Europe’s voting for the right just as we're turning left!

Wow! £170k! That's so funny, mokryna!
No more va va voom for him then. 🛵

Joseann Now we know why François Hollande sold his love scooter last weekend at an auction. 🛵 It sold for £17,000, way over its secondhand value.

And now Francois Hollande - the ex President who rode around Paris on a scooter to visit his mistress at night - has now come out of the woodwork to stand as a candidate! 🛵

French leftwing parties form ‘Popular Front’ to contest snap election

www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jun/14/french-leftwing-parties-popular-front-contest-snap-election

could be interesting, the left have always been strong and vocal in France.

mokryna

You were very brave to bring up politics Mamie. I did that once with a group of women in Versailles back in the early 90s … never again.

We started by discussing how difficult it was to find the papers you wanted with 38 candidates and then went on to discuss Macron's strategy - we didn't discuss who they supported!
They were very interested in the UK General Election.

You were very brave to bring up politics Mamie. I did that once with a group of women in Versailles back in the early 90s … never again.

Just back from teaching English to my class of French "seniors". It wasn't a lengthy political discussion, but unanimous that Macron has done the right thing.
I taught them the saying, "A week is a long time in politics". 😂

Urmstongran

Alistair Heath (who grew up in France apparently) in the Telegraph this morning:

“ There is a high chance that Jordan Bardella, Le Pen’s 28-year old number two, will be prime minister after July 7. The consequences will be nuclear. There were runs on the pound after the Brexit vote and Liz Truss’ budget; with no franc, a Rassemblement National victory would see the markets turn on French IOUs. Protestors will descend on to the streets. In time, if Le Pen’s party survived contact with reality, her proposed referendum on migration would amount to the start of a Frexit in all but name, blowing up many of Starmer’s assumptions.”

And are you gleeful at the thought of that happening or concerned?

I do support Macron's pledge to ban the use of smartphones before the age of 11 and social media before the age of 15. But how he can achieve that, goodness knows?

MaizieD

Oh wow, *Joseann!

This twitter thread made entertaining reading. All over a couple ofvdays

threadreaderapp.com/thread/1801114239572328663.html?utm_campaign=topunroll

(it's not the actual thread, it's an 'unroll' of it. You don't have to go anywhere near twitter to read it)

That was absorbing! Thanks!

It had all the elements of a good old-fashioned, French farce where the 'Law' and politicians appear to act like a coop of alarmed chickens.

The UK is definitely not turning left, not with Starmer at the helm.

Blimey MaizieD what an implosion in France! Thanks for the link - very entertaining. 😁

Alistair Heath (who grew up in France apparently) in the Telegraph this morning:

“ There is a high chance that Jordan Bardella, Le Pen’s 28-year old number two, will be prime minister after July 7. The consequences will be nuclear. There were runs on the pound after the Brexit vote and Liz Truss’ budget; with no franc, a Rassemblement National victory would see the markets turn on French IOUs. Protestors will descend on to the streets. In time, if Le Pen’s party survived contact with reality, her proposed referendum on migration would amount to the start of a Frexit in all but name, blowing up many of Starmer’s assumptions.”

MaizeD Thank you for the Bertrand link.

Thank you Maizie, c'est super!
Quel cirque, as the French say. 🎪

Oh wow, *Joseann!

This twitter thread made entertaining reading. All over a couple ofvdays

threadreaderapp.com/thread/1801114239572328663.html?utm_campaign=topunroll

(it's not the actual thread, it's an 'unroll' of it. You don't have to go anywhere near twitter to read it)

Nope, that was quite humorous about locking the door Mamie! French politics is actually quite exciting.

Joseann

I take back what I said yesterday about French politicians not getting personal and putting the knife in. Yesterday, that awful Zemmour man spent nearly a whole hour on tv using very strong language about Marion Maréchal. He made no secret of the fact that he isn't a politician by trade, but a journalist, and very dangerous - that says it all! Thank goodness we have no one quite like him.

Not going too well for Eric Ciotti and the Républicains either!

I take back what I said yesterday about French politicians not getting personal and putting the knife in. Yesterday, that awful Zemmour man spent nearly a whole hour on tv using very strong language about Marion Maréchal. He made no secret of the fact that he isn't a politician by trade, but a journalist, and very dangerous - that says it all! Thank goodness we have no one quite like him.

Yay! At least we manufacture something.

mokryna

It is a peculiar situation. This morning it was mentioned that I would only be allowed one Ventoline, it was lucky I only needed one. My friend needs eye drops, I bought the medicine in Seville and another friend bought it in Germany for her. I have been looking for the Shingles jab which the UK seems to have in abundance for everyone over 70 but there hasn’t been any here for a couple of years.
Specialists are retiring and young people don’t want to work in the countryside.
I never noticed these problems before Covid, maybe I was too busy working full time, I don’t know.

Shingrix is manufactured by GSK, which is a British owned company, that’s probably why it is more available in the UK.

mokryna

It is a peculiar situation. This morning it was mentioned that I would only be allowed one Ventoline, it was lucky I only needed one. My friend needs eye drops, I bought the medicine in Seville and another friend bought it in Germany for her. I have been looking for the Shingles jab which the UK seems to have in abundance for everyone over 70 but there hasn’t been any here for a couple of years.
Specialists are retiring and young people don’t want to work in the countryside.
I never noticed these problems before Covid, maybe I was too busy working full time, I don’t know.

The ventoline thing was on the French news the other day. My DH is on lots of medication and we have had the odd half day delay for some drugs on prescription renewal, but nothing major. We can still get a same day GP appointment and our own GP in 48 hours. Dermatologists and opthamologists are difficult to find round here, but the booking online system through DoctoLib does yield results. It helps that you don't have to go through the GP for everything.

Been reading up on it. It's clear that we need to manufacture more drugs in Europe overall.
As regards the UK it would be very sensible as part of the look at better and easier trade/customs and standards movement to include medicines.

It is a peculiar situation. This morning it was mentioned that I would only be allowed one Ventoline, it was lucky I only needed one. My friend needs eye drops, I bought the medicine in Seville and another friend bought it in Germany for her. I have been looking for the Shingles jab which the UK seems to have in abundance for everyone over 70 but there hasn’t been any here for a couple of years.
Specialists are retiring and young people don’t want to work in the countryside.
I never noticed these problems before Covid, maybe I was too busy working full time, I don’t know.

Casdon

Urmstongran

certain medical supplies are difficult to get hold of and there are medical deserts

That’s interesting to read mokryna as so many over here who didn’t vote Leave accuse Brexit for “lack of some medicines”. Seems not to be the case if France too has difficulties!

It is the case. It’s difficult in the EU, it’s considerably more difficult in the UK. This Nuffield atrust report explains.
www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/news-item/patients-face-new-normal-of-medicines-shortages-as-uk-hampered-by-supply-issues-and-impact-of-eu-exit

Thanks you - Nuffield have no political interest in this matter - they are absolutely clear about Brexit and drug supply.