Tag Archives: France

News

Francois Hollande Threatens US Business


French President elect is already making U.S. business uneasy.

Francois Hollande has said he will make it “extremely expensive” for businesses to sack French workers.

U.S. businesses employ 800,000 French, and General Motors are looking at closing a large plant in eastern France. At a time when the French economy is struggling, Hollande should make France attractive to foreign investors. France is already famous for it’s powerful unions, who bring the country to a standstill with their frequent strikes.

Standard and Poor downgraded France last year, claiming restrictive labour laws as one of the reasons. Hollande will only make feelings worse, creating an anti-enterprise environment, alienating foreign investment.

News

Hollande’s Plane Hit by Lightening

Immediately after Francois Hollande was sworn in as France’s new President, he left for a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Germany.However, Hollande’s plane was force to turn back to Paris after it was hit by lightening.No one was injured in the incident and Hollande was soon on his way to Berlin again.Hollande has made it known he wants to renegotiate the EU Fiscal Pact.Saying today, “To our partners, I will propose a new pact that links a necessary reduction in public debt with indispensable economic stimulus.”How Hollande plans to create this “economic stimulus” without increasing public debt is less clear.Chancellor Merkel, who is known as the Iron Chancellor, has already told Hollande the EU pact is not up for re-negotiation, and she is keen to see EU governments stick to their austerity obligations. 

 

News

Eurozone Crisis Deepens After French Elections

After socialist candidate Francois Hollande won the French Presidential elections, markets fell across the world.

Hollande is France’s first socialist President in 17 years. He won on the promise of a move away from austerity, more government spending, and high taxes on the rich.

Businesses in France are concerned, with many wealthy French planning to move to London.

Hollande’s victory could also bring about division at the heart of Europe, as German Chancellor Angela Merkel has repeated calls that austerity must be stuck to. However, the southern European nations of Italy, Spain and Greece hope that Hollande will side with them in a move away from austerity.

News

NEWS: – France’s Sarkozy hit by defections and poll plunge

France’s Sarkozy hit by defections and poll plunge

By Brian Love

PARIS (Reuters) – French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s re-election hopes suffered a double setback four days from the first round of voting when a string of public defections compounded the impression that his tumble in opinion polls is pushing victory beyond reach.

Former town planning minister Fadela Amara joined a growing list of political figures to desert the conservative Sarkozy and announce they will vote for his arch-rival, Socialist frontrunner Francois Hollande.

That followed the most devastating opinion poll for weeks, which showed Hollande has opened a five-point lead over Sarkozy in the first ballot next Sunday, and the Socialist has a yawning 16-point advantage in voting intentions for the May 6 runoff.

After a week of steady poll gains for Hollande, the CSA survey released on Thursday night gave him 29 percent of the first round vote, up two points from the institute’s previous survey, versus 24 percent for Sarkozy, down two points.

Sarkozy put on a brave face when asked during an interview on BFM TV what he thought of the latest poll showing Hollande on course to become the first Socialist president since Francois Mitterrand left office in 1995.

“There’s not much point in commenting (on the polls) when they’re good and then commenting on the others because they’re bad,” he said.

Amara, one of the left-of-centre figures Sarkozy recruited to government in the first years after his 2007 election, joined Corinne Lepage, an ecologist former environment minister in a previous centre-right government, who said she would back Hollande because Sarkozy had lurched too far to the right.

Sarkozy’s conservative predecessor Jacques Chirac, 79, is also planning to vote for Hollande, according to the man who helped him write an autobiography after 12 years as head of state from 1995 until 2007. Sarkozy said people should leave the old man in peace and not “manipulate” him.

DEFECTORS

Others who have said they will vote Hollande despite having served in office under Sarkozy or Chirac include former high commissioner on poverty Martin Hirsch, equal opportunities junior minister Azouz Begag and former culture minister Jean-Jacques Aillagon.

Sarkozy’s poll standing improved in the weeks following the launch of his re-election campaign in mid-February and at one stage most surveys showed him topping the first round, but not a single poll has shown Hollande losing the runoff.

In the past week however, Hollande has recovered and Sarkozy slipped in almost all polls. Far-right candidate Marine Le Pen has strengthened her position in third place with 17 percent in the CSA poll, followed by hard-left firebrand Jean-Luc Melenchon on 15 percent and centrist Francois Bayrou on 10.

Bayrou, who has not said whom he back if as expected he is eliminated on Sunday’s first ballot, played down the defectors to Hollande as “those who always want their hands on the lever, to be on side with the powers that be”.

“You can’t build a country with people who are here one day and there the next,” he said.

