Blue-jean statesman: Nicolas Sarkozy
Posted on 05/09/2007 9:31:35 PM PDT by Stoat
Nicolas Sarkozy has flown off for a week of " meditative retreat" at a monastery to contemplate the social revolution he plans for France.
In jeans and open-neck shirt on the morning after his election victory, the diminutive president-in-waiting greeted supporters in Paris before a limousine whisked him to the airport.
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Blue-jean statesman: Nicolas Sarkozy
His destination was believed to be a mountainside retreat in Corsica, where he will "psych himself up" before his inauguration on May 16.
Meanwhile in Paris between 300 and 400 youths protesting against the victory of French president-elect Nicolas Sarkozy smashed shop windows and burnt a scooter in central Paris on Monday evening.
Riot police tried to chase the youths, who were chanting anti-Sarkozy slogans, away from the Place de la Bastille where the protest began.
Sarkozy's spokesman Xavier Bertrand wasted no time outlining the first dramatic changes he intends to make as part of his 100-day blitz of legislation to revive the ailing economy.
In sweeping Thatcherite reforms which represent the worst fears of socialists and unions, Mr Bertrand said among Sarkozy’s initial acts he would:
• Dismantle the compulsory 35-hour week by allowing workers to do overtime without the current demand that employers pay extra taxes to the state if the limit is exceeded.
• Make interest on mortgage repayments deductible from tax to boost the flagging housing market. • Scrap inheritance tax for 95 per cent of the population because "the fruits of a lifetime of work should not be handed over to the government".
• Give working students total exemption from income tax.
• Introduce compulsory minimum prison sentences for repeat offenders. • Begin talks with unions to ensure compulsory minimum levels of public transport even during strikes.
Mr Bertrand said: "Mr Sarkozy believes people may have a right to strike, but people also have a right to work."
The wave of reforms aimed at increasing wages and cutting unemployment is expected to meet intense resistance from the Left.
Street violence erupted in France’s major cities within hours of Sarkozy's election on Sunday night, but was swiftly dealt with by a heavy police presence and there were few reports of trouble during yesterday.
For the French, the raft of reforms announced yesterday was seen as the first taste of a social revolution which will change the face of their country for ever.
Many fear their culture of long lunches and six-week summer holidays where relaxing has been turned into an art form will be transformed into a free-market "madhouse" -where only the hardestworking survive.
For centuries, the French have scoffed at the way much of the western world works more than 40 hours a week, snacks at its desk at lunchtime and takes a mere fortnight's holiday in the summer.
But while many workaholic nations have become richer, France has been plunged into a spiral of public debt, weak growth, low wages and spending power and soaring unemployment.
As they woke yesterday, Sarkozy's ominous warning of a social and political revolution and "rupture with the old habits of the past" would have had many choking on their croissants.
His pledge to shake off the shackles of the nanny state will be welcomed by many entrepreneurs who have until now found their businesses throttled by red tape, high social charges and inflexible labour laws.
But his victory speech remark that "France’s moral crisis has a name – it is a crisis of work" will strike terror into the hearts of millions of others whose biggest dread is a Thatcherite meritocracy which rewards labour, enterprise and competition but punishes apathy, excessive leisure time and dependence on state handouts.
Many will find an end to the 35-hour week, to jobs from which they cannot be fired and to generous state pensions for civil servants from the age of 55 too difficult to dismiss with the usual Gallic shrug.
Sarkozy left no one in any doubt of his vision for France when he told euphoric supporters on Sunday-night: "I don't believe in living on social welfare. I don't believe everyone is the same.
"I believe in merit, effort and reward for that effort and I believe in social mobility. But above all, I believe in hard work."
And with a mandate of more than half of the record-breaking 85 per cent of the electorate that turned out to vote, it is also clear many French secretly know that Sarkozy is probably the only man who can revive their nation's ailing economy and save France from itself.
Be still, my beating heart!
The wave of reforms aimed at increasing wages and cutting unemployment is expected to meet intense resistance from the Left.
Which means that they are on-target and will likely be successful and effective.
For the French, the raft of reforms announced yesterday was seen as the first taste of a social revolution which will change the face of their country for ever.
Sounds wonderful!
As they woke yesterday, Sarkozy's ominous warning of a social and political revolution and "rupture with the old habits of the past" would have had many choking on their croissants.
"snicker!"
"I believe in merit, effort and reward for that effort and I believe in social mobility. But above all, I believe in hard work."
Full steam ahead! Let anyone who can't handle it move to Cuba :-)
“Scrap inheritance tax for 95 per cent of the population because “the fruits of a lifetime of work should not be handed over to the government”.
I loooove this part =)
Bring back the king! (OK, just kidding;)
Ping to the Holder of the List
So do I!:)
I loooove this part =)
Let's hope that he has the strength, support and tenacity to follow through with his plans and to get them implemented. He's stabbing into the heart of the French Left, and they will fight this with everything they've got.
The crapeauds may survive yet!
Does he really have the power to implement such serious reforms, even being elected President of France?
What about the lower branches of government? How much power will they have to kill the reforms or water them down to useless?
Who would’ve thought the French would wake up? I noticed a shift in European opinion after the riots and burning cars in France and the situation in the Netherlands. It is too bad Spain shifted the other direction. We have stronger allies in Germany, France, and Canada as liberal socialists have lost power.
Talk about refreshing that we will not have to see the De Gaullist anti-american clown Chirac anymore.
If Sarkozy is able to swing this, France may just want to install him as a King after they discover how much prosperity true Capitalism will bring them.
Never thought I would say this but I really like this French leader! He is the type of leader we need here.
What about the lower branches of government? How much power will they have to kill the reforms or water them down to useless?
He was elected with a clear mandate (not a fake Clinton one) which means a lot. He will get a lot of very loud, anguished resistance but he's got the majority of the public on his side and so his opponents will will need to be very careful. Politicians the world over are craven and self-obsessed, and the experienced ones will quickly develop an understanding of which way the wind is blowing and will take care to safeguard their own position. A lot depends upon Sarkozy....if he exhibits the sort of resolve that President Bush has shown in the War on Terror, I predict he will be successful. If he shows ANY weakness, they will eat him alive.
THIS was a fun part of the article.....
“For centuries, the French have scoffed at the way much of the western world works more than 40 hours a week, snacks at its desk at lunchtime and takes a mere fortnight’s holiday in the summer.
But while many workaholic nations have become richer, France has been plunged into a spiral of public debt, weak growth, low wages and spending power and soaring unemployment.”
He was fun to make fun of, but I think that the French have grown tired of him and his policies. And quite frankly, I'm tired of hating the French. Now that the world has seen that they have a sane majority, I'm willing to cut them some slack and give them a chance. They make some great food and they have some pretty ladies :-)
If they screw up this opportunity and go back to Socialism and a snivelling hatred of America, I'll happily put them back on my Hate List, but I'm willing to give them a chance.
There has been a fair amount of surprisingly good news lately, hasn't there? If things keep going in this direction then the future doesn't seem so bleak.
As long as we can keep a lid on terrorism and prevent a nuke or dirty bomb event......
Agreed, although talking a good line and actually setting your vision in motion can be two different things. If he is resolute, firm and refuses to waver (at least within the available parameters of politics), he will have a chance. All eyes will be upon him and I think that if he's firm he just might be able to pull it off.
Hell yeah, the winds of change are a-blowing on the banks of the Seine.
He kind reminded me of Jack Nicholson in that picture. I think this dude’s going to show Madame Speaker Pelosi how a 100 day reforms are REALLY done.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
He looks like a Cowboy!
Pray for W and Our Troops
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