How are French residents feeling about Sarkozy now that he's no longer a newcomer? Have any of his mandates directly impacted your lives?

To our readers who live in France, how do the French feel about Obama going to France ... albeit for such a fast trip?

what do you think of this new (possible) plan .... ?? It would make Paris very different in look and feel...

http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/03/18/arts/17paris.php?WT.mc_id=travelalert

There's an interesting article on Sarkozy by Walter Wells in the
February issue of "France Today" magazine. You can read it online at
www.francetoday.com. Click on "This Month's Issue," then "Politics."
The article is titled "Sarkolatry and Shakeups."


As for Carla, she can eat crackers--or pain au chocolat--in my bed anytime. ;-)

Agape....

"I wouldn't be shocked if Americans took to the streets. It may be an expression of out and out frustration."
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I wouldn't be surprised at all if this happened. Look at the strikes in Guadeloupe and Britain and elsewhere... I think protests born of frustration are going to be happening more and more around the world.

Stacy - it is one of the major cultural differences between the French and the Americans .... but as the situation gets worse (is that possible??) in the US, I wouldn't be shocked if Americans took to the streets. It may be an expression of out and out frustration.

Even people who voted for Sarkozy are disappointed with him:
(video) http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2009/02/24/bittermann.france.sarkozy.decline.cnn

Another manifestation is planned for March 19 so the people can express their discontent.

I respect the French tradition of striking and right to do so, but I have to wonder about their effectiveness. "The economy is tanking, so let's take the day off work and inconvenience others in the process" just doesn't seem like the best solution to me... but then, I'm not French.

the love affair appears to be over with the new President ....

Did any BP readers find themselves in the middle of the manif??

http://www.rfi.fr/anglais/actu/articles/109/article_2762.asp

Are you in sympathy with the strikers??

Well .. it's being debated throughout the world. Did Sarkozy change the EU?
Please let us know what you think.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/12/16/europe/france.php

Stacy -- you can say that again.

And most especially women's roles in the political arena.

Some people are critical of her publicity tour.
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I haven't really paid attention to this. Who's being critical, the French? Since she already had her own career established before marrying and becoming first lady, it's not surprising that she should want to pursue it, or anything else for that matter, as long as it's not something that would present a conflict of interest for the president. Should she necessarily have to fit into a traditional first lady mold? In my humble opinion, no. After all, Sarkozy hasn't exactly been a traditional president (and has received his share of criticism for that as well). The times, they are a-changin'. :)

Well - Carla is certainly making an impression as she tours the US talk shows promoting her newly released CD. She even inspired David Letterman to speak French.

Some people are critical of her publicity tour. What do you think?? What's proper for a President's wife ??? And what's not.

Do you think Carla resembles Jackie O?? If Vanity Fair says ......??

Would love to hear your responses to this IHT article:



http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/06/25/europe/france.php?WT.mc_id=newsalert

Is Sarkozy making a difference? Hope so?

Hi ARN,

Yes.

It's the president's own party that seems most unhappy with it.

Mind you, a lot of the action right now is posturing for the legislative elections next month. In the end, those will decide how much Mr. Sarkozy will be able to do.

Marc

They do seem to be a good organization with 80% going towards services though I would like to see that number higher.

Is the media giving the newly elected credit for including a socialist??

He has asked the popular leftist politician and prominent human rights campaigner to be
his foreign minister. It's Bernard Koucher, a former Socialist health minister who c-founded the relief agency Medicins Sans Frontiers. Doctors withour borders is one of the few agencies I donate to because I applaud their work.