France Uncovered

Jaques Chirac has affirmed that it is not up to the government to do the job of historians. On a speech he offered, he designated the 10th of May as the national day of slavery.

French politicians do not represent the majority of his population at all (like most of all other countries). French speak directly, if you try to screw them they scream, and if a company tries to fire his employees, they will go on strike. French question everything and contest everything. No wonder why there was a French revolution.

So why politics go so bad in this country?

Why do I say that politics are bad shape in first place?

France has long list of people who fought for freedom and rights. But these rights are not evident nor a reality for all of her citizens. When people are unhappy about how their private lives and how they are affected, they turn to their government. That's why all peoples have a government, to represent them, to direct them and to respond to their necessities. At least in theory.

During the last elections, at the finals, there were Le Pen (FN, Front nationale, extreme right) and Chirac (UMP, right) looking for another term. At the eyes of most French, they tried to send a message to their president, but he seemed not to get the message. That's why Lepen made it to the finals. Things haven't changed, the economic situation has worsened, and as a consequence the standard of life has lowered. Later on, at the ratification of the European constitution, the people said "NON"; during the referendum. One of the main builders of a great idea -the European Union- was saying no to its constitution. Why?

People trying to send again, a message to his president: The economical situation is not going well, standard of life has lowered; we need a change! This situation indeed represents a risk.

France has traditionally had a tendency towards the left wing. There have been people like Jean Jaures that have fought for the worker, and the result we can see it today. France has strong unions like the CGT that can mobilize thousands of people, and freeze the country for days or even months (see, strike SNCF in Marseille) and the social system works quite well. You have right to free medical service, even if you don't work or you are homeless. Universities are free, and unemployment compensations are sufficient to live.

Before Chirac, the government was socialist. The government had scandals of corruption, lied in health issues (Laurent Fabius, socialist was involved in a scandal of blood withdrew from prisoners to satisfy needs in blood banks. Result, hepatitis and AIDS among other diseases were spread, because blood was not analyzed). So, if the people from the right and from the left have blown it, who is left? By one side we have the aging Lepen, and people like Philippe de Villiers, (extreme right, catholic party) and Sarkozy (UMP, Chirac's party, right) which have come up with a xenophobe speech and acts that approach them to the extreme right. In few words, stealing voters from Lepen. But at the same time Sarkozy, proposes 'discrimination positive' or affirmative action as it is known in the US, which approaches him to the left wing. He imposed deportations for illegal immigrants and made tougher immigration laws while supervising closely the cases among others. He seems to forget that his is father was born in Hungary.

In my opinion Sarkozy is a dangerous guy, because of his openly double face and violent solutions, among others. In few words because of his closeness to the far right. He is a strong candidate for the presidency in 2007. Within his same political party (UMP) we have DeVillepin which is strongly backed by Chirac. Sarkozy's politics and point of view, are extremely different from those of Chirac and DeVillepin. For example, Chirac is against affirmative action, Sarko for, Chirac was against the war in Iraq, Sarko for, and so on.

On the far left we have Marie-George Buffet (PCF, French communist party) and Olivier Besancenot (LCR, Revolutionary communist League). Although, Buffet has a long political career and closeness to workers, and Besancenot has a young, vigorous revolutionary speech, people guard their distance with communists. Some of their fault to gain credibility in French society, might reside on their irrealistic proposals.

And finally, we have the PS or socialist party. The socialist party (Party of Mitterrand) was weakened as a result of the "NON" to the European constitution while the majority of its members were for (including Francois Hollande, president of the party), but an internal minority directed by Laurent Fabius were against. Jospin an old leader within the PS, seems to come back to the political arena.

Complicated? Yes

Who really has a chance to become president?

Foreign policy is rather good. Chirac had a close friendship with Gerhard Schroeder, ex-prime minister of Germany and main colleague for the European Union construction. They developed close links between the two nations, and together faced the UK and the US against the war on Iraq.

