mint Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 M Hollande [:)]Yes, first to put my head above the parapet and invite some controversy probably but, so what, Forum's been quiet of late and no one's arguing with anyone else or calling them nasty names, so here's your chance to put that right[:P]I couldn't help but admire a man who was willing to stand in an open-topped car in the rain, caring little for his own appearance, dignity or comfort just so that he didn't dissapoint the people who'd gathered to cheer him.I liked the way he got straight back on another plane when his first was struck by lightning thereby proving he had something of the spirit of d'Artagnan about him.En plus, he shook Mme Merkel's hand in quite a normal manner, with none of that looking into the eyes or kissing on the cheek (in Sarkozy fashion) and, in his speech, was very well able to set our his own views on the euro crisis and what he hoped to do for his country. Thus, it was like "belling" the cat in its own den, don't you think?[:)]Bravo, M le President! May good fortune follow you (and fair government too![:D]) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 I feel the same Sweets. During the election campaign while giving a speech he was covered in flour, but didn't bat an eyelid and stayed calm and placid.Il a la trempe d'un homme d'état. Now I'll probably get covered in flour! [:D] Edit: It wasn't a speech. He was signing a Fondation Abbé Pierre social housing contract. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeoOJYfxdG4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 He seems terrified by the whole thing. But at least he has chased some of the dinosaurs of the Left back to their lairs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted May 16, 2012 Author Share Posted May 16, 2012 Christine, I meant the speech he gave at the joint press conference with Mme Merkel in Berlin yesterday evening.Wooly, I don't agree that he seemed "terrified". Au contraire, I thought he was calm and collected with none of the excitability of Sarkozy. Moreover, he seemed capable of speaking his mind without offending his host(ess).Early days to pin my colours to the mast I know but sometimes it's necessary to put aside one's inate cynicism and hope for the better, n'est-ce pas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 He is clearly of the breed of calm administrator that comes out of the Ecole d'Adminsitration.Whether he is enough of a leader, and has the experience to get France and Europe out of the current mess is the big question, but the big plus for me is to see the odious types who are leaving office (Hortefeux, Guéant, Copé, and the mousy woman) I have a bit of time for Bachelot, though I'm not sure why.If you want to see the horror under the stone that has been lifted, just look at the ugly black propaganda that is being spread before the Legislatives.I won't link to them because they don't deserve 'the oxygen of publicity', but the images include him dressed as an Imam with Martine Aubry veiled alongside, or before and after pictures with Sarkozy and the Tricoleur, and Hollande and half Tricoleur/half Algerian flag.The deputy Maire of Aix en Provence has even called him not a legitimately elected President. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 The political scene in France is beyond my understanding (except for the FN which I think I more idea of, even though it's not the same as the UK NF). eg, are Hollande's principles anything like those of old Labour? In the UK we don't have the complications of being so closely involved in Europe, and the euro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 [quote user="sweet 17"]Christine, I meant the speech he gave at the joint press conference with Mme Merkel in Berlin yesterday evening.[/quote] I know. My edit was concerning what I had said about the flouring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 SW17 ...............I rather feel that one day after his Inauguration might just be a little early to deliver too many plaudits.[blink]For me, the role and subsequently the quality of a Head of State (let's just settle for US President, UK PM, French President, German Chancellor etc) is the number of really significant changes for the better that he/she has been able to bring through during their tenure. They're there to set the strategic direction, settle on some important things that need to be done, provide the climate for those things to happen. It's not about whether some people pay 50% tax on their earnings as opposed to 40% - they're minor things in the overall scheme. I'm struggling to think of too many significant changes for the better that can be attributed to recent leaders.The only ones that come to mind are Blair over NI (there are still rumblings, but happily things are so much calmer now) and Obama over US Healthcare (though I'll confess that I'm far from sure that everything that he wanted was enacted).The problem is that World leaders such as these have so little time to 'set the direction' and then get things done. Six months after election to find their feet, 2-3 years to get things started before they face a re-election process. Little time to see anything major enacted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarkkent Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 