Emmanuel Macron wins and is elected president. He is the youngest ever President of France (39 years old).
French citizens will vote to elect the 25th President of the French Republic. The elections take place in two rounds, the 23rd April and the 7th May.
The Somme is to Britain what Verdun is to France. One of the most remembered events of the Great War, and one of the most brutal and catastrophic battles in human history.
Last week the Second Imperial Jubilee was celebrated. To this effect several historical documents and objects from the era of imperial France were put on auction.
The first round of the elections are only a few days away now.
What is happening in France and how do the French voters feel?
The answer to this depends which media / TV / newspaper you read.
They have already taken sides and eliminated all but their two preferred candidate, saying that the final round will be between Sarkozy (Right) and Hollande (Left).
Well yes, sometimes for good reasons, sometimes for no reason at all.
In French strike is “GRÈVE”.
The French do have a bad reputation for striking and at lightning speed. The Métro in Paris and the SNCF (the trains) are good examples. A strike may be launched for next to no reason and the whole country comes to a total stand-still.
Workers unions retain a strong position of power, not only in the civil service but also the private sectors such as the farmers and truck drivers. Roads can be blocked, tonnes of grapes can be dumped on the road and Mayors can be walled into the town hall from the outside.
I’ve seen people having to leave home at 4 am to get to work at 9am because there are no trains, buses or taxi’s, with freezing temperatures.
I’ve seen workers ready to blow blow-up factories trying to save their jobs as the investors run off with government grants (tax money ).
I’ve seen nurses receiving no salary as they fight for hospital beds to heal the sick.
I’ve seen fishermen blocking harbors because they can no longer earn a living because of a decision by person in the EEC who has never been to the seaside.
I’ve seen the Police and Firemen hitting other Policemen as they fight for better conditions.
I’ve seen university students, school students and teachers pleading for more classrooms.
I’ve seen manifestations of retired people who can no longer pay heating bills.
Have you every seen homeless people asking for a bit of food, and shelter ? Who live in a tent to stop the rain, as they camp along the banks of the river Seine.
There are also other ways to strike, some strike for gold in the Olympics, many of these people are own know to us all and practice a sport only pleasure (and of course ambition) with very little financial benefit.
In football there are two methods in striking, we all know about striking as in shooting, striking for goal. This week we have learned about another method.
Strike and not play but get payed.
These are difficult times for many people throughout the world. The least we can expect from the French football team is to “STRIKE HOME”, and with the money most of these top players earn, pay back some of those who are in need and stricken out by our modern way of life.
Let’s hope for a different way of thinking in 2014.