# F04  LiveFromFrance S1E04

This new month in France was very dark, between the war in Palestine/Israel, the Ciaran Tempest (far from the dramatic Otis Hurricane in Mexico) and french politics. 

## Israel-Palestine

Last month, I have written a paragraph on how Israel-Palestine conflict created an explosion in French Politics. Sometimes I think this is for a Psychiatrist. The rise of the extremes far right in each countries in this conflict has something to do with our own situation in Europe. It has something to deal with our colonialism, our own antisemitism in the past years, during the last centuries at least. It's deeply rooted in our western civilization. So are the ruins of Jerusalem with layers of monotheistic religions piled on top of each other. It has something with the schisms in our monotheistic religions or political currents. This conflict is always an excuse to avoid our problems. But it's also so symbolic of our world with people who are so close for the culture and so far for bad reasons, unable to forgive each other. I don't even want to protest for what is going to be a massacre, an awful butchery on both sides. Humor can't even express itself, especially when it's 'left colored'. 

A protest against «antisemitism» was organized by the President of the national assembly and the President of the senate. A polemic has started because of deputies from the RN (an extreme right-wing party founded by former Waffen SS) wanted to participate to the protest. A part of the left didn't want to take part to the same protest, and the organizer were trying to find a solution so that they wouldn't' be on the same pictures as the far-right deputies and leaders. There's also a debate on the difference between all racism and the specific antisemitism...Not really a debate because there are no debates possible. All that was a kind of red thread during the month. All we can say is that RN won ... They appeared not to be antisemitic for media anymore but they can be xenophobic and islamophobic without disturbing anyone but the left.

## Politics

The main fact of the month was the succession of storms in the south, on the Atlantic coast, or in Brittany and in the channel. Brittany measured wind at 200km/h, breaking a new record but very far from what we have seen in Acapulco. Very few victims in France compared with other climatic disasters. No train, no trucks, no services during one day. And during all that, nobody has cared about the trial of French Minister of Justice, accused of illegal taking of interest. Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was indicted the week before in one of his many trials. It's difficult to follow, or to understand how he can be free to dedicate his new book with his electronic tagging. French politics has become boring with every important law not voted in the parliament, forced with an «article 49.3» procédure. The French 1st minister Elizabeth Borne is not far from breaking a record ... Michel Rocard (also a future boat to explore the poles...) had used it 28 times in 3 years in the late 80s. And inflation is de
creasing if we listen the government, as we could forget the rising prices during 2 years for food and energy, leaving more people in poverty in one of the richest countries in the world. No storm in the streets this time, with new laws for surveillance and to avoid riots. And don't expect any protest or riots of the new law on immigration. It's a kind of a balancing act between the centrists, the right and the far right in the french parliament, with an Minister of the Interior playing a solo game with the right, against his historically centre-leaning Prime Minister, who is trying to achieve an impossible consensus. Another 49.3 ? It could be

## Sports and Inflation

France has lost her Rugby World Cup (someone to talk about referees in the last 3 games of South Africa?). France is also not enthusiastic with the Olympic games in 2024 : Too expensive, too many undocumented workers on building sites, too much green-washing, and the errors in the organization of great events are growing, growing… Not speaking of students forced to leave their room to athletes during the Olympic games. Last week I was trying to get from my suburb to another suburb and I couldn't use a transport card for a day with the right zones. I had to buy a paper ticket and, of course, it didn't work when I got to the metro in Paris. The guy at the entrance could not explain why, but let me in after some small talk....typically french. That's our sport to make everything complicated. And how to explain that Sport is not a great passion for French people ? French are good walkers and had good race-walkers too. Of course, with strikes in public transportation and protests, the French have to walk. But F
rench are not good at waiting. We are always cheating, trying to overtake in the queues or to have reason to be the first. That's a kind of national sport and sometimes, I'm not feeling as a real French. Of course I am, because I'm always angry at .... French ! If France had win, everyone would be happy and it could have been an opportunity to discreetly pass a few death-dealing laws. Not this time.

Sport isn't everything in this end of the year. Like every year, it's a early Christmas in the big stores. Toys are there since September sometimes. Chocolates are waiting. And as a Vegan, I'm worried about all the turkeys, capons and ducks that will be sacrificed. Foie Gras is always a classic meal for the end of the year. Very few people are looking at the origin and how it is made. Same thing for toys. I don't know if Inflation will have an impact on that. All I know is that there is no impact for … french national airline «Air France», that have doubled its quarterly profits and repaid its government loan early. Business as usual and when I see the price of a flight, I'm thinking that inflation is not valid for everyone and… That I want to go again to Asia :-p

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