Tuesday 14 August 2012

THE FIRST 100 DAYS OF FRENCH PRESIDENT HOLLANDE


It is now 100 days since François Hollande was elected President of France for a period of five years.  Politicians and Journalists are already comparing what he has achieved compared with the promises he made during his election campaign.

Foreign Affairs:

On the Foreign Affairs front François Hollande first of all had a meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel to inform her that the policies which she had hatched with President Nicolas Sarkozy were too expensive for France. She went into her shell but warmly greeted the idea when Hollande announced that what France wanted to add to the European Stability Pact was an EU policy aim of Expansion !!! 

François Hollande then went to meet President Obama to announce that France would withdraw its troops from Afghanistan at the end of 2012 as promised during his election campaign !!!  Hollande has since reduced his plans and will only recall front-line troops. 

Home Affairs:

These can be divided into two main categories:
   -  Private,
   -  Official.

Private Affairs.
    A comical scandal enveloped François Hollande when his second "companion" "tweeted" her support for the candidate opposing his first  "companion", namely Segolene Royal who is the mother of his four children. This became a spectacle and a giggle !!!  Segolene needed to be elected in order to achieve her last political aim, which was to become the Speaker in the National Assembly !!!  The "tweet" by Varerie Trierweiler panned all the hopes that Segolene had !!! 

Hollande, the sage politician, said his private affairs or problems would be solved by him and by no one else !!! End of this story !!! 

Official Affairs.
    Hollande ruthlessly attacked Sarkozy on the election promises he made but did not keep.  Now it is the turn of the beaten UMP party to attack Hollande !!!  Journalists also have a detailed list of the many promises, and only a few have been ticked off !!!

He promised to tax the rich.  This has been done, but probably only in part.  The impression is that Hollande is creating more poor people without enriching anyone with the proceeds !!!

Like Sarkozy, who was faced with serious Banking Problems shortly after his election, Hollande also feels the effect of the General Worldwide depression. He still has time to implement his promises.

However, there is a general habit in France to set up a Special Committee when something which is expected, cannot yet be delivered !!!   The result is that there are now several Special Committees !!! 

After its defeat at the Elections, the Opposition is coming alive !!!  Would-be future Presidential Candidates are positioning themselves.  The Party Conferences in the Autumn promise to be lively !!! 

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