“Tomorrow, we shave for free”
Philippe D. Vincent, Versailles (Yvelines)
In their radicalism, the two extremes of the French political spectrum come together: the same excesses in their words, the same ignorance of economic mechanisms, the same beliefs in the virtue of words to change reality. With them, we are witnessing an outbidding war that is similar to what we could call the Lépine competition of “Tomorrow, we shave for free”. Unfortunately, the result can only be the bankruptcy of France! Their total ignorance of economic mechanisms makes them ignore this common sense idea: to redistribute wealth, it must first be created! Failing that, this largesse is paid for by a rise in deficits and an increase in the cost of living that comes back like a boomerang on the heads of the most deprived. (“Public finances: France in the second division, it’s now”L’Express of June 20.)
Let’s listen to peripheral France!
Yannick Girardeau, Marsilly (Charente-Maritime)
I largely agree with the arguments developed by Arnaud Lacheret according to which the rural and peri-urban electorate will decide the future of the country. This “peripheral France” that no one wants to see has been ringing the alarm bell for decades, without ever being heard. The hyper-centralization of our country has congested our capital as well as certain regional metropolises, while deserting the “France of constituencies”. These legislative elections constitute a new alert which, this time, must be taken into account by those who hold the levers of power. An acceleration of decentralization (of all types), allowing decision-making as close as possible to citizens, seems to me to be an essential requirement. (“Legislative: Those who live in the city will not decide the outcome“, L’Express of June 20.)
Rebellious… but not too much
Eric Garnier, Villemomble (Seine-Saint-Denis)
If we understand correctly, being “insubordinate” at LFI means being totally submissive to the leader Melenximo, and therefore giving up all freedom of expression. Sinister… (“New Popular Front: how Mélenchon wants to get rid of Ruffin, Autain, Corbière and the others”on Lexpress.fr)
Get out of the microcosm!
Christophe Deleuze, L’Arbresle (Rhône)
Although I did not vote for the RN, it would seem to me beneficial if “the elites” had the presence of mind to ask themselves why. Because no, France is not a collection of racist, reactionary fascists and other outrageous categories. There is of course an old, hateful and rancid bottom of the tank, but we should stop thinking that all RN votes are the result of that. In my opinion, we would not be here if the public authorities really assumed their “sovereign” missions (justice, security, education, etc.); if the “elites” left the Parisian microcosm and a certain form of intellectual consanguinity to meet people living outside the ring road; if the admiration that the legitimate defense of their culture by the first peoples procures was not accompanied, with regard to those who are trying to preserve theirs here, by an accusation of “racism”, “xenophobia” and other joyful things that claim to close the debate. In short, if we took a little time to try to understand what is wrong and, consequently, to correct what must – and still can – be corrected. (“Can we “block” when we ourselves become a deterrent?”L’Express of June 20.)
Everyone’s responsibility
Dagmar Coward, The Tower of Crieu (Ariège)
I enjoyed the last sentence of Marion van Renterghem’s article. : “It’s up to us to block the last step”, which represents a call for everyone’s responsibility. As Emmanuel Macron said, the result will be “no one’s fault”, but the expression of the “responsibility of the French”. That is democracy. (“Abandoned by Macron, Europe is dissolved in dissolution”L’Express of June 20.)
The unusual ABCs of the Olympic Games
From A for poster to Z for celebration zones – around sixty fan zones will welcome those who do not have tickets in Paris and the Ile-de-France region – via D for doping, M for medals or T for transport: three weeks before the opening of the Olympic Games on July 26, L’Express revisits the main issues of this unusual summer in a sports and unusual ABC combining information and anecdotes. As a preamble, Etienne Thobois, the general director of the organizing committee, looks back in an interview on the years that made the event possible, from the unfortunate candidacy of 2012 to the victorious one in 2024, on the key stages of the recent organization and draws up an initial financial assessment. Find our 24-page thematic notebook in the center of the magazine.