The disintegration of the French political system is because of its long exposure to Muslim and Islamist pressures. Roy says this indirectly and does not mention, for example, the Charlie Hebdo affair.
The UK and the USA are now approaching the same pressure point. Under the guise of Palestine and Hamas, democratic institutions are being eroded in both countries. Know one thing from the European experience. Schools, free speech journalists, artists and writers and elected representatives need 24 hour protection from the state.
Roy has for years trivialized laïcité, unlike, for example, Marc Weizmann who has written about the fanaticism of some - of course not all- Muslim youth in France
Laïcité is fundamentally opposed to theocracy, religious coercion: execution for blasphemy as in the beheading of the teacher who showed the Charlie Hebdo cartoon in class. Or, as in the Bourbon Restoration in the early 19th century, which proposed execution for disrespect to the Eucharist during Corpus Christi processions.
The “values of the Republic” are Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité - to which the Constitution of the Fifth Republic has added laïcité and the equal rights of women
The French have not “constructed” a misogynistic, homophobic Islam. Ask the Ayatollah!
Thank you for this discussion of the dire political situation in France. As someone who has spent a great deal of time in France, speaks the language and has many French friends, I am distressed at the current dilemma. Strangest of all to me is the hatred of Macron. In fact he has generally improved France’s economy, reducing some red tape (when he could) to make it more business friendly (it is now ranked high among European countries as a place to do business), reforming tax laws to encourage investment, and cutting down some of the exaggerated benefits such as retirement age that have contributed so heavily to financial problems. Of course he had to deal with Covid which, like everywhere, led to inflation. And the French unions try to block any fiscal reforms. But overall, he has done an excellent job. But he hasn’t been able to sell his accomplishments. Voters are now turning to the extremes, particularly the right wing, which has the same ruinous fiscal program as the the left (tax the rich and borrow billions to spend on more nanny-state programs). Of course this will never work, and bond interest rates will go through the roof, making much of it impossible. I’m just amazed at how naive voters are and how little they grasp even basic economics. But then, Americans and Brits are likely no wiser — just see what is coming our way! I truly fear for France’s future though. Macron and his centrists were in fact the last bulwark against financial instability (with LFI or RN in power) and possible race riots (if RN comes to power).
Is it correct to say that the United States is committed to freedom of religion and France, in its Fifth Republic incarnation, is committed to freedom from religion? If so then I believe that the objective of government in the US is to be only marginally involved with issues involving religious practice, whereas, the government of France will be perpetually involved with issues involving religious practice.
It is completely wrong to speak of the voting public "moving right" on immigration. It is the establishment that first moved far far left, letting in migrants by the tens of millions, a total overhaul of Europe unprecedented in history. The indigenous people of Europe have never supported this! And yet their leaders have always done it anyway. What does that tell you about democracy?
The disintegration of the French political system is because of its long exposure to Muslim and Islamist pressures. Roy says this indirectly and does not mention, for example, the Charlie Hebdo affair.
The UK and the USA are now approaching the same pressure point. Under the guise of Palestine and Hamas, democratic institutions are being eroded in both countries. Know one thing from the European experience. Schools, free speech journalists, artists and writers and elected representatives need 24 hour protection from the state.
Right you are, Terry M.!
Roy has for years trivialized laïcité, unlike, for example, Marc Weizmann who has written about the fanaticism of some - of course not all- Muslim youth in France
Laïcité is fundamentally opposed to theocracy, religious coercion: execution for blasphemy as in the beheading of the teacher who showed the Charlie Hebdo cartoon in class. Or, as in the Bourbon Restoration in the early 19th century, which proposed execution for disrespect to the Eucharist during Corpus Christi processions.
The “values of the Republic” are Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité - to which the Constitution of the Fifth Republic has added laïcité and the equal rights of women
The French have not “constructed” a misogynistic, homophobic Islam. Ask the Ayatollah!
Thank you for this discussion of the dire political situation in France. As someone who has spent a great deal of time in France, speaks the language and has many French friends, I am distressed at the current dilemma. Strangest of all to me is the hatred of Macron. In fact he has generally improved France’s economy, reducing some red tape (when he could) to make it more business friendly (it is now ranked high among European countries as a place to do business), reforming tax laws to encourage investment, and cutting down some of the exaggerated benefits such as retirement age that have contributed so heavily to financial problems. Of course he had to deal with Covid which, like everywhere, led to inflation. And the French unions try to block any fiscal reforms. But overall, he has done an excellent job. But he hasn’t been able to sell his accomplishments. Voters are now turning to the extremes, particularly the right wing, which has the same ruinous fiscal program as the the left (tax the rich and borrow billions to spend on more nanny-state programs). Of course this will never work, and bond interest rates will go through the roof, making much of it impossible. I’m just amazed at how naive voters are and how little they grasp even basic economics. But then, Americans and Brits are likely no wiser — just see what is coming our way! I truly fear for France’s future though. Macron and his centrists were in fact the last bulwark against financial instability (with LFI or RN in power) and possible race riots (if RN comes to power).
Is it correct to say that the United States is committed to freedom of religion and France, in its Fifth Republic incarnation, is committed to freedom from religion? If so then I believe that the objective of government in the US is to be only marginally involved with issues involving religious practice, whereas, the government of France will be perpetually involved with issues involving religious practice.
It is completely wrong to speak of the voting public "moving right" on immigration. It is the establishment that first moved far far left, letting in migrants by the tens of millions, a total overhaul of Europe unprecedented in history. The indigenous people of Europe have never supported this! And yet their leaders have always done it anyway. What does that tell you about democracy?