Asked whether he might announce between the two rounds his intention to appoint Bayrou prime minister if re-elected, Sarkozy said: “I’m waiting to see the first round and I tell you that it’s not impossible that I’ll do that.”

Hollande warned his supporters against complacency or prematurely carving up government posts and reaffirmed in a France Inter radio interview that he would renegotiate a European budget discipline treaty to give priority to restoring growth, without which it would be impossible to reduce debt.

(Additional reporting By Brian Love, Leigh Thomas, Emmanuel Jarry, Yann Le Guernigou and Patrick Vignal; Editing by Paul Taylor)

via NEWS: – France’s Sarkozy hit by defections and poll plunge.

Opinion

Why Americans Should Hope that Nicolas Sarkozy Gets Re-Elected

If Sarkozy were to loose the Presidential elections on May 6th, which looks highly likely, should we care?

Sarkozy has been more pro-American than your average French President. He played a vital role in European diplomacy with Germany, helping broker many key pieces of legislation, often at a personal political cost domestically.

Sarkozy has also brought France back into the NATO fold, and stopped French opposition to US policy in the Middle East. Sarkozy also lead the international community in the fight against the Gaddafi regime.

So if Sarkozy looses the election it is likely France will distance herself from Germany’s policy on Europe, and it is likely France will again oppose US policy in the Middle East. And in these important days both measures could have serious implications to America.

 

Random Events, Free Will or Something Darker?

Severe Weather Cripples Europe

Since the Mantle has left Europe, extreme cold weather has spread from eastern Europe and Siberia westward to the Atlantic coast of France. The cold has already claimed over 300 lives on the European continent.

Snow has caused travel disruption across France, Italy and the UK. Snow has fallen as far south as Rome and southern France, to many areas which have not seen temperatures as low as -13 C for 25 years.

 

Spirituality & Health

Armageddon 2012?

For many the beginning of 2012 marks the start of an auspicious year. Many believe the world will end in December 2012.

This belief is rooted in ancient Mayan prophecy. The Mayan Calendar ends 21st December, and according to their traditions this marks the end of the age.

However, occult and New Age groups look to a small southern French town for their salvation. The town of Bugarach, is believed to be the only safe place to be in December 2012. New Age believers revere the town as having mystical power thinking it may have an underground UFO base, or be a gateway to an underground world.

For many this may sound ridiculous, but French authorities are taking this seriously as Bugarach is already seeing it’s small population rise, as they anticipate an influx of visitors hoping to escape apocalypse. Authorities also fear in the wake of December 21st cult groups,   many may enter mass suicide pacts, similar to Wacko.

News

French Satirical Magazine Fire Bombed

1 Comment

The French satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo, was fire-bombed this week, just after  our prophet mantle left the city.  The magazine planned an edition with an image of the prophet Mohammed and the caption, “100 lashes if you don’t die of laughter”. The magazine announced that Mohammed was the “guest editor” for the day, after Islamists made significant electoral gains in Tunisia and post Gaddafi Libya announced it will be run as an Islamic state, getting rid of regulations that do not conform to Islamic Sharia Law.

The Charlie Hebdo magazine Paris offices were completely destroyed by a “molotov cocktail” bomb. Their website was also hacked the same day and warning messages posted on its homepage in French and Turkish from Islamist extremists.

The attack raises serious questions about freedom of speech. With groups like the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), who aim to make western states legalize any “criticism” of Islam. The OIC, plan to lobby the UN as well as western governments to “criminalize” critics of Islam. If such laws were introduced, it would make it very difficult to say or print anything opposed to Islam, thereby gagging freedom of speech and the media globally.

 

 

News

G20 Meeting Cannes 3rd-4th November

World leaders will meet at the next G20 summit to take place in Cannes, France, 3rd-4th November 2011. With the world on the brink of global financial meltdown, this meeting is being seen as one of the last chances the world leaders will have of formulating a plan to avert financial catastrophe.

The date has galvanised resolve amongst Europe’s leaders to come prepared with a plan for the European Debt Crisis.  President Sarkozy and Chancellor Merkel have set a dead line for the end of October to come up with a “comprehensive” response, in time for the G20 summit. Their talks have come as the US, UK and developing world have placed increased pressure on the Eurozone to come up with a plan, criticising Europe for thus far “doing too little, too late.”

Merkel and Sarkozy are seeking to put together a package that will massively recapitalize the European banking sector in order to re-establish global confidence in Europe’s banks, as well as to bolster the European Financial Stability Facility bail-out Fund (EFSF), provide strong action on Greece, and plan ahead to avoid this happening again.

Major problems to find a solution exist. In particular, France is reluctant to use tax-payers money to help the banks, and Germany does not want to continue to pour money into the EFSF. The IMF has estimated that the European banks have a black hole of €200bn, and that the EFSF requires at least an extra €440bn.