For me, the role and subsequently the quality of a Head of State (let's just settle for US President, UK PM, French President, German Chancellor etc) I know it may be considered only a minor point, but in this context you mean Head of Government not Head of State. In the case of the UK and Germany the roles you mention are not Heads of State.I think that there is a major problem with having executive presidencies (USA and France) in that the demands of sound government are often seen as subordinate to national pride. I suspect that Sarkozy sometimes confused his role as national figurehead with that of political leader. It will be interesting to see if Hollande suffers similar confusion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 The wiki article in French about the Vth Republic examines the relations between the President and the legislative powers (see Institutions) .http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinqui%C3%A8me_R%C3%A9publiquela catégorie des « régimes semi-présidentiels », dans lesquels seraient combinés trois critères : la responsabilité gouvernementale devant le Parlement, l'élection du chef de l’État au suffrage universel direct et la détention par le chef de l’État de pouvoirs propres non soumis à contreseing ministérielUnfortunately the English version which is not a translation doesn't really get hold of the issueshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Fifth_Republic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted May 18, 2012 Author Share Posted May 18, 2012 [quote user="Christine Animal"]I feel the same Sweets. During the election campaign while giving a speech he was covered in flour, but didn't bat an eyelid and stayed calm and placid.Il a la trempe d'un homme d'état. Now I'll probably get covered in flour! [:D] Edit: It wasn't a speech. He was signing a Fondation Abbé Pierre social housing contract. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeoOJYfxdG4 [/quote]I did enjoy that, Christine [:)] Also, the video. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 I am glad to see Sarkozy go, but until Hollande has shown some back bone, then for the moment he seems mou to me. And his concubine, how will that play out....... take her to Saudi and she'll be stoned to death. In fact the less she has to do with anything, I think the better. I must say that, of this couple seems to be the one with the couilles at the moment. She is starting to make me look at Carla Bruni in a slightly better light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugsy Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 Well, he's slashed all his governments salaries by 30% today, including his own.Unlike Came-how much is a pint of milkl-ron. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 He has even cut down on the avantages en nature too, but they still do very well with these, very very well. Logé nourri, don't you know. Cannot see any of them worrying about the price of milk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 Don't forget how much Sarkozy put UP his salary... 30% off that is still a lot more than it used to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted May 18, 2012 Author Share Posted May 18, 2012 [quote user="idun"]I am glad to see Sarkozy go, but until Hollande has shown some back bone, then for the moment he seems mou to me. And his concubine, how will that play out....... take her to Saudi and she'll be stoned to death. In fact the less she has to do with anything, I think the better. I must say that, of this couple seems to be the one with the couilles at the moment. She is starting to make me look at Carla Bruni in a slightly better light. [/quote]Ah, id, behind every powerful man, as they say, there is, well, a woman with couilles[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 I believe Carla Bruni had plenty of experience in that field... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 [:D] to Sweet17 And NormanH, what? never heard this, what is this about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 I couldn't possibly share my thoughts about CB on a family Forum [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulT Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 [quote user="sweet 17"][quote user="Christine Animal"] I feel the same Sweets. During the election campaign while giving a speech he was covered in flour, but didn't bat an eyelid and stayed calm and placid.Il a la trempe d'un homme d'état. Now I'll probably get covered in flour! [:D] Edit: It wasn't a speech. He was signing a Fondation Abbé Pierre social housing contract. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeoOJYfxdG4 [/quote]I did enjoy that, Christine [:)] Also, the video.[/quote]Perhaps there is a business opportunity for training politicians how to react when they are in this type of situation - think I will contact Prescott to see if he is interested in getting involved [6]From what I saw of Hollande on the news he got pushed around by Merkel - she pushed him to the other side of the red carpet they were walking on [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 But he didn't bat an eyelid! [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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