French envoy to US hits back after Bush bashing
France’s ambassador to the US has come out fighting following Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush’s mocking of France and its “three day working week”. The envoy took to Twitter to spell out a few home truths. Here’s a selection.
Ambassador Gérard Araud was clearly not willing to take Bush's jibe during a presidential debate lying down.
The White House hopeful had mustered the ultimate American put-down as he clashed with a former ally, accusing him of putting in a French work week.
"Literally, the Senate, is it a French work week? You turn up for like three days?" Bush hit out in a fiery exchange with his Florida Senator Marco Rubio during the debate.
As expected the comment touched a raw nerve back in France, where most people staunchly defend the country's work culture and in particular the sacred 35-hour week, which is often the subject of mocking from across the pond.
Leading the charge was Ambassador Araud, who called Bush's comments "bombastic nonsense" and tried to set the record straight about a few old clichés of France that remain alive and well in the US.
Araud took to Twitter to defend all things French.
First of all he send this tweet, pointing out the benefits of France's social security system and employment rights.
A French work week of 3 days? No but a pregnancy paid leave of 16 weeks yes! And proud of it.
— Gérard Araud (@GerardAraud) October 29, 2015
His riposte was retweeted nearly 1,000 times.
Then when someone on Twitter asked him whether he was proud of France's high rate of taxes Araud said:
.@3put4bogey Yes proud of the tax rates! For us, health care and education are not commodities but human rights with universal access.
— Gérard Araud (@GerardAraud) October 29, 2015
Araud then found himself embroiled in a row over which health care system was better the US or the French, which had been judged the best in the world back in 2000, by the World Health Organisation.
.@3put4bogey The free-market healthcare system costs 18% /US GDP and our socialized 12% of the French one with better vital statistics.
— Gérard Araud (@GerardAraud) October 29, 2015
.@3put4bogey The slight difference is that in Europe you don't need to have money to have access to healthcare. Poor or rich.
— Gérard Araud (@GerardAraud) October 29, 2015
.@3put4bogey @Contisertoli Wrong! Your healthcare system is much costlier than ours and less universal and effectuve.
— Gérard Araud (@GerardAraud) October 29, 2015
Araud also found himself trying to put the record straight when one tweeter riled him by saying "no one likes the French".
.@MortimerEsq "Nobody likes the French"? A comment denied by all the Americans I have met so far. I would actually think the opposite.
— Gérard Araud (@GerardAraud) October 29, 2015
Although it's fair to say many sympathetic American's tweeted the French ambassador and told him to ignore Bush's comments.
Even the White House became embroiled in the row, with the press spokesman telling a French journalist the Jeb Bush was probably just jealous of the French, which is the only explanation most French people can offer up to explain the incessant bashing of France from Britain and the United States.
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Ambassador Gérard Araud was clearly not willing to take Bush's jibe during a presidential debate lying down.
The White House hopeful had mustered the ultimate American put-down as he clashed with a former ally, accusing him of putting in a French work week.
"Literally, the Senate, is it a French work week? You turn up for like three days?" Bush hit out in a fiery exchange with his Florida Senator Marco Rubio during the debate.
As expected the comment touched a raw nerve back in France, where most people staunchly defend the country's work culture and in particular the sacred 35-hour week, which is often the subject of mocking from across the pond.
Leading the charge was Ambassador Araud, who called Bush's comments "bombastic nonsense" and tried to set the record straight about a few old clichés of France that remain alive and well in the US.
Araud took to Twitter to defend all things French.
First of all he send this tweet, pointing out the benefits of France's social security system and employment rights.
A French work week of 3 days? No but a pregnancy paid leave of 16 weeks yes! And proud of it.
— Gérard Araud (@GerardAraud) October 29, 2015
His riposte was retweeted nearly 1,000 times.
Then when someone on Twitter asked him whether he was proud of France's high rate of taxes Araud said:
.@3put4bogey Yes proud of the tax rates! For us, health care and education are not commodities but human rights with universal access.
— Gérard Araud (@GerardAraud) October 29, 2015
Araud then found himself embroiled in a row over which health care system was better the US or the French, which had been judged the best in the world back in 2000, by the World Health Organisation.
.@3put4bogey The free-market healthcare system costs 18% /US GDP and our socialized 12% of the French one with better vital statistics.
— Gérard Araud (@GerardAraud) October 29, 2015
.@3put4bogey The slight difference is that in Europe you don't need to have money to have access to healthcare. Poor or rich.
— Gérard Araud (@GerardAraud) October 29, 2015
.@3put4bogey @Contisertoli Wrong! Your healthcare system is much costlier than ours and less universal and effectuve.
— Gérard Araud (@GerardAraud) October 29, 2015
Araud also found himself trying to put the record straight when one tweeter riled him by saying "no one likes the French".
.@MortimerEsq "Nobody likes the French"? A comment denied by all the Americans I have met so far. I would actually think the opposite.
— Gérard Araud (@GerardAraud) October 29, 2015
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