Retreats seen from Quebec
Denis Malgrange, Limay (Yvelines)
I just came back from Quebec, where French news is followed closely, and I was able to see the perplexity of Quebecers. The retirement age gradually increased to 64? Canadians get theirs at age 65. Measures to compensate for long careers or arduous work? None of this exists in Canada. The refusal to introduce a share of capitalization to compensate for unfavorable demographics (except, another French extravagance, for civil servants)? It is incomprehensible to them. Transport at a standstill? If the country is blocked, the Canadians send in the army… Overall, their incomprehension concerns both the government, unable to explain, and public opinion, refusing to understand. Nothing like a stay abroad to take some distance from our national psychodramas. (“Retirements: the” too much sacrifice “?”, L’Express of March 16)
And global warming?
Pierre and Françoise Fiard, Saint-Tropez (Var)
I had dreamed, when voting Emmanuel Macron, of a French policy taking in hand all the springs allowing us to move towards a better world, attentive to meeting the challenges posed by global warming. And now, through an inexplicable (for me) blindness, we find ourselves stuck in a political slump where warming is in the streets, the climate is in depression and thunderstorms everywhere except in the sky, to the great displeasure of our water tables. Instead of building our entire policy around the fight to reduce our CO² emissions, we are embroiled in sterile controversies that will delay the efforts essential to this end. Our country can only be reconciled around a life-saving project for all: the fight against the warming of our only still habitable planet!!! (“Macron trapped by his certainties”, L’Express of March 23)
Revise the Constitution
Jean-Luc Bresin
Yes, section 49.3 is constitutional, but our Constitution is an old lady over 60 years old. Maybe it needs to be overhauled? Our Macron era is very different from that of General de Gaulle and Georges Pompidou. And the French of 2023 are not (and do not think) like in 1962! (“Political crisis, regime crisis… The entangled president”, L’Express of March 23)
Let’s reverse the order of the presidential and legislative elections
René Hurstel, Rossfeld (Bas-Rhin)
The choice of deputies who make the law should no longer be determined by the choice of the president who must implement it. The result of the legislative elections must no longer depend on the result of the election of the Head of State. Consequently, the legislative elections should once again take place before the presidential election. (“Political crisis, regime crisis… The entangled president”, L’Express of March 23)
Total’s margins
Claude Savourey, Orvault (Loire-Atlantique)
I have been a small shareholder of Total for a long time. I’m going to get around 375 euros in dividends this year, or a 5% return – better than a Caisse d’Epargne booklet – and I don’t feel guilty about anything. On the other hand, I am a little surprised by the fuel oil price/crude oil price ratio, which has gone from 2.68 in September 2022 to 3.15 today. If I’m not too stupid, I deduce that the refiners’ margins have since widened, and that Total has increased its profits at the expense of consumers. (“Dividends: five false ideas conveyed by the left”, by Nicolas Bouzou, L’Express of February 23)
Solidarity with Armenia
Robert Laurent, Alixan (Drome)
A humanitarian doctor, I have gone to Armenia several times for missions, and I can only agree with the petition launched by the philosopher Daniel Salvatore Schiffer who calls for Armenia to be defended, “a noble and just cause”. I simply regret that anonymous people cannot join this process. (“Armenia: let’s awaken our consciences!”, L’Express of March 16).
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