De Villepin, then minister of foreign affaires brilliantly defended the position of the country in a memorable speech at the UN headquarters in NY. France has a good standing on the international arena, and likes to keep it. In a recent scandal involving a four-star general and a crime committed in Ivory Coast against a rebel (rebel suffocated with plastic bag by troops, affair covered by all military levels up to this general), the French minister of Defense Michele Alliot-Marie is determined to punish involved soldiers.

France like all other developed nations has a strong humanitarian task force that responds to international catastrophes. This was better appreciated during the Tsunami in Indonesia, and Katrina in the US. It also does have a strong standing in Arabic countries, this was better seen when the two French journalists (Georges Malbrunot and Christian Chesnot) were kidnapped in Iraq. Several Arabic countries mobilized to free them. Later on, same case was repeated for Florence Aubenas and his Iraqi guide Hussein Hannoun.

In South America, influence of France is limited given the influence exerted by the US. One good example is the inability of French government to obtain the freedom of Franco Colombian journalist Ingrid Betancourt kidnapped in Colombia. French-African relationship is much more complicated. Senegal, a long time French consumer is turning to American and Chinese goods. Besides this, Senegalese feel rejected, given the fact that France didn't recognise properly the effort of Senegalese soldiers during the WWII.

Central Africa is in deep misery and begs French government for money to pay its functionaries. Social disturbances are feared. Ivory Coast is in the middle of a crisis. Revolutionaries on the north practically have their own country, while the president on the south -along the coastline- has problems defining its relationship and position with France.

FRENCH ECONOMICS

Overall

Economics are a direct consequence of policies, and policies have been a series of mistakes. This is the situation of French economy at the moment:

-Companies (French and foreign) are relocating to Eastern Europe (see Logan by Dacia), China and North African countries given lower taxes and lower manufacturing costs. Meaning, the country is loosing jobs while getting cheap products. My question is this: how are people going to make the money to consume these products if there are no jobs left?

-Income taxes for individuals have now been roofed at 60% (was higher before) for high incomes. Very few new fortunes are being made.

-Tax on gasoline represents 72% of the price per liter.

-Employer taxes per employee is 52%, but in some cases can equal the salary of the employee.

-Food is not expensive and of good quality. The government invests a lot on agriculture.

-Housing. Extremely expensive considering the low quality jobs available on the market. A standard apartment (45 square meters) in a normal Paris quarter, costs nearly 200,000 euros. Salaries for a school teacher are about 1,300 euros per month.
See the deplorable living conditions testimonial of an immigrant who has been living in the hearth of Paris for 27 years.

-Government promotes relocating for a job; they even provide a tax relief. If you move out something like 150 Km you get around 1,500 euros back on your taxes. Most of the times these jobs are within the restaurant and hotel industries.

-Opening a business is incredibly complicated. Credits, licenses and building permits are almost impossible to get.

-Misery. 'Les Restaurants de Coeur' serve food to homeless during wintertime. Today they serve food to ten times more people than 21 years ago. Meals served for the 2005-2006 winter season will exceed 60 million and will be provided to more than 600,000 people.

-Given the Euro-USD exchange rate, European products for export cannot compete with American. Cheese, wine and tourism cannot sustain the country's economy of 65 million inhabitants.

-The RMI is an economical aid given by the government to people in a specific situation (unemployed among some). People in RMI (Income minimum for re-insertion) are not officially considered as being unemployed. The number of people receiving RMI has increased by almost a 5% in 2005 making up 1,112,400 people. Read note in French, or in English.

-The SMIC is the minimal wage. Today it represents 17% of employees, which makes 2.5 million people. The highest percentage in 20 years. Read note in French, or in English.

You might argue, if so is the case, why is the Euro so strong?

Think who benefits from it.

Lots of cheesy jobs with third-world salaries are available on the market, not the kind of jobs you would expect from a country like France.

