Inside France: Celebrity weddings, new elections and yet more tear gas
From cute fluffy ducklings to the election trail, celebrity weddings to political double standards, our new weekly newsletter Inside France looks at what we have been talking about in France this week.
Inside France is our weekly look at some of the news, talking points and gossip in France that you might not have heard about. It’s published each Saturday and members can receive it directly to their inbox, by going to their newsletter preferences or adding their email to the sign-up box in this article.
Election (non) fever
France heads back to the polls on Sunday for the first round of voting in the parliamentary elections.
These elections essentially decide whether we get five years of political paralysis or 'Macron: Part II' - a wide-reaching programme of reforms.
READ ALSO What happens on Sunday and why is it important
They're therefore pretty important, but a growing number of voters have decided that they simply don't care - is it uninspiring candidates, European voter apathy or (as John Lichfield argues) simply too many elections?
The election poster that has raised the most comments has been this very cute one from the Parti Animaliste - whether it will win them any MPs remains to be seen.
Photo: The Local
Macron has also been out on the election trail, meeting a mixed reception.
Macron accosted by a woman who asked him 'You put at the head of government two men who have been accused of rape and violence against women, why?'
I mean it's a fair question . . . https://t.co/eUlq1o52Kh
— Emma Pearson (@LocalFR_Emma) June 9, 2022
Another tear-gassing incident by police
Just one week after shocking images of football fans being tear-gassed by police at the Stade de France, police were again filmed using gaz lacrymogène, this time on a crowd of passengers at Gare de l'Est who were waiting for a replacement bus service.
Panne de train à gare de l'Est: les forces de l'ordre ont fait usage de gaz lacrymogène pour disperser les passagers pic.twitter.com/1CmkdpTjaM
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) June 5, 2022
This week has also seen a report presented to the Prime Minister, while Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, Paris police chief Didier Lallement and representatives of the French Football Federation were summoned before the Senate to answer questions about the chaotic scenes at the Champions League final.
It's been a frankly unedifying spectacle of excuses, half apologies and 'lost' CCTV footage - but an increasing number of people in France are starting to ask where are the Senate hearings into the many French victims of police violence.
From 'yellow vest' protesters to Adama Traore, Steve Canico and 'Théo' there is a long and grim list of French people who have ended up injured, maimed or dead after interactions with the police.
In most cases they or their families have to fight for years to achieve any kind of enquiry, and it's difficult to recall any other occasion when the Senate summoned the Interior Minister to answer questions about police behaviour just one week after the event - a case of double standards?
Wedding bells
Congratulations to ex president François Hollande, who this week got married for the first time at the age of 67.
His bride is Julie Gayet, the well-known French actress who Hollande was revealed to be having an affair with while he was president back in 2014. The two had a quiet ceremony in Corrèze, central France.
Talking France
The latest edition of our Talking France podcast is out - looking at French elections, inflation, celebrity weddings, obscure French regional languages, inheritance law and more . . . Listen on the link below or find it on Spotify, Apple or HERE.
Last laugh
And you might have noticed quite a few French people chuckling when former PM Manuel Valls failed to make it past the first round of the parliamentary elections to represent French people living abroad (who vote one week earlier than the rest of the country).
if you live within a 30 mile radius of south London and just heard a lengthy, hysterical cackle I can only apologise, just found out Manuel Valls fucked his attempted return to the Assemblee Nationale so bad he lost in the first round https://t.co/rpQEYtHyik
— Marie Le Conte (@youngvulgarian) June 5, 2022
You might think it's a little mean to laugh at his humiliation, but Valls has earned himself quite a reputation for abrasive statements during his time in politics - from suggesting that the city of Marseille should be bulldozed to denying the existence of "white privilege" in France.
For the rest of France, voting in the parliamentary elections takes place on Sunday June 12th and June 19th - we'll be covering the results live on Sunday evening HERE.
