A crushing defeat for the French president, many angry people and a country convulsing into chaos. Let's rewind the video back to early 2023. There was a feeling of déjà vu when observing the political and social turmoil going on in France. Once more the "Street" is in an uproar and the deputies in the Assemblée Nationale are fighting like cats and dogs. This … [Read more...] about Letter From Paris: Anatomy of a Crisis — Retirement Reform in France
Letter from Paris
Letter From Paris: From Macron v1 to Macron v2: France Negotiates Turbulent Times
Editor's Note: We are delighted to welcome back Nicole Prévost Logan (no relation.) Today she offers a detailed analysis of happenings in the French political landscape, saying, "A lot has happened in France in the past two months and I felt important to write about what is not making the headlines." Surreal political developments are taking taken place in France. … [Read more...] about Letter From Paris: From Macron v1 to Macron v2: France Negotiates Turbulent Times
Letter From Paris: Antony Blinken Has Major Advantage Being Bilingual at Helm of US Foreign Policy
Never before has a US Secretary of State been as utterly bilingual as Antony Blinken. Granted, two of the Founding Fathers of America also had special relationships with France. But Benjamin Franklin was 70 when he was appointed ambassador to Paris in 1776. For nine years, he resided in Passy and became a real Parisian. Thomas Jefferson was 41 when he planted his roots … [Read more...] about Letter From Paris: Antony Blinken Has Major Advantage Being Bilingual at Helm of US Foreign Policy
Letter From Paris: Restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral Symbolizes Hope for Both France, the World
April 15, 2021 was the second anniversary of the fire, which ravaged Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, and also the day when France reached 100,000 deaths from COVID-19. President Emmanuel Macron of France stressed that the reconstruction of the cathedral will be the symbol his country's rebound from the pandemic. Before giving the latest update of the most recent restoration … [Read more...] about Letter From Paris: Restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral Symbolizes Hope for Both France, the World
Letter From Paris: After 47 Years, UK Leaves EU with ‘Thin’ Post-Brexit Deal
After 47 years of co-habitation, the UK has left the European Union (EU) with a "thin" post-Brexit deal. An end-of-year need for holiday food delicacies, such as caviar, lobster or foie gras, panic about running short of fresh produce -- such as lettuce, combined with the Covid-19 procedure slowing down the traffic, caused spectacular chaos with thousands of trucks lining up … [Read more...] about Letter From Paris: After 47 Years, UK Leaves EU with ‘Thin’ Post-Brexit Deal
Letter From Paris: Back to Normal in France? Not Quite …
A Cannes Film Festival turned virtual, the Roland Garros tennis tournament and Tour de France bicycle race both postponed until September? France will definitely not be the same this summer! Tourism and culture are two of the main sectors of French economy and the pandemic has inflicted a direct blow on both of them. Hundreds of festivals, sport events, art … [Read more...] about Letter From Paris: Back to Normal in France? Not Quite …
Letter From Paris: Thoughts on Life Under Lockdown in Fontainebleau, How France Has Coped With COVID-19
There have been many deadly pandemics in the history of the planet but this is the first time ever that one has affected so many people. COVID-19 forced half the world population - or more than three billion - into confinement. I guess this is the price one has to pay for living in a globalized world. Each country handled the coronavirus crisis in a different way. How did … [Read more...] about Letter From Paris: Thoughts on Life Under Lockdown in Fontainebleau, How France Has Coped With COVID-19
Letter From Paris: France is Embroiled in a Pension Reform Crisis, But Seems to be Doing Fine … or is it?
Reform of the retirement system was at the core of French President Emmanuel Macron's 2016 campaign. He wanted to simplify the system and make it universal. The reform is so highly sensitive - one might even say explosive - that several prime ministers have fallen in similar attempts (1986, 1995, 2008.) Although close to 60 percent of public opinion is favorable to the reforms, … [Read more...] about Letter From Paris: France is Embroiled in a Pension Reform Crisis, But Seems to be Doing Fine … or is it?
Letter From Paris: Brexit Has Happened – An Historic Day Which Sparked Joy, Tears, and Innumerable Challenges
Editor's Note: The United Kingdom finally left the European Union (EU) at 11 p.m. on Jan 31, 2020, after being a member of the EU for 47 years. Despite a referendum passing in 2016 by a very slim margin that requested the extraction of the UK from the EU, it has been a long three years of butter argument to reach this point. Even now, it is estimated that roughly half of the … [Read more...] about Letter From Paris: Brexit Has Happened – An Historic Day Which Sparked Joy, Tears, and Innumerable Challenges
Letter From Paris: Seeing “Red” at the Grand Palais
The year 1917 in Russia marked a unique moment of history when art and revolution fused together into a mutual source of inspiration. The creativity and energy fed on each other for a short few years, to eventually vanish under the brutal repression and purges of Stalin to become an official and bland art form called "Socialist Realism." The exhibit "Red - Art and Utopia in … [Read more...] about Letter From Paris: Seeing “Red” at the Grand Palais
Letter From Paris: As Notre Dame Burns, the World Mourns
On April 15, the world watched in shocked awe as the 850-year-old Notre Dame cathedral went up in flames. The emotion was immediate, intense and spread around the globe. Crowds of stunned people, who gathered on the banks of the Seine, many in tears, some singing religious hymns, gasped when the flèche (spire), consumed by the blaze, finally collapsed. The French president … [Read more...] about Letter From Paris: As Notre Dame Burns, the World Mourns
Letter From Paris: Exhibition of Macke & Marc’s Art Unintentionally Makes Powerful Statement on European Current Affairs
The exhibition titled Franz Marc / August Macke. The Adventure of the Blue Rider (der Blaue Reiter) at the Musée de l'Orangerie is the exhibit to see this spring when in Paris. It is a festival of colors by two German artists, Macke (1887-1914) and Marc (1880-1916), who both died prematurely on the front during World War I more than a century ago. Long overdue, and … [Read more...] about Letter From Paris: Exhibition of Macke & Marc’s Art Unintentionally Makes Powerful Statement on European Current Affairs
Letter From Paris: And So It Goes On … Brexit, That Is
"Order, Order!" barked John Bercow, Speaker of the House of Commons before announcing the results of the third-time-around vote on Theresa May's Brexit "deal" . "The ayes to the right 286, the noes to the left 344, the left have it." It was that fateful day, March 29 - chosen by the Prime Minister as the deadline to decide on the "divorce" of the United Kingdom (UK) from … [Read more...] about Letter From Paris: And So It Goes On … Brexit, That Is
Letter From Paris: Present Pace of European Politics is Dizzying
The unity of Europe is being put to the test now more than ever: the deadline of the Brexit pushed back from March 29 to April 12 is heightening the uncertainty to an almost unbearable level, the visit of Chinese president Xi Jinping to Italy, Monaco and France is preoccupying several members of the European Union (EU), and the populist votes in recent European elections are … [Read more...] about Letter From Paris: Present Pace of European Politics is Dizzying
Letter From Paris: Will Europe Fight Back in Face of World, Local Challenges?
The European Union (EU) is under attack from all sides. Will the EU strike back? The most serious threat against Europe is the dislocation of the world system of security and defense, which Europe relies on as a protection. During the past two years, an avalanche of steps taken by the US is unraveling the Atlantic-dominated frameworkwith a possible US pull-back from NATO; … [Read more...] about Letter From Paris: Will Europe Fight Back in Face of World, Local Challenges?