French President Francois Hollande has commissioned a report, published today, which supports the legalization of euthanasia for the terminally ill.
The report is the first step towards the legalisation of medically assisted suicide in France.
The French public are already in favor of a change in the law, with polls suggesting that 89% of the population want the law changed.
Legislation could be produced as early as June 2013.
Paris hit by wave of street muggings and grave robberies – Telegraph.
The record high price of precious metals and austerity in Paris have led to a wave of street muggings and grave robberies across the French capital.
Pantin cemetery, northern Paris, has seen a number of graves dug up and gold teeth and jewellery stolen. Pantin cemetery is the largest in Paris, with a million graves.
As well as the grave robbers and muggers, precious metal thieves have caused extensive damage and led to long delays on the French rail network. Thieves have been stealing the copper cables used along the railways.
Europe’s first gay friendly mosque has opened in Paris, France. The new mosque opened in a small room inside the house of a Buddhist monk.
The “mosque” has been critised by Muslim leaders in Paris who have said that it is, “against the spirit of Islam”. However the founder of the mosque says he is breaking “prejudices in Islam”.
The mosque will also break with traditional Muslim teaching of women. The founder, French-Algerian gay rights activist and practicing Muslim Ludovic-Mohamed Zahed, says he wants to also allow women to lead Friday prayers.
Sébastien Lifshitz’s “Les Invisibles” (“The Invidables”) is a documentary about the lives of elderly homosexual and lesbian couples in France. The documentary is released this week at a time France is gripped by the debate about same-sex marriage and gay adoption.
The documentary looks at the lives of gay men and women and how they explored their sexuality through a time that same-sex marriage was not in the public consciousness.
Lifshitz has made name for himself creating gay-themed documentaries. Although he argues “Les Invisables” is not about the national debate in France surrounding same-sex marriage, he agrees his documentary is his contribution to the conversation.
French lawmakers are set to vote on same-sex marriage in a few months time.
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has told the French parliament that France will vote in favour of the Palestinian Authorities UN bid to be made a non-member observer. If the Palestinian bid is successful it would implicitly recognise Palestinian statehood, and would give the Palestinian’s access to bodies like the International Court of Human Rights in the Hague. The Palestinian’s could then file complaints against Israel.
The rest of Europe remains divided over the issue. Portugal and Spain say they will vote for the motion, but Germany are opposed to any change in the Palestinian’s United Nations status. Britain remains undecided. The United States and Israel are strongly opposed to the move.
The rating’s agency Moody’s has stripped France of it’s AAA credit rating. The agency cited France’s continued exposure to the eurozone debt crisis, but also said the inflexible labour market and low levels of innovation were seriously hindering France’s growth prospects.
In a statement Moody’s said: “Further shocks to sovereign and bank credit markets would further undermine financial and economic stability in France as well as in other euro area countries.
“The impact of such shocks would be expected to be felt disproportionately by more highly indebted governments such as France.”
The move is a serious blow to the socialist governments economic policies. Francois Hollande’s government is trying to push through labour reforms, though some believe they do not go far enough.
There were strikes and anti-austerity rallies across Europe on Wednesday. General Strikes were called in Spain and Italy. Rallies were also held in France and Greece. The protests in Spain ended as police fired rubber bullets, in violent clashes between protesters and police. In Italy at least 17 police officers were injured as protests in Rome, Milan and Turin turned violent.
Internet giant Google has threatened to stop linking to French media sites to protest against a proposed French law that would force search engines to pay for content, sparking an angry reaction from the Socialist government in return. Internet giant Google has warned it would exclude French media sites from its search results if France adopts a law forcing search engines to pay for content, in the latest confrontation with European governments.
A letter sent by Google to several French ministerial offices this month said it “cannot accept” such a move and the company “as a consequence would be required to no longer reference French sites,” according to a copy obtained by AFP.
The French new Socialist government, which is open to helping struggling media companies, warned Google that it should not threaten democratic governments. Google said a law which would require it to make payments to media sites for displaying links to their content, would “threaten Googles very existence”.
It also noted that Google “redirects four billion clicks per month towards the Internet pages” of French media. However, the media have had difficulty benefitting from the Google traffic, as online readers resist paying for access when so much content is free on the Internet. Newspapers around the world have seen their bottom line come under pressure, as their print advertising revenues slide with more people reading news online.
