NormanH

I would prefer Nathalie Arthaud to Hidalgo, but as you say neither of them will make it. I would have preferred Taubira to either of those but she was seen off by the machinations of the other partes.

I suspect that Zemmour is there to drain the pus from the from the abscess on French politics that the extreme right represents, (but only in appearance) and make MLP seem almost reasonable; but once he is eliminated they will all flock back behind her for the second round. I have a feeling she might win, as has already happened in Béziers with our Maire.

According to the Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/family/life/yes-can-still-buy-dream-home-europe/

https://www.lemonde.fr/les-decodeurs/article/2022/02/16/election-presidentielle-2022-comparez-les-programmes-des-principaux-candidats_6113964_4355770.html You can filter them down to any pair or more of candidates.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2022/04/01/macron-camp-warns-catastrophe-marine-le-pen-closes-gap-french/

Salut printemps, jeune saison Dieu rend aux plaines leur couronne La sève ardente qui bouillonne S'épanche et brise sa prison Bois et champs sont en floraison. Un monde invisible bourdonne L'eau sur le caillou qui résonne Court et dit sa claire chanson Salut printemps, jeune saison Dieu rend aux plaines leur couronne La sève ardent qui bouillonne S'épanche et brise sa prison Le genet dore la colline Sur le vert gazon l'aubépine Verse la neige de ses fleurs Tout est fraicheur, Amour, lumière Et du sein fécond de la terre Montent des chants et des senteurs. Salut printemps, jeune saison Dieu rend aux plaines leur couronne La sève ardente qui bouillonne S'épanche et brise sa prison Salut printemps!

This one perhaps, also by Debussy?

!Nous n'avons plus de maisons! Les ennemis ont tout pris, tout pris, tout pris, Jusqu'à notre petit lit! Ils ont brûlé l'école et notre maître aussi, Ils ont brûlé l'égilse et monsieur Jésus-Christ, Et le vieux pauvre qui n'a pas pu s'en aller! Nous n'avons plus de maisons! Les ennemis ont tout pris, tout pris, tout pris, Jusqu'à notre petit lit! Bien sûr! Papa est à la guerre, Pauvre maman est morte! Avant d'avoir vu tout ça. Qu'est-ce que l'on va faire? Noël, petit Noël, n'allez pas chez eux, n'allez plus jamais chez eux, punissez-les! Vengez les enfants de France! Les petits Belges, les petits Serbes, et le petits Polonais aussi! Si nous en oublions, pardonnez-nous. Noël! Noël! surtout, pas de joujoux, Tâchez de nous redonner le pain quotidien. Nous n'avons plus de maisons! Les ennemis ont tout pris, tout pris, tout pris, Jusqu'à notre petit lit! Ils ont brûlé l'école et notre maître aussi, Ils ont brûlé l'égilse et monsieur Jésus-Christ, Et le vieux pauvre qui n'a pas pu s'en aller! Noël! écoutez-nous, nous n'avons plus de petits sabots! Mais donnez la victoire aux enfants de France! YouTube (https://youtu.be/iCVO7Pv6T5M) Petits Chanteurs de Paris - Debussy - Noël des enfants qui.. Les Petits Chanteurs de Paris perform Claude Debussy's Noël des enfants qui n'ont plus de maison "Christmas for the Homeless Children" L. 139, composed in 1915

To see the position of each of the candidates on a wide range of issues https://comparateur-programmes.lefigaro.fr/?candidats=hidalgo&candidats=roussel&candidats=lassalle&candidats=melenchon&candidats=arthaud&candidats=dupont-aignan&candidats=poutou&candidats=pecresse&candidats=jadot&candidats=zemmour#theme15

This is taking on the proportions of a scandal. Private consulting firms have been paid to advise on decisions which could easily have been made with advice from the civil servants in the ministries concerned. One firm with its snout in the gravy train is the American firm McKinsey who took nearly 4 million euros to advise on lowering the payment of the APL (housing benefit) by 5 euros per claimant, but employing these sharks to give spurious solutions based on disgraceful cost-cutting methods used in the private sector while pocketing a hefty fee themselves has become a reflex. https://www.senat.fr/rap/r21-578-1/r21-578-1-syn.pdf

https://www.atlasbig.com/fr-fr/pays-par-production-de-citron

What seems to be doing most damage to Macron is his intention to reform pensions, and to make those in receipt of the RSA do several hours of Community service in exchange. MLP , strange though it may seem at first, less eager to do either of these. Her method of saving money is more aimed at removing benefits from all non-French residents, which plays well with the working-class base she targets. For a similar reason, and partly because he is the only left-wing candidate to have reached double figures in the opinion polls, so some see him as a 'vote utile' Mélonchon is making a late run, though it is unlikely he will make the last two and impossible IMO that he could win.. https://www.lefigaro.fr/fig-data/sondages-programmes-candidats-discours-dates-deplacements-scrutin-20210906/

Google translate : Have you received a message (email or SMS) that seems to come from Health Insurance or its Internet platform Ameli? This message informs you of a pending refund or the availability of a new Vitale card: it invites you to fill out a form with your personal information, or even your bank card, to obtain this unexpected refund, or pay shipping costs to receive your new Vitale card? Warning ! You are most likely facing a phishing attempt that usurps the identity of the Health Insurance. The objective of cybercriminals is to steal your personal and/or banking information to make fraudulent use of it.

It sounds as if it might be this: https://www.cybermalveillance.gouv.fr/tous-nos-contenus/actualites/hameconnage-assurance-maladie-ameli

The main opposition comes from candidates who are more implicated with Russia than Macron is. MLP previously took out a Russian loan for her campaign and this time had one from Hungary https://www.lemonde.fr/election-presidentielle-2022/article/2022/02/02/marine-le-pen-a-obtenu-un-pret-de-10-6-millions-d-euros-d-une-banque-hongroise-pour-la-campagne-presidentielle_6112009_6059010.html and Zemmour who has openly sympathised with Russia https://www.nouvelobs.com/politique/20220225.AFP7859/a-chambery-zemmour-tente-de-defendre-sa-position-sur-la-russie.html. and is seen as having been Putin's candidate for the Presidency ..https://www.nouvelobs.com/election-presidentielle-2022/20211031.OBS50484/le-kremlin-vote-zemmour.html.... So the War in Ukraine hasn't bolstered their position even if Zemmour is Ken's favorite as he said previously

A reasonable account in English of the state of play: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/14/french-election-2022-polls-macron-le-pen-pecresse

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/03/24/po-boss-admits-mass-sackings-broke-law/

The after effects of this war have haunted France ever since and so you may well see reference to it all over at the moment. I posted a link to an excellent series on Arte (with English subtitles) on another thread but here it is again https://www.arte.tv/en/videos/095161-001-A/at-war-for-algeria/ https://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2022/03/17/les-60-ans-des-accords-d-evian-pour-une-memoire-decomplexee_6117849_3212.html

It may be different in different places. In my town there as sales noted in March 2021

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/03/18/sheikh-unions-battle-po-ferries/

And people who are immune-surpressed from other medicines. https://www.gouvernement.fr/info-coronavirus/vaccins

"Doper" in French means to "administer a stimulant", 'give a boost' etc

A French TV competitor, but chez moi not Provence :)) You can have the French subtitles to help catch the dialogue: https://www.france.tv/series-et-fictions/telefilms/2533083-crime-dans-l-herault.html

I think that's a good idea Nick. That is why the Pass is 'suspended' as in the title, not abolished. It and other measures could be brought back if there is another increase in cases.

I prefer these images of him when in relaxed mode: https://www.soazigdelamoissonniere.com/off-with-the-president