the replacement of industry by call centres, the wasting of UK's oil wealth, I am not sure that it is understood by foreign admirers of Thatcher and subsequent prime ministers exactly what damage was caused, what pain was suffered.

I loaned some friends the DVD of Billy Elliot, they returned it, loving the movie but disbelieving of the riot scenes. When assured that these events really happened under Thatcher they became very thoughtful.

Yes, change is needed and maybe Sarkozy is the man to do it, but I do fear for the French whose propensity for civil uproar perhaps exceeds the British

[Brompeter]

@ Sam Young, @ Eygh,

Sticking to the subject as you suggest": Is Sarkozy recommending that the French 'be British' "? Sarkozy is a politician who tries to make up his agenda to suit the moment as most politicians tend to, apart from the "conviction" breed which Sarkozy surely is not. Some of you point out that he has picked a "wrong 'un" with les "Anglo-Saxons" - Blair or Bush. But who knows what he will be recommending next week? I already posted about his crowd-pleasing diatribe against Thatcher in the early 90s.
All we know is that whatever his recommendations will be, they will most probably reflect the man himself, a man who is sorely conscious of not being of "pure" French stock who tends to compensate by casting himself as ultra-French, a SuperDupont, bashing foreigners and putting France first (which may be catastrophic for France just like a certain Austrian private with a chip on his shoulder was for Germany.) Just watch.

[eygh]

Lilly,

I can assure you I do not lack imagination. If we follow Sarkozy's advice then the French will be like Brits and France like Britain.

Therefore, the French will stay in France to work (since we will have near full employment if we are to believe UK's official unemployment numbers) and will go abroad as much (as fast) as they can to spend their week-ends, vacations, retirement, to get cured, ...

Nevertheless thank you for your explanation though I don't believe it is exactly what R.Jones meant.

Unless Mr Jones comes out from where he is hiding and tells us, we will never know, n'est-ce pas ?

[Dot KING]

@ Valentin: no Valentin DNA isn't naïveté - I meant that I, like probably all the other contributors to the blog (apart possibly from Sam Young), know exactly what you mean by undemocratic countries - my point was that this is a blog called "Paris weblog", not about other "undemocratic" countries.

@ Sam Young: King Dot, yes, if you like and if it's the best you can do. In my court you wouldn't even get the job of fool - not clever enough, you see.
Do you never say anything constructive? How many contributors do you think are interested in your betting habits and your self-satisfied distribution of sarcasm?
Pick on someone with a similar-sized brain as your own - you'll need a microscope . . .

[Daniel Strohl]

Brompeter,

"... or France just like a certain Austrian private with a chip on his shoulder was for Germany.) Just watch."

May be you are exaggerating a little bit!

We have got 5 years (minus 4 months) time to watch ...

"I already posted about his crowd-pleasing diatribe against Thatcher" - it would be interested to know name(s) of politician(s) having reached the top without uttering some crowd-pleasing speeches ...

[Jill Catlow]

Erudite comments on this subject from Dot King as usual

[Dot KING]

@Daniel Strohl and Brompeter -
Have either of you read "La Part de l'Autre" by Eric Emmanuel Schmitt?

Food for thought if not and an excellent read.

[Lesley Jones]

As a refugee to France from Thatcher's UK in 1981, Sarkozy's policies frighten me and I'm afraid that I will have to pack my bags again. I recommend the films "The Full Monty" and "Billy Elliott" to French Thatcher advocates to see how a lot of people lived during Thatcher's Golden Boy Period. Even following Blair I would not go back to the UK though as the society of gratuitous violence, binge drinking and the MRSA-riddled health service that recently killed my Mother is no longer attractive to me. Is there a country out there where life is not dog eat dog,the rich versus the poor, and retirement is still possible at 65 with a decent standard of living ? Perhaps in Scandinavia ? France definitely needs reform but needs to keep its humanitarian values.

[Daniel Strohl]

Dot King,

No, I haven't read this book and didn't even know it by name. I had a look at Amazon - they have made a good description of the contents. Seems interesting.

Thanks "pour le tuyau".

[Dot KING]

@Lesley Jones
Talk about hitting nails on heads -spot on - and don't forget "Brassed Off" which was pretty eloquent about the Thatcher Era as well.
Unfortunately the French title, translated as "Les Virtuoses", caused loss of impact and meaning, changing it into a film principally about brass band music.
En avoir marre, ras le bol - they don't say it like it was.
To reflect the English title truly, it would really have had to be something like (éloignez les enfants du poste!) "Plein les Couilles".
Like yourself, with memories of Thatcher stirring, I don't like what I hear from this new French president. France is in need of radical reform, yes, but not inhuman radical reform.

[Dot KING]

@Daniel Strohl: je vous en prie, bonne lecture!

[Brompeter]

Dot King, thanks for the tip.

Lesley Jones, you echo what literally thousands of sadly expatriated/alienated Brits on the continent must have been saying in the 80s. Like others no doubt, I attempted to reintegrate myself back into England in the mid 90s, having left it in the late 70s. I found the entire character of the place and people had changed hugely - it was hardly British even, in the social and civic senses that I must have taken for granted earlier. Blair was elected on a promise to deal with the consequent brutalisation of society that you refer to. I didn't stay long.

It's a shame for the French that they couldn't come up with a better centre/left alternative than the halfwit they fielded against Sarkozy, isn't it! I think that the "Thatcherisation" of French society would probably be an even more explosive, devisive and brutal exeprience than in Britain of the 80s.

[Sam Young]

The going rate on Hilary Clinton being nominated Democratic Party candidate is 1.40.

[Dot KING]

I left England in 1991, haven't been back since - everyone tells me I got out just in time.
I'm not convinced that the French will put up with too much too soon too fast too drastic - their factories are still being relocated and closed down, their big bosses and possibly some egg-on-face politicians past and present, are causing "unrest" over the A380 backlog insider-trading. Sarkozy's keeping very mum about that up to now. With their jobs on the line, they can't be happy about the bosses making stockmarket killings AND getting golden parachutes. I think they will make their feelings known in no uncertain terms.
I remember well one very effective protest a couple of years ago (though I can't now recall what they were protesting about) when the EDF cut off the electricity to Patrick Devedjian's holiday home - a large mediaeval château - the whole village was aglow, but for his place!
Don't you just luvvit luvvit, can't get enough . . .!

[Sam Young]

Yes, i remember when the EDF terrorists cut off electricity to Patrick Devedjian's holiday home, and I remember wasting hours trying to get to work when the RAPT terrorists once again took public transport users hostage. And of course, they will start again on 18 October (usually it's November; they must be missing their merguez more than usual).
Except that this time, they will be up against Sarkozy, a man who actually believes in something.
Good.