Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK
Paywall free

JOHN LICHFIELD

PODCAST: Who is to blame for the turmoil in France and when will calm return? (Bonus episode)

French politics expert John Lichfield joins us for a bonus episode of Talking France to give his views on who's to blame for the current turmoil in France, if the protests really are a new "May 1968" and how and when calm might return to the streets?

Published: 1 April 2023 10:11 CEST
PODCAST: Who is to blame for the turmoil in France and when will calm return? (Bonus episode)

With France mired in political crisis, strikes against pension reform continuing and protests turning violent The Local brings you a special bonus episode of Talking France featuring more valuable analysis from French politics John Lichfield.

If this is your first time listening to Talking France you should check out our regular weekly podcast which looks at a wide range of news, talking points and cultural questions from France. You can listen to all our recent episodes HERE.
 
But for this bonus episode we are sticking to one subject focussing on the political crisis and protests against pension reform that have gripped the country in recent weeks.

 
Why has France become so angry, why have protests turned violent, are protesters right to talk about a repeat of May 1968 or does France over-romanticise protests and political violence – including the French Revolution itself?
 
These are just some of the questions I put to John, our veteran French politics expert, for this bonus episode.
 
You can listen on Apple, Spotify or Google podcasts by downloading the podcast HERE. Or simply press play below.
 

 
 
Remember you can find all episodes of Talking France HERE – and if you like what you hear please leave us a review or just tell a friend.
 
 

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

POLITICS

French prime minister comfortably survives censure vote

French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne avoided parliamentary censure in an early morning vote on Saturday after she forced the government's budget plan through the National Assembly without a vote.

Published: 30 September 2023 13:39 CEST
French prime minister comfortably survives censure vote

The motion to censure Borne — the 18th levelled at her since she assumed the office — was brought by the left-wing Nupes alliance after the prime minister activated Article 49.3 to adopt the public finance bill without a vote.

The motion received just 193 of the 289 votes needed to succeed, an unsurprising outcome in light of the lack of support from the centre-right.

Its rejection constitutes the adoption of the 2023-2027 budget programme, which now moves to the Senate, the upper house of the French parliament.

The speaker for Nupes, socialist Philippe Brun, accused the government of “favouring with the greatest servility a very well-endowed minority of the French” despite “an immense inflationary crisis”.

President Emmanuel Macron had “tried to make parliament disappear with his repeated (use of) 49.3”, Brun added.

The far right had supported the left’s motion of censure, accusing Borne of the “repeated and abusive use of 49.3”.

Borne, for her part, hit back at both factions, saying “demagoguery is your only budgetary course”.

The government also resorted to Article 49.3 earlier this year to push through unpopular pension reforms, sparking violent protests.

SHOW COMMENTS