France understands two things better than we do: the power of a general strike, which we should learn from, and the importance of human dignity, which they take seriously—unlike us, at least lately. Case in point.
I'm not singing too loud because our internal politics became a shitshow same as everywhere else but this latest move makes me hopeful that we'll go back to sanity soon.
But yes we'll burn cars and city centers for months until we get what we want
Digressing, I think the loss of cross-cultural interaction if TikTok is shut down is a bad thing. I’ve traveled extensively, but seeing real people online helps break abstract perceptions and make them more real. American media thrives on categorical thinking—something even evident in my comment.
Exactly. Here in the US our elected officials base their decisions on popularity, rather than democracy and law. If that weren’t true, Dems would not have supplied weapons to Israel to bomb civilians in Gaza, and trump would be barred from public office for at least 34 years.
Please don't make us out to be heroes. Nicolas Sarkozy's trial barely makes headlines, even though it's the worst corruption story of our recent history. The latest appointee to our "supreme court" is a friend of the current president. We could very well go down the same path as the US :((
I just dont see the French people allowing any govt to own them, like is happening in the US. Always hating the president of any party works, but when one gets all the praise, can do no wrong and becomes a cult its over. I just cant see French falling for that.
... yet. A French MEP commissioned a report from researchers to assess how long our system would withstand an "authoritarian shock." The answer is: a few weeks. Because of changes to the law over the past 10-15 years, with which many people agree. And we have billionaires funding neo-fascists 🤷♀️
Wow, you can read french? That's great ^^
Below you'll find 2 one-pagers with the key points of this report. You can download the full study here (link is active for 7 days from taoday): https://www.transfernow.net/dl/20250331jVy0Yx0W
well, since I live here now I should learn! The transfer now link didn't work, but the 2 pages say a lot. Can you say more about what changed in the last 10-15 yrs that makes it easier for democracy to fall? more power to the presidency? other changes?
For context: this was commissioned by fr MEP Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield and bel MEP Philippe Lamberts in 2022. She worked in the Special Committee on Foreign Interference in all Democratic Processes in the EU, following Kaczyński and Orban's coming to power. She wanted to evaluate the risk for Fr
My point isn't so much to valorize France as to highlight how ridiculous it is in the US that the rule of law is completely suspended for well known rich people
Yes, having enough of a short term memory to not make the mistake we saw mere months ago is a kind of low bar, but this is the bar now and we still passed.... An almost silent yay
Same here. We will bring our $ to spend abroad as soon as it is safe to fly again. Assuming anyone wants our $ by then. 😩 We will understand if no one does. 🤦♀️
Elon Musk defense of Marine Le Pen—convicted of embezzling €4 million from the EP—stating, “When the radical left can’t win via democratic vote, they abuse the legal system to jail their opponents. This is their standard playbook throughout the world,” is about protecting fascists who break the law.
The thing took 8 years. Ruling on the powerful is still not working well here. And while she was on trial she got astounding success at elections. We are far from the law paradise. But it's pleasing when it seems to be finally working.
France turns out and votes for Marcon, whether they like him or not, to keep Le Pen out of power. She hasn't had a term to fill the courts with far right judges.
The hypothetical point is what if you prioritize preventing the greater evil and take elections seriously.
A very interesting thought experiment to be sure, I wonder what that would be like in another random country, say like the US as a completely out of left field example
When the South American country the American Right continually cites as a "Banana Republic" & "Communist Sh@thole Country" actually indicts and/or convicts their corrupt/coup hungry leaders...what does that say about America?
We can't even get the GOP to help us do the right thing & impeach Trump.
Right on. It's what Maga can't fathom: How anything they want might not happen, because: democracy. And how they might be told no, because: rule of law. Some accept democracy and rule of law, some don't. More of us do.
Republicans are afraid of raging ignorant subhuman MAGAts armed to the teeth with weapons of war with a substandard education due to years of Republican pro-gun policy. Ironic, isn’t it?
I’ll rephrase: Unlike the French government, Republicans (who currently control every branch of our government) don’t hold fascists accountable for their crimes. This is because they realize their constituents would kill them with the weapons of war Republican policy has made easily accessible.
They are fairly well indoctrinated against aggressing upon those they see as stronger than themselves, which decreases the probability of them ever holding their leaders accountable. The right has always been cowards and bootlickers.
France 🇫🇷 has a decent leader in Macron now. Term limits mean that he cannot contest the 2027 elections. Unlike the orange man, he will respect that unless there is a war (same as Zelenskyy has had to do).
the shitstorm on Twitter was absolutely insane in her defence...yet Le Figaro (very conservative outlet, rather pro-Le Pen) did poll and find out French people were favorable to the justice decision.
Shitstorms are not everything, which is good news.
Turns out fascists are a minority when it comes to this kind of thing, and the average person does not in fact think the political class should be above the law.
THIS! GDamn Dems sat on their hands for 4 years. Fascism is a cancer it doesn’t go away if you ignore it, it grows until it consumes and kills the country. Yeah the people trying to take over your country might get mad at you, if that’s too much for you, RESIGN! YOU SIGNED UP TO LEAD, HOLD THE LINE
got to admit it was legitimately shocking to see Le Pen face actual real world consequences. I didn't think the modern world was capable of holding rancid, corrupt far-right grifters accountable for anything anymore
You mean Peru, right? No record of brazilian presidents getting arrested (the only one would be Lula, but his case was very controversial and it was dismissed). None of the other 5 presidents after the military regime were arrested.
Peru locked up Fujimori, he almost died in prison. Milei’s pump-and-dump crypto scam may someday come back to haunt him. I like how South America is raising their standards.
