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

Wyllow3

mokryna

I was in one of the many groups counting the votes in my town next to Versailles and shocked to see the results.
Besoin d’Europe just scraped in with 1741 Réveiller l’Europe 1696 La Droite pour faire 1259.
I think and hope that it was a protest vote. People are hurting over the cost of living, 12% rise in gas prices and the Security Social (NHS) certain medical supplies are difficult to get hold of and there are medical deserts. Macron pushed through the retire age up from 62 to 64 which is unpopular. - There is another political group saying they would put it down to 60.

Maybe Macron had an inkling of what was going to happen with the far right, as he approved the bill to constitutionalize abortion as a 'guaranteed freedom‘. Whereas the Italians are now allowing anti-abortion groups access to women considering ending their pregnancies.

Thank you, that's really interesting. and rather illusionary to think the right is going to better the welfare system...

Interesting Wyllow3. That's something that puzzles me, too - here in our country.

If people are "hurting" and angry because of the high cost-of-living; or are angry at the collapsing public services - low wages, etc, then why the heck are they turning towards parties that basically are going to institute more of the same? Perhaps on stilts?

Johnson was a "good bloke" (it was said) who understood 'ordinary' people... Johnson extolled the virtues of "greed" and the free-market - remember what he said about the 'discovery' of a workable Covid vaccine by pharma? It was the result of greed and the profit-motive!

Farage has also at some point made it clear that he does not subscribe to the NHS as a free-at-the point-of-need system of healthcare.

These populist far-Right parties, at least in the UK - they are not into public-spending!

Some of those I know and have spoken to who supported and still support Johnson / Farage - they would, and do, struggle because of the lack of public services. They would find it impossible to 'go private' for medical health. They were (some of them) also better off before privatisation of our utilities, and have even reminisced about the days when you wrote out a check for the Electricity Board and either paid it by post or went into your local LEB shop in the high street and paid over the counter in cash. Privatisation has screwed them, yet they are going to vote for more of it!

Do they think that once the Right has a handle on immigration that miraculously there will be "more money" to spend on our failing services - that that is the reason they are failing? If immigration were to suddenly come to a full-stop tomorrow, it won't make a blind bit of difference to the ideology of small-state, free-market libertarianism.

I simply don't understand the thinking.

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!

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!

Asthma medication stocks are very low here in France. There was a whole tv programme on it last week.

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!

I think most of us are aware Urms that the difficulties in obtaining medicines is global.

For us, Brexit has in various ways compounded the problem, but it certainly did not cause it.

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

Trust not atrust!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Yay! At least we manufacture something.

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.

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!

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

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)

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

MaizeD Thank you for the Bertrand link.

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.”

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

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

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.

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?

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?

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". 😂