A tendency in companies here in France is what is to 'hire stagiaires'. A stage is the equivalent of a practical training in the US. Stagiaires here in France sometimes receive 30% of SMIG (minimum wage per month), meaning they get 300 euros per month. On other cases, stages are not remunerated at all. Obviously, either remunerated or non-remunerated stages are compulsory.

There have been cases where there are young graduates that have done up to 6 or 7 stages, while performing the actual job of an employee (maximum 35 hrs per week according to the law, not always applicable).

The law does not impose a limit to companies on stagiaires, they can have as many as they need. Big firms (French and foreign) on the automotive sector, Industry, and cosmetics, are now accused of camouflaging real jobs with stages. Generation precaire is an organisation that denounces these abuses. Learn more about them, their situation and their organization in French , or follow the automatically translated link.

The government, given the high percentage of unemployment (officially around 10%, higher in suburbs, I've heard as high as 40%) has come up with a magic formula.

This magic formula consists on what is called 'Contrat nouvelle embauche' or CNE. This contract is easier to work with and way more convenient for companies. Usually hiring an employee is a big deal over here, so this CNE, simplifies things and allows either the employee or the employer to cease the contract at any given time and without a reason or compensation for a period of 2 years.

After these two years, if you haven't quitted or been fired, you can be offered a CDD (limited time contract, 6 mos.) or a CDI (unlimited-time contract). Nothing stops the company to fire you one week before the two year period and get another employee on CNE. While living on CNE you hardly have any credit to buy a car not to say a house. The banks don't want to risk their money with such contracts.

So far the CNE, was for small companies in theory to help them out with taxes and to face competition. Well, the concept of disposable employees is now being expanded to big companies with a new type of contract named CPE (contrat premiere embauche). This new contract is supposedly going to help out young people (-26) on unemployment. In theory, the CPE is the direct answer to the riots in the suburbs. It is supposed to reduce unemployment (it forms part of the 'law of equal chances') as it boosts economy.

The CPE consists on a training period of two years, during which you can be fired without excuse. Since there is no limit set for companies to offer this type of contract, nothing impedes this type of contract to become the main way of hiring and substitution for CDI's.

UDF's (centre) Francois Bayrou has already expressed his opposition to this proyect since he considers this contract 'concentrates precariety among young people'. See the note in French, or the automatically translated version here.

There is no doubt that unemployment represents a big problem for French economy today, and a great opportunity for presidencial candidates on 2007. Prime Minister, Dominique de Villepin is talking about a new form of CDI.

Students, unions and political parties took the streets all over France on Feb. the 7th to manifest their disagreement with the CPE. About 150 manifestations that gathered and between 200,000 and 400,000 persons. Read the note in French or in English.

The CPE was approved, read the note in French, or in English here, and by coincidence few hours later, Carlos Ghosn, ex-CEO of Nissan and current president of Renault announced his plan to make out of his firm 'the most profitable' of Europe. Read the article in French, or in English. There is no doubt that he will be greatly helped thanks to this new type of contract. It is just a matter of time to see if this new contract becomes or not the main mean of hiring. Read more about the CPE here.

Contradictions

French population has a strong attachment to their rights. This is the case for unemployment. In countries like the US or the UK, it is not as common to live on chomage (unemployment) as here.

People are now suffering the consequences of the decisions taken by the government. You see 'unnatural' things like:

-People with employment who live out on the streets, because nobody wants to rent to them due to the nature of their work contract (CDD, temporary or CNE). Approximately 25% of homeless does have an employment.

-Families living in the heart of Paris, Lyon or Marseille in the lowest of miseries who live in roach and rat infested hotels. Without heating or ventilation and paying rents of 2,000 euros or more.

-People on unemployment making more money than those who work.

-People waiting for social lodging for over 14 years!!

Not too long ago I saw on the news an Arabic family, living and working legally in Paris, with a daughter aged 2. They had no heating system other than a candle (yes a candle) while outdoor temperatures were below zero.

While the majority of people living in these conditions are immigrants, and first generation French, it also arrives to whites.