Never bet against the French! We should be taking notes, but then again our government believes they are the greatest thing to have ever existed, so I doubt they'll pay attention. Trump should have been in prison after his j6 stunts and his other crimes, yet here we are.
It was proved that Le Pen committed fraud with EU money and she got convicted and deserve to go in jail. End of story. But amazing how right wings find it okay that right wings commits fraud, but thinks that lefties must go in jail. I thought the law was same for all 😳
In they are more sublime about corruption, cause if you see how much it cost all the elected officials it’s outrageous… we are taxed every where and they rise up their salaries and The advantages that they got also rise up even crisis .. there’s no Supreme Court in France .
A few of us in the US like to keep tabs on the EU-probably a distraction from the chaos here, but I think it helps to get a bigger picture. Keep up the "good trouble" 🙂
Congrats. I mean that unironically; I have (and am) seriously considered asking if any of my/our Canadian friends would sponsor us. But someone needs to fight the fascists, and our home is here.
‘ - The Rural Immigration Pilot - offers permanent residence to work & settle in rural, more remote communities
They chose 14 communities that can support & benefit from skilled migrants. They’ll approve certain employers to hire for jobs that they can’t fill with local workers’
I moved in April of last year because I saw it coming and as an international consultant I decided to just jump. I’m in my 50s and am sick of fighting for every crumb.
I know how you feel! Am middle 60s and sometimes feel like I can’t do it any more. Then other times, get some energy back and feel it’s, maybe not obligation, but important to do. One of the Canadian authors I have proofread for jokingly (I think) offered us sanctuary after 2016. I did consider it.
It seems like the only way that the US can solve things is a civil war at this point. I’m sympathetic and empathetic to the people still there, but I was incredibly honest with myself that my country left me a long time ago. Trump v1 and Covid broke me in some big ways and this was best for me.
I mean tbh laws only exist as long as there is an authority willing to enforce them. Also sometimes laws need to be broken. This is not one of those cases but sometimes they do
We don’t fear them. Disinterested, disillusioned voters and a failing Democratic Party are what got us here. And I say that as a democrat, if you love something you should want it to get better. People like Trump because they don’t care about politics they hear a blurb of his lies and believe it.
I’m talking about the MSM’s fear of taking a truth-driven stance, the law firms that would rather fold than fight, and how many people have obeyed in advance
Imagine caring more about the norm and tradition of prosecuting and punishing people that commit crimes than the norm and tradition of not prosecuting political leaders!? It'll never catch on.
I'm hardly a friend of Le Pen, but I do find the French law extraordinary in that the sanction of being barred from running for office (and therefore effectively being kicked out of her party) takes effect before appeals, notably the other sanctions do not, to be significantly illiberal.
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It is a mathamatical equation theory, which was proved out last yr in a brilliant paper.
I heard this growing up next to Cal over 55 yrs ago at 15.
France understands two things better than we do: the power of a general strike, which we should learn from, and the importance of human dignity, which they take seriously—unlike us, at least lately. Case in point.
But yes we'll burn cars and city centers for months until we get what we want
This isn't even like a Le Mis "I STOLE A LOAF OF BREAD TO FEED MY SISTER'S CHILD", no, it's straight up self-enrichment, so it's like...."
Below you'll find 2 one-pagers with the key points of this report. You can download the full study here (link is active for 7 days from taoday): https://www.transfernow.net/dl/20250331jVy0Yx0W
(and do hold firm on your side of the Atlantic, we feel for you and will have learned from you when our time comes)
Capitalism turned that up to 11.
WTF is wrong with us?
The hypothetical point is what if you prioritize preventing the greater evil and take elections seriously.
We can't even get the GOP to help us do the right thing & impeach Trump.
Guns aren't strength, they're the potential for strength, and the American people have made it clear for decades that we won't revolt.
I believe it's much simpler: the money hose doesn't want them to.
#ResignChuckSchumer
The road to chaos, just look at the USA.
Shitstorms are not everything, which is good news.
Shocking. I know.
But the MAGA media all over the world is reflecting the "crisis" that this causes for their feels.
US and Germany full of pearl clutching.
Are you nuts?
Still, I respect them for taking action here.
by a right wing coup to rig 2018 elections
one.
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/brazil-top-court-justice-recommends-that-bolsonaro-stand-trial-alleged-coup-2025-03-26/
I live in France
have I said something wrong?
Do you actually have a corrupt Supreme Court?
https://www.publicsenat.fr/actualites/politique/nomination-de-richard-ferrand-validee-tout-ca-sent-tres-fort-le-deal-secret-entre-emmanuel-macron-et-marine-le-pen-accuse-olivier-marleix
They chose 14 communities that can support & benefit from skilled migrants. They’ll approve certain employers to hire for jobs that they can’t fill with local workers’
The UK jailed Jeffrey Archer. It is possible. It just takes determination.
I hope they've refreshed the troops.
Former French Presidents are accountables for their acts.
https://www.lemonde.fr/en/france/article/2025/02/07/french-ex-president-sarkozy-to-get-electronic-tag_6737903_7.html
He's a tosser.
American fear of MAGA/Trump.
If you mean to tell me that America is so full of fascists that it’s a lost cause, 🖕
MAGA is a tiny minority and it’s shrinking daily.
Ppl approved of his “policy” in Jan.
Now? 23% approve of his management of the economy.
It’s coming
But today, I'm mightily proud to be French (and quite relieved it did go the South Korean way, instead of the USA way!)
I like to suspect Trump actually helped, here, by setting an example no sane person would want for their own nation.