Revolting Europe
France
The Greek sun
By François Delapierre* Amid this icy return to work, those who aspire to a thaw in the European climate, something [French Socialist President] Hollande has not achieved, have their eyes turned towards Greece, and their thoughts on Spain. The Greek people vote first on 25 January and the Spanish have their general elections in September 2015, and before … Continue reading
The German Chancellor and Grexit
By Jacques Sapir A Greek exit from the Euro, following the election on 25 January, is no longer unthinkable, Chancellor Angela Merkel admitted in the German weekly “Der Spiegel” on Saturday. This is an important statement, which can be analyzed in two different ways, neither of which are opposed to the other. The first reading … Continue reading
Why has the EU’s political revolt been confined to Greece and Spain?
Paolo Gerbaudo Amid a worsening economic crisis, a look at the protest movements that are struggling against austerity could be described as a two-speed.Europe An expression abused by economists and political scientists talking about the different levels of economic productivity and political integration of European countries, it also captures well the distance between countries where … Continue reading
France’s ‘rigid’ labour market: Manuel Valls should get his facts right
The French Prime Minister has revived the idea that the French labour market is overly protective of permanent employees. However, international comparisons show that this is not the case, argues Duval Guillaume “The functioning of the labour market is not satisfactory because it is not creating enough jobs, it generates significant inequalities between highly protected employees … Continue reading
Paris chambermaids’ strike victory inspires sisters in other luxury hotels
Outsourced hotel chambermaids at the Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme are celebrating a significant wage increase, and inspiring their colleagues in other luxury hotels. The agreement follows a four-day strike for better wages and working conditions that begun on September 19. The agreement covers 80 chambermaids, porters and maintenance staff and brings monthly wage increases from 380 to 420 euros. … Continue reading
Sarkozy 2.0?
By Jacques Sapir Nicolas Sarkozy has just announced his “return to politics” as if he had actually quit. This is not surprising or unusual. We know the man to be a “political animal.” One suspects he is devoured by ambition, unable to accommodate the distance, sometimes, however, necessary between immediate action and salutary reflection. Yet … Continue reading
The European Commission, the autopilot for neo-liberal policies
By Bernard Cassen The first concern of any institution is to perpetuate its existence and expand its areas of intervention. In the latter case, such an ambition usually encounters forces and structures that do not intend to be deprived of all or part of their territory and their prerogatives. When these forces and structures do … Continue reading
France needs to rediscover an independent line on Israel-Palestine conflict
For the sake of peace, Socialist Francois Hollande needs to rediscover the independent foreign policy of earlier French presidents in its approach to the Israel-Palestinian conflict, argue four left lawmakers*. From General De Gaulle to Jacques Chirac, passing by François Mitterrand, our country had always shown the voice of reason [on Israel and Palestine], which is … Continue reading
Jean Jaurès: champion of peace, socialism and a genuinely free press
IN THE RADICAL PRESS / L’HUMANITE On July 31 1914 Jean Jaurès was assassinated. Today, French political movements of just about every colour are seeking to appropriate his memory. 100 years on, Patrick le Hyaric, editor of the French newspaper l’Humanité that was founded by the historic socialist leader puts the record straight about Jaurès, and … Continue reading
#WW1 : 100 years on capitalism is still the driving force for war
By Domenico Moro This year marks the centenary of the First World War, which began with the signing of the declaration of war by the Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria on July 28, 1914. For the first time in history, and after a hundred years of relative peace, all major powers were involved in a … Continue reading
94 reasons why French trade unions have boycotted Hollande’s job summit
Francois Hollande’s jobs summit is becoming a farse. Unemployment in France has risen to a new high of 3.4 million. The socialist President is desperate to be seen to be doing something about it. But Monday yet another union walked out of the two day ‘social summit’, an unprecedented desertion by organised labour for any administration in Paris, … Continue reading
Why the French are right to go on strike
After the recent strikes affecting the French railways – the longest in recent history – air traffic control and the entertainment industry there are fears among the establishment that, as the Economist puts it, France is ‘back to the bad old days’. That was the terminology used about Britain in the 1970s and early 1980s … Continue reading
French intellectuals swing behind rail strike
As France’s rail strike entered its second week over 150 intellectuals have swung behind the workers and their demands for a fully integrated publicly owned rail system. Doctors, lawyers, economists, mathematicians, linguists, historians, scientists and sociologists have called on the government to suspend parliamentary proceedings on the bill, which started Tuesday, and “start a debate on the … Continue reading
French left goes Greek
France’s left is in a sorry state. It took a bashing in local elections in March and then European elections in May. The ruling socialists plunged to an all time low of less than 14%. The radical Front de Gauche, comprising the communists and other leftists like Jean Luc Melenchon, polled just 6.3%, down from … Continue reading
Too much spending or welfare for the rich? What an audit of France’s debt found
France’s debt results largely from tax giveaways to the rich and creditors, study finds Debates on France’s public debt tend to blame excessive growth of government spending. But an examination of the facts shows that public debt is largely a result of economic policies favourable to creditors and the rich. A study was carried out by … Continue reading
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Revolting Europe 