NEW IMMIGRATION

Today France practices what is called 'Tracked immigration'. A proposal by Nickolas Sarkozy, Minister of Interior, would change it to 'Chosen immigration'. To better understand 'Chosen immigration', you can take a look at the Canadian immigration system.

According to Sarkozy, the best-performing foreign students and highly skilled people, would have a limited-time visa. Also they should be able to speak and write basic French. With this visa, fresh immigrants would be able to live, study and work in France. At least in theory.

But something that I do not understand, is why he would want to keep this 'chosen people', if there are no jobs or housing for them? Even French do not have access to this. It's not a hidden thing, the fact that France's educated people are fleeding the country.

Moreover, this people will be discriminated and will not have equal chances (Affirmative action does not exist here). Something that will impede even more their integration to this country (Something that I have always thought is that the process is inverted. The immigrant may want to integrate to this country, but the country does not want to integrate him/her).

Among current immigration you have highly qualified people. It is not difficult to find lawyers, judges, polyglots, engineers and doctors among others on unemployment, or performing a job way under their qualifications (obviously receiving a pitiful salary).

Is Sarkozy's proposal reasonable? No.

It is true that something has to be done to reduce, and properly adjust immigration to the nation's needs. The country is in bad shape, and cannot continue to accept people like she's being doing so. No, not because of racism or discrimination, but because the country has nothing to offer to them.

Lots of people do not realize the influx of immigrants to this country, but a trip to the Prefecture will make it (and convince you of French administration disorganisation and mistreatment at the same time). The 'Prefecture' is the administration in charge of dealing with immigration among others. Every day at 8 o'clock you can see around 200 people waiting outside. There are about 99 Prefectures. Make out the numbers.

It is true, that most people there are not on their first visit (most probably on their fifth or sixth). But others are there to make necessary paperwork to bring entire families.

Then, why not taking an effective, pragmatic, yet-human approach?

Some people might say, 'But do you consider human to leave this people out?'

I would answer to this 'Do you consider human no to propose anything to them?'

The problem is that only right-wing and far-right political parties talk about this, because left-wing parties are afraid of being considered racist and discriminatory.

What would I think it would work?

Chosen immigration might work, Yes. But it has to be done on the country's real needs, not hypothetical. This would have to be accompaigned by measures that help the immigrant integrate this country. Such as: basic written and spoken French (among Sarkozy's proposals), assured housing, and affirmative action. Without these France will keep on creating second-class citizens, and eventually more social discomfort.

RELATED NEWS

French Politicians keep on proving that they live far from reality. The 'competences et talents' visa has been approved. Read note in French, or in English.
Added 5/May/06

Read about the latest protest against Sarkozy's immigration proposal in French, or in English.
Added 29/Apr/06

FRENCH RIOTS IN THE SUBURBS

Old Immigration

Everything began when Mr. Sarkozy (minister of the Interior) went to one of the hot neighborhoods; on the suburbs of Paris. There, where the underground or metro doesn't arrive, where the majority of people living there are blacks or arabs, fresh immigrants, but also children and grandchildren (French citizens) of the first wave of immigration promoted by Charles de Gaulle (immigrants brought to reconstruct the country after WWII).

These hot neighborhoods are usually characterized by the high unemployment rate (20% and up, some say even 40%), therefore crime is higher than average. When Mr. Sarkozy got there he said he was going to clean the neighborhood with Karcher (German manufacturer of pressure washers); inhabitants of suburbs felt highly offended. Few days later, two youngsters running away from the police who tried to do an ID check (police makes ID checks every now and then, but when it comes to harassing they do it more than once by the same police officer to the same person) hid themselves in an electric alternator and got electrocuted.

An unnecessary ID check ended up in the electrocution of two youngsters and resulted in a 3 week street riot. Nine thousand cars, business and several public buildings were set ablaze.

