Macron in China
Jean-Michel Benard, Chatillon (Hauts-de-Seine)
I was delighted to read the article on “Gribouille’s diplomacy” as I was surprised by the content of the President of the Republic’s remarks during his trip to China. I would compare for the simple people that we are diplomacy to the exercise of the tightrope walker who walks on his wire in a distant direction to reach (the safeguard of Ukraine) without falling. Powerful winds tend to unbalance the tightrope walker: the wind of anger in France (pension reform) and the reproving wind of the international: what did the Ukrainian and Taiwanese media think of this trip? Admittedly, the tightrope walker is not doing his show for free: many business leaders with contracts to sign accompanied the presidential visit to China (this is the realpolitik). But then let’s be cynical to the end: there will also be a lot of contracts to be signed during the reconstruction of Ukraine and we so badly need the small Taiwanese chips and those big ships loaded with goods that transit the very precious sea from China. Thanks to L’Express for keeping our eyes open to the spectacle of the world. (“At the same time Emmanuel Macron or the diplomacy of Gribouille”, L’Express April 20).
Let’s keep our Constitution!
Jean-Paul Delafenêtre, Esclauzels (Lot)
Gaspard Koenig he speaks seriously when he proposes to question the main foundation of democracy, that is to say the election of rulers by the governed? It is all the merit of L’Express to open its columns to him to spread such nonsense, but the realization of his hypothesis would be particularly harmful in my eyes. Let us recall that after having tested all the regimes, the French have finally adopted a Constitution which brings back into proportion the paradox which characterizes them: that of being at the same time “head cutters” and inventors human rights”. (“Retirements: “We must put an end to the presidential regime”, by Gaspard Koenig”, L’Express of April 20).
Electric versus thermal?
Christian Mignot, Belz (Morbihan)
How not to wonder after the story of the Paris-Toulouse epic in an electric vehicle? In addition to the more than considerable travel time (10h45!) the “fuel” cost (96€!) is much higher than that of a thermal, diesel or even petrol vehicle. We don’t know whether to laugh or cry… (“Paris-Toulouse by electric car: still difficult to do”L’Express of April 13).
The origin of inequalities
Michel Schalck, Strasbourg (Bas-Rhin)
Arnaud Bouillin’s chart of the factors that play the most in income disparities is astoundingly clear. If you had the goal of informing us, it is a great success. (“Income: where does inequality come from?L’Express of April 13).
Mauriac, the universalist
Bernard Fatoux, Beziers (Herault)
As Bernard Cazeneuve points out, François Mauriac is “profoundly universalist” and, indeed, he would not have been a follower of the cancel culture. Many of his novels had to undergo unheard-of attacks on the part of the eternal well-meaning, the Pharisees and the extremists of right or left. Thérèse Desqueyrouxit’s a bit Madame Bovary by Flaubert! There was also The Desire of Love, The Knot of Vipers, The Black Angels, Genitrix… In his presence, General de Gaulle evoked Mauriac in Langon, on April 15, 1961: “I am happy to salute here this very great writer who explains, who assists, who enhances the man and who illustrates France”. During a François Mauriac symposium held in Bordeaux in 1985, Jacques Chaban-Delmas had these words: “The spirit will continue to dominate matter and overcome death”. (“Bernard Cazeneuve: “François Mauriac is profoundly universalist”“, L’Express of April 6).
Men’s Fashion Special: the great classics are back!
The massive infusion of streetwear in the men’s locker room and the “comfort” trend revealed by the confinements linked to the Covid would have stored the great classics of the “world before” at the back of the wardrobe. Joggers replacing suits, T-shirts replacing fitted shirts or polo shirts, sneakers triumphing over moccasins. A few months ago, some predicted the definitive extinction of the old-fashioned dandyism and relaxed chic that reigned over the 2010s. Wrongly. In the light of the last Fashion Weeks, these two totems of style are making a comeback. Revisited and designed according to the new challenges of the textile industry (sustainability, ethics, eco-responsibility), the classics prove that they are now soluble in modernity. To discover in our central notebook.