Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK
For members

INSIDE FRANCE

Inside France: Political deadlock, religious clothing and odd-shaped balls

From the desperate political wrangling of Emmanuel Macron to the reasons why France is again talking about Muslim women's clothing, via some train news and the start of Rugby World Cup, our weekly newsletter Inside France looks at what we have been talking about in France this week.

Published: 9 September 2023 08:09 CEST
Inside France: Political deadlock, religious clothing and odd-shaped balls
Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP

Inside France is our weekly look at some of the news, talking points and gossip in France that you might not have heard about. It’s published each Saturday and members can receive it directly to their inbox, by going to their newsletter preferences or adding their email to the sign-up box in this article.

French secularism (again)

As French schools restarted on Monday we’re back to business as usual – and in France that means another row about ‘religious’ clothing.

The latest version concerns the abaya in schools. There are very real concerns about equality and secularism, and France’s state laïcité is a policy supported by the vast majority of the population – but after a while you can’t help but notice that every single one of these secularism rows focuses on one group – Muslim women and girls.  

99 problems

Meanwhile Emmanuel Macron is facing the exact same problem that he faced this time last year – he has no overall majority in parliament and little chance of building one.

Another round of meetings with party chiefs has produced little of substance and it looks like France is set for another year of parliamentary deadlock, with the government resorting to the constitutional power known as Article 49.3 to force through crucial items like the budget. 

If we’re really in for another four years of this, it’s little wonder that within the political world, attention is already focused on 2027. 

All aboard

But before we get too gloomy about the state of the country, we did get some good train news this week – the Paris-Berlin sleeper service is coming back from December and France plans to launch a rail pass modelled on Germany’s ‘€49 ticket’.

READ ALSO Where can you get a night train from Paris?

Odd-shaped balls

As a fan, I’m obviously very excited about the start of the Rugby World Cup – but also at how much France is embracing it, even the emergency services are (apparently) practising their rugby skills.

I went to a couple of internationals in France last year which organisers were using as test events for World Cup matches and I’m going to stick my neck out and predict that fans will have a really good time. French club rugby always has a great atmosphere so I’m excited for the foreign fans who will get to experience it too.

I’m also strongly rooting for a France win – not only would it be great for Les bleus to win their first World Cup in the year that they’re hosting, but this team really does represent a golden generation of astonishing French talent. When they get it right, it’s like watching poetry in motion. 

Podcast

And we’re happy to be back with the Talking France podcast.

This week is a rentrée-special episode looking at the challenges facing the country as it goes back to work, the reasons behind that abaya ban and why property taxes are rising. Plus our French holiday tips. 

Inside France is our weekly look at some of the news, talking points and gossip in France that you might not have heard about. It’s published each Saturday and members can receive it directly to their inbox, by going to their newsletter preferences or adding their email to the sign-up box in this article.

Member comments

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

INSIDE FRANCE

Inside France: Violence, QR codes and stuffed animals

From violent unrest in a French territory to the QR codes required at the Paris Olympics, via D-Day and weird taxidermy, our weekly newsletter Inside France looks at what we have been talking about in France this week.

Published: 18 May 2024 07:38 CEST
Inside France: Violence, QR codes and stuffed animals

Inside France is our weekly look at some of the news, talking points and gossip in France that you might not have heard about. It’s published each Saturday and members can receive it directly to their inbox, by going to their newsletter preferences or adding their email to the sign-up box in this article.

High tension

After a relaxed week with a double holiday and most of the country taking a break, it seems that the news has come roaring back this week – first a highly dramatic jailbreak that left two prison officers dead and a fugitive at large, then the worst rioting in 30 years on the French island of Nouvelle Calédonie which left five people dead, and finally a man shot dead by police while apparently trying to set fire to a synagogue in northern France. It seems that there’s barely been time to breathe. 

These three things are, of course, not connected and in the case of Nouvelle Calédonie have followed years of political and ethnic tensions on the Pacific islands.

But it’s not surprising that people feel a bit punch-drunk at this series of events. Already right-wing parties are attempting to make capital out of this ahead of the European elections – a favourite tactic of the far-right in recent years has been trying to portray France as in the grip of an uncontrolled wave of crime and violence.

While no-one would deny that France has crime and that there are problems with violence, the statistics do not bear out this image of a ‘lawless’ country’. 

QR codes

Talking of security, the big topic in Paris this week has been whether we need QR codes to get around the city during the Olympics, after the security plan for the Games was unveiled in detail.

For many people this will bring back bad memories of Covid restrictions, attestations and health passes – although once you dig into the detail of the Games QR codes you realise that they won’t actually affect all that many people.

The areas that they cover are limited and the most onerous restrictions are only in place for the week leading up to the Opening Ceremony. You can find a complete guide to whether you need a code, and how to get one if you do, HERE.

Talking France

We look at the QR code situation on this week’s Talking France podcast, as well as France’s economic reality, the quirks of the French health system and the new ‘drive like a woman’ campaign.

Plus John Lichfield talks about his involvement in projects to commemorate D-Day in his Normandy home, and why the 1944 landings still hold such a special place in French hearts. Listen here or on the link below. 

Get stuffed

But my biggest question about France remains unanswered – why is weird taxidermy furniture so popular? If you’ve spent time at a French brocante you will likely have come across stuffed animal parts made into a variety of items from coathooks and ashtrays to – as below – chairs or stools.

Answers on a postcard, please.  

Inside France is our weekly look at some of the news, talking points and gossip in France that you might not have heard about. It’s published each Saturday and members can receive it directly to their inbox, by going to their newsletter preferences or adding their email to the sign-up box in this article.

SHOW COMMENTS