Social Inequality

Months before Sarkozy's visit, there was another scandal (Feb. 2005) involving other government's minister. His name is Herve Gaymard. Mr. Gaymard as a good religious person had eight children, and given the fact that he was minister of Industry, he deserved something at his height. He decided a 600 square meter apartment in one of Paris' best neighborhoods, eight bathrooms and 15 rooms -all paid by citizen taxes of course- would make it. A rent of 14,000 euros per month (around 17,500 USD) was to be paid by the good people of France. Here in France, a minister gets his/her apartment from the government if you don't own one, while you are in office. Mr. Gaymard owned one or two apartments -that he rented-, but that represented no problem for him. Another scandal on the journals, Mr. Gaymard had to renounce to his post, he paid the rents. He is now is back in the government again.

Racism and discrimination

But if we want to trace the roots of the riots we need to long before Sarkozy's provocation and social injustice at its maximum as displayed by Mr. Gaymard. Probably Charles de Gaulle thought immigrants would help reconstruct this country and then leave. This didn't happen; they adapted to this country, liked it and decided to stay.

We must not forget that most of these immigrants were from old French colonies; therefore they had an attachment, an identification.
Well, these immigrants had children and grandchildren and they are nowadays part of this country. The problem is that this country has never really considered them as being part of their society. They have been excluded in their own country. You find them in these ghettos, without any hope towards their future. The riots were not a religious movement, they represent social discomfort. It is my strong belief that in order to integrate to a society you need to have a job. In France if you are looking for a job you are strongly discriminated because:

-Physical and mental disabilities

-Age (over 50)

-You are not white (All other races)

-You live in a hot neighborhood

-You are Muslim

-You have a foreign name

-You are not French (All other nationalities)

-You speak French with an accent

-You have experience abroad (some companies consider you to be too unstable)

Discrimination is forbidden in theory, there is even a law rarely applied. But scandals including recruiting companies and real state agencies have come out to the eyes of the public. It happens that, whenever they receive the application, they write down a little code, either in letters or numbers to describe the origin of the applicant.

It is fair to talk about a forgotten and highly (can say the most)discriminated community in France, the Gypsies. They are rarely mentioned even though they have been present for centuries in France. You see them everywhere, either traveling like they have always done or in ghettos like that of Perpignan.

Whenever you hear about them on the news, you hear about their mafia, how they are the masters of burglary and how they arrive to install themselves in caravans in the property of some unlucky farmer. The truth of the matter is that the vast majority lives in extreme misery (not difficult to find them looking for food on garbage containers), without legal status (non-expellable and non eligible for regularization) and without any chance to be integrated and adopted by this country at all.

Racism is by nature unfair and stupid. But when you had 26 000 Tunisians, 73 000 Moroccans, 134 000 Algerians and thousands of Senegalese and Amerindians -among others- fighting to free France from the nazis, racism against these minorities takes another meaning.

Sadly, I can draw a comparison between the current discrimination in France and that of the US in the 60's.

S.O.S. Racism is an organization that figths racism, visit them here (French only).

We can also talk of institutionalized discrimination. Public facilities and public transportation most of the times are not handicap-accessible.

*Update on Institionalized discrimination

So far, I thought that the best example of institutionalized discrimination was that of inaccesability to handicapped people. Politicians proved me wrong again. The Insane Mayor of a small town called Ensisheim (close to the German border) was determined to expulse a Gypsy caravan out of his municipal lands. The Mayor, accompained by the police department set on fire the caravan. It seems like he tried to find a 'final solution' to the 'gypsy problem'. Read note as it appeared on the newspapers here. Or read the automatically translated link.

Taxing the untaxables

Gypsies even if they were born and raised in France, are not necessarily French. Added to their marginalization, their specific legal status excludes them from benefits offered by the French government to its citizens and it would exclude them -in theory- from obligations such as taxes. The government thinks it can rise up to 50 million euros, by taxing them 75 euros per square meter of mobile home area.

Emmaus is an association that helps out the poorest of people by providing them clothing, food and lodging for free or at a symbolic cost.