Inside France is our weekly look at some of the news, talking points and gossip in France that you might not have heard about. It’s published each Saturday and members can receive it directly to their inbox, by going to their newsletter preferences or adding their email to the sign-up box in this article.
Comments
See Also
Inside France is our weekly look at some of the news, talking points and gossip in France that you might not have heard about. It’s published each Saturday and members can receive it directly to their inbox, by going to their newsletter preferences or adding their email to the sign-up box in this article.
Election (non) fever
France heads back to the polls on Sunday for the first round of voting in the parliamentary elections.
These elections essentially decide whether we get five years of political paralysis or 'Macron: Part II' - a wide-reaching programme of reforms.
READ ALSO What happens on Sunday and why is it important
They're therefore pretty important, but a growing number of voters have decided that they simply don't care - is it uninspiring candidates, European voter apathy or (as John Lichfield argues) simply too many elections?
The election poster that has raised the most comments has been this very cute one from the Parti Animaliste - whether it will win them any MPs remains to be seen.
Macron accosted by a woman who asked him 'You put at the head of government two men who have been accused of rape and violence against women, why?'
— Emma Pearson (@LocalFR_Emma) June 9, 2022
I mean it's a fair question . . . https://t.co/eUlq1o52Kh
Another tear-gassing incident by police
Just one week after shocking images of football fans being tear-gassed by police at the Stade de France, police were again filmed using gaz lacrymogène, this time on a crowd of passengers at Gare de l'Est who were waiting for a replacement bus service.
Panne de train à gare de l'Est: les forces de l'ordre ont fait usage de gaz lacrymogène pour disperser les passagers pic.twitter.com/1CmkdpTjaM
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) June 5, 2022
This week has also seen a report presented to the Prime Minister, while Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, Paris police chief Didier Lallement and representatives of the French Football Federation were summoned before the Senate to answer questions about the chaotic scenes at the Champions League final.
It's been a frankly unedifying spectacle of excuses, half apologies and 'lost' CCTV footage - but an increasing number of people in France are starting to ask where are the Senate hearings into the many French victims of police violence.
From 'yellow vest' protesters to Adama Traore, Steve Canico and 'Théo' there is a long and grim list of French people who have ended up injured, maimed or dead after interactions with the police.
In most cases they or their families have to fight for years to achieve any kind of enquiry, and it's difficult to recall any other occasion when the Senate summoned the Interior Minister to answer questions about police behaviour just one week after the event - a case of double standards?
Wedding bells
Congratulations to ex president François Hollande, who this week got married for the first time at the age of 67.
His bride is Julie Gayet, the well-known French actress who Hollande was revealed to be having an affair with while he was president back in 2014. The two had a quiet ceremony in Corrèze, central France.
Talking France
The latest edition of our Talking France podcast is out - looking at French elections, inflation, celebrity weddings, obscure French regional languages, inheritance law and more . . . Listen on the link below or find it on Spotify, Apple or HERE.
Last laugh
And you might have noticed quite a few French people chuckling when former PM Manuel Valls failed to make it past the first round of the parliamentary elections to represent French people living abroad (who vote one week earlier than the rest of the country).
if you live within a 30 mile radius of south London and just heard a lengthy, hysterical cackle I can only apologise, just found out Manuel Valls fucked his attempted return to the Assemblee Nationale so bad he lost in the first round https://t.co/rpQEYtHyik
— Marie Le Conte (@youngvulgarian) June 5, 2022
You might think it's a little mean to laugh at his humiliation, but Valls has earned himself quite a reputation for abrasive statements during his time in politics - from suggesting that the city of Marseille should be bulldozed to denying the existence of "white privilege" in France.
For the rest of France, voting in the parliamentary elections takes place on Sunday June 12th and June 19th - we'll be covering the results live on Sunday evening HERE.
Inside France is our weekly look at some of the news, talking points and gossip in France that you might not have heard about. It’s published each Saturday and members can receive it directly to their inbox, by going to their newsletter preferences or adding their email to the sign-up box in this article.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.