Yes, of course, I enjoy seeing our nearest neighbour, France, embarrassed or flummoxed but I would not wish it to be seriously injured, especially when it appears to be as a result of self-inflicted wounds! According to Peter Skurkis at The American Thinker, 'mini-Macron' is attempting to apply the brakes to his country's headlong drive to the edge of total financial and social disaster.
The reforms that Macron proposed were modest. It was basically to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 and to standardize pensions across the country. Well, the roof caved in.
Needless to say, given the threats of strikes and violence, mini-Macron has been forced into, not so much concessions as total surrender:
"This prompted the government into another hasty retreat saying it would withdraw the proposed age limit change and postpone major decisions on how to keep the [pension] system solvent until it can better assess the situation between now and the end of April."
I just hope they get themselves sorted by next September when a new 'Normandy invasion' will take place, er, that's me and the 'Memsahib' and 'SoD' and some of his friends. They are all set to inspect the D-day beaches. The 'Memsahib' and I are determined to inspect that cafes, bars and restaurants (and no doubt the dress shops as well!) of Bayeux.
Vive La France!
Welfare States ride the back of that old "double edge sword". What can't go on won't.
Posted by: Whitewall | Tuesday, 14 January 2020 at 13:51
Bayeux is where the friendly French people all waved to me: my driving the wrong way in a one-way street may have been relevant.
Posted by: The Jannie | Tuesday, 14 January 2020 at 17:44