The government wanted to tax clothing sold by Emmaus by 1 cent hoping to collect 40 million euros. Visit Emmaus' website in French or or English and read about the Emmaus tax in French, or in English.

Government's solution to end up with work discrimination

The government has come up with a placebo solution to end up with discrimination when applying for a job. They will put in place what they call anonymous CV. Meaning, nationality, age, picture and marital status will not be compulsory (Yes, they are at the moment) on your CV.

Problems:

1) It doesn't talk or deal with discrimination at time of interview.

2) This system has already been tested in Bordeaux, and it has been proven (by the ANPE, Government's Job agency) that companies ask for a second resume (this time with all of your details).

I have heard that in certain international media, they have made a link between suburb riots and antiterrorist measures taken by the government. There is no relationship at all. These measures were taken as a consequence of the bombings in the UK, and the risk that certain terrorist Algerian movements represent to the country (they already hit, Saint Mitchel metro station bomb in 1995).

Certain politicians here in France try to make a link between suburb riots and polygamie. Riots were not the result of polygame families,but of unemployment and social inequality.

Repression

Illegal residents, legal residents and naturalized citizens who are suspected of participating in the riots will pay a double bill. They were sent to jail and later on they will be expulsed from the country.

FRENCH ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES

France after the oil crisis of the 70's opted for nuclear power. Up to 80% of electricity is generated by nuclear powerplants, which results in unexpensive electricity -if we compare it to prices in the US-. The problem comes later, when storing nuclear waste. Places like Limousines and its water streams are contaminated with radiation today.

Opposed to its European neighbors, France doesn't promote alternate energies. This is well embedded within the culture, French manufacturers of solar panels export 90% of their production to countries like Germany, Spain, the UK or the Netherlands.

Until not too long ago, farmers were opposed to wind energy projects, because according to their words 'wind mills are noisy and ruin the landscape'.

Lately, with the gas prices going up, people are looking at alternate energy sources. Farmers are using cooking oil -less polluting than gas and cheaper- to power their diesel tractors, but again the government, oil companies and vehicle manufacturers use various arguments to discourage and forbid its use. They argue it ruins their engines, pollutes more and it hasn't been yet well tested. The truth of the fact is that if you produce your own gas, you pay no taxes. Today, 72% of the price of gas per liter represents taxes, the liter is around 1.20 euros, make out the math and you get the government's profit.

FRENCH MEDIA

FRANCE AND SCIENCE

Compared to France, a poor country like India produces more Scientists than all of the European Union. The best university of France ranks 46th globally.

Fourty years ago, the rocket Diamant A and the first French satellite were set on orbit. This historical event blasted France to a respectable third world place as a space power. Fourty years later, China occupies this distinguished place.

Make your own conclusion.

FRANCE AND THE EUROPEAN UNION

The European Union is a great idea, but down to facts it is a great fiasco. It pretends to balance the economic and political power exerted in the world by the US.

France and Germany are the strongest countries of the EU and the main promoters of it. Politics in France are in bad shape, economy not to mention; Germany on the other hand, got rid of Schroeder who did nothing to pull out his country from unemployment (higher than that of France) and balance inequalities between the two former blocks.

French bureaucracy is not pragmatic, everything is extremely complicated and takes years to accomplish. It took one month to Germans to come up with their right-left political coalition.

In few words, these two countries are not efficient at all when it comes to politics and administration. You have poor countries like Rumania, Estonia and many more that are adhering to the EU. How is going to end up all this?

The US is pragmatic and efficient, powerful economically and military. How do you counterbalance this? Is it possible?

To have an idea, imagine the US with an administration out of a Centro American country, and absorbing all of Latin America. That's the UE today.

In the logic order of things, if you are a rich country, and you are going to annex a poor country, you need to help this country economically, level it with your economy and then finally adhere it.

No, I'm not against the EU, but I think it is not well done. The EU is a necessity in today's world economy if countries are to subsist economically.