Rozier's Orléans Diary

The French Socialists need to do more than win the election

2012-02-01T16:37:00.002+01:00

It's been 17 years since France last had a leftwing president, in François Mitterrand. Since then, the left has been through a number of humiliating defeats: first in 2002, when its candidate, former prime minister Lionel Jospin, didn't even make it to the second round, and in 2007, when Ségolène Royal was badly defeated by Nicolas Sarkozy.

Source

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/feb/01/french-socialists-election?newsfeed=truehttp://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/feb/01/french-socialists-election?newsfeed=true

Afghans Blast Sarkozy's Troop Withdrawal Plan

2012-01-31T17:23:00.000+01:00

France's plans to withdraw its combat troops from Afghanistan a year early drew harsh words Saturday in the Afghan capital, with critics accusing French President Nicolas Sarkozy of putting his re-election campaign ahead of Afghans' safety

If Hollande is elected they will be out of Afghanistan by the end of 2012 anyway; unless he goes back on his election promises.

* Business * Tobin tax France plans Tobin tax on financial transactions

2012-01-30T16:28:00.000+01:00

Nicolas Sarkozy has announced plans to impose a tax on financial transactions.
The French president said a new 0.1% tax would come into force in August regardless of whether or not the European Union agrees to impose a 'Tobin tax' across the EU.

Source
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/jan/30/france-tobin-tax-nicolas-sarkozy

France to end Afghanistan mission in 2013 | euronews, world news

2012-01-29T12:48:00.000+01:00

France to end Afghanistan mission in 2013 | euronews, world news

France is to pull its 3,600 troops out of Afghanistan at the end of next year. President Nicolas Sarkozy made the announcement during a visit to Paris by his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai.

Source

http://www.euronews.net/2012/01/27/france-to-end-afghanistan-mission-in-2013/

Raymond Aubrac: How I tricked the Gestapo

2012-01-28T08:33:00.000+01:00

The capture of French Resistance hero Jean Moulin is one of the country's darkest chapters of the war. The last surviving Resistance leader, Raymond Aubrac, recalls that night and the audacious escape that followed.

Source

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16761781

France outlaws Armenian Genocide denial

2012-01-27T09:46:00.000+01:00

Turkey has vowed to retaliate, after the French Senate approved a bill making it a crime to deny that the massacre of Armenians by the Ottoman empire in 1915, was genocide. Ankara has already suspended military, political and economic ties with Paris.Both houses of the French parliament have passed the bill, which still has to be signed off by President Sarkozy in order to become law. The proposal is set to make the denial of genocide and war crimes, recognized by French law, punishable by up to a year in prison. Turkey denies the massacre, that's considered by many to be the 20th century's first genocide. The executive director of the Armenian National Committee of America, Aram Hamparian, says the measure will force Ankara to admit to the atrocities.