Google takes in tens of billions of dollars annually as companies seek to advertise their wares as Internet users search for content. Leading French newspaper publishers last month called on the government to adopt a law imposing a settlement in the long-running dispute with Google, forcing it and other search engines to share some of the advertising revenue from user searches for news contained on media websites. Their demand follows the German government approval in August of draft legislation that would force search engines to pay commissions to German media websites.
via Google threatens to stop linking to French media sites – INTERNET – FRANCE 24.
Vive le…. TAX?
The French Socialist government confirmed a 75% tax rate for top earners and a new 45% ‘band’ for revenues over 150,000 euros.
Businesses are targeted as well. Loan interest tax deductions have been reduced and a capital gains tax break has been eliminated. These respective cuts have taken €4 and €2 BILLION out of the hands of business and placed them into government coffers.
“France is sick because of the model it has … but is choosing to preserve it.” says Guillaume Cairou, Head of the Entrepreneurs Club.
Luc Besson unveils Cinema City production studio in Paris – FRANCE – CINEMA – FRANCE 24.
French film maker Luc Bessson has realised his dream of building a Hollywood style studio complex on the outskirts of Paris.
Cinema City will provide costume and model building; as well as production and post production facilities.
“France has Europe’s biggest film industry and yet until now it was the only European country without the infrastructure to produce a film,” said Christophe Lambert, general director of Besson’s production firm EuropaCorp.
Cinema City is being called “Hollywood on Seine”.
The project as cost 170 million euros and will need to major productions a year to cover operational costs. EuropaCorp believes the facility will be fully booked within the year, with European and America producers eager to use the studios.
The French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo has printed cartoons of the prophet Mohammed naked in it’s latest addition. The magazine has a history of using satire to poke fun at organized religion. Last year the magazine was attacked by a fire bomb after it ran cartoons depicting Mohammed. This latest publication has been condemned by the French government, and has led to riot police being deployed to protect the magazines Paris headquarters. France has also shut it’s embassies, and schools in Islamic countries, in fear of a backlash
Charlie Hebdo has responded to the criticism by saying they were not attacking Islam, by commenting on the protests against America as a result of the anti-Islam, “Innocence of Muslims”.
Church prayer angers French gay rights groups – France – FRANCE 24.
The Catholic Church in France will revive an old tradition next week: “Prayer for France” will be read out in churches across the country.
The mobilization of churches to pray across France, is in response to President Francois Hollande’s desire to legilise same-sex marriage and allow gay couples to adopt. Prayer for France will be attacking the governments proposed changes to the law. The church’s plans have angered gay rights groups in France.
The “Prayer for France” used to be an annual event, started by King Louis XIII, but died out after World War II. Louis XIII made August 15th a day for the churches across the country to pray for the good of France.
Mob ‘attacks’ police during Islamic veil ID check – FRANCE – FRANCE 24.
A mob of around 50 people attacked police as they ID checked a woman wearing the full Islamic veil in Marseille, France.
It is illegal to wear the full veil in France after former President Sarkozy, passed the controversial law in 2010.
Four people were arrested, but very soon released; a move which has angered the head of the Alliance police union.
Marseille has problems with gun crime and violence is common, relations between locals and the authorities are already tense.
It seems a week does not go by without more pictures of Greeks rioting and protesting their current economic situation. Just this week the Greek Prime Minister has said that Greece is in the midst of a Great Depression.
Now economists are looking closely at the French economy; France numbers are pointing towards the same outcome as Greece. France currently has an eye wateringly high debt to GDP ratio: 86.1% of GDP (146% if ECB liabilities and bank guarantees are included). Although the UK and America have similar levels of indebtedness they have the mechanisms to do something about it. They also have far more political will to change the socialist policies causing the problem.
In France there is no political will at present, to change the labor laws, and encourage free enterprise. Since coming to power in May, Francois Hollande has already reduced the pension age, increased taxation on the wealthy, increased public spending, and increased the money governments are to pay to the EU. He has also opted out of EU regulations to cap nations budget deficits.
If France continues on this present course the economic death spiral seen in Greece will come to France some time soon.
For more analysis of the situation see The Telegraph