The chairman of the Bank of England has said that the current financial crisis is “the most serious… since 1930s, if ever.” Never in history has the global financial system been so interlinked and integrated; meaning that if one part of the system fails, the knock on effects are felt everywhere. If Europe falls, she will take America and the UK with her!

The 1930s financial turmoil led to social meltdown as well as serious political problems. The economic woes of the 1930s helped Hitler’s rise to power in Germany and Communism take hold. However, there is still hope. The west does not need to revisit that type of social and political meltdown. We can yet find a way forward. Key to a solution being found is strong leadership, collective international resolve, and nerve to make tough choices. The G20 meeting in Cannes may be the last chance for the world leaders to show these attributes. Up until now there has been a lack of leadership, unwillingness to act and confusion.

The current raft of measures being considered may help avert economic meltdown, but what is also needed is a workable solution to resolve the fundamental problems within the Eurozone. Until the issue of imbalances between creditor and debtor nations are resolved, any measures will prove to be a sticking plaster on the problem, and we simply stave off disaster for another day.

This is the hour our leaders need wisdom and an atmosphere controlled by the Spirit of God. Support Prophet TV so we can run an intercessory prayer trip into Europe at this key hour of decision making; It will impact upon your life as well as the lives of the next generation.

 

News

European Bailout Fund- Oct ’11 updated

1 Comment

Monday, 31 October 2011 updated to June 2012

Last October we ran a mission into Europe. This was a crucial time as European Union leaders were about to hold a key summit to deal with the ongoing debt crisis.

The week leading up to the summit the negative headlines continued, yet the stock markets across Europe rose each day, resulting in the highest market gains in 11 months.

The summit was also very fruitful, a way forward was presented, including: a hair-cut for Greek debt, a €1 trillion bail-out fund, and a deal to re-capitalise the banks.

However, within days of the mantle leaving Europe the optimism evaporated and the deal struck seemed to fall apart as Greece called for a referendum, and investors backed off from contributing to the bailout fund. One partner watching the news, and unaware that the Europe mission had ended and the mantle had returned to America said, “I knew DP was out of Europe, it all just fell apart suddenly, and the hope left.”

Since then, we have seen a change of government in France, Spain closer to financial ruin, and threats of a breakdown in the pact made during Sarkosy’s Presidency with member nations over the fiscal pact.

However, now the mantle is back in Europe, decisions have been made to enable financial support to Spain, and Greece is continuing to work through her financial difficulties, with the new French president working with EU member nations for a way through the debt crisis.

A sustained Prophet.TV presence is essential.

Support Prophet TV so we can maintain our mantle regularly in these regions.

Video link to cartoon: general financial explanation of debt crisis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zPyZZIvwCc&feature=fvwrel

News

Eurozone Debt Deal…


At the much anticipated meeting of European Union heads of state in Brussels a deal was reached to hopefully solve the continuing debt crisis threatening the world economy.

Leaders agreed that the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), used to bailout nations like Greece when they are in trouble, has been increased to €1 trillion. Leaders also managed to reach a deal which will see a Greek debt haircut of 50%, and a plan was also reached to recapitalize the European banks. The problems in Italy were also discussed, with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi giving assurances to the EU meeting, that his government will continue with it’s austerity drive and will seek to have a balanced budget by 2013.

When the deal was announced global stock markets rose at the signs that action had finally been taken. However, it very quickly became apparent Europe was by no means out of the woods. The deal is very short of detail. Nothing was said about how the EU will find the €1 trillion required for the EFSF and since then EU officials have been in talks with China to raise the loan. It was agreed that the fine detail of how to raise the money would be discussed at the next EU summit of leaders in December.

Furthermore, despite stock markets rising on the news, the global bond markets did not follow. The bond markets treated the deal with a great deal of caution. Since it is the global bond markets that lend to governments this is not a good sign. Put simply, investors are not investing in Europe, it is too high risk. If bond markets stop lending to large western economies, it means public sector wages go unpaid, schools close, and hospitals run out of cash. This would result in  serious civil unrest.

As for the recapitalization of the banks. When the details were looked at it was found the amount agreed upon is woefully inadequate. Analysts at Credit Suisse, after looking at the figures, concluded that this is not really a bank recapitalization at all. The recapitalization was so important because the banking sector in Europe makes up a significant proportion of GDP. If the banks fail, and require sovereign nations to bail them out it will be very difficult, and would likely have a snow ball effect on that nations credit rating. This is a particular problem for France, whose banks have a high exposure to the Greek debt.

The haircut for Greece also comes with undesirable consequences for Greece. They are to have EU officials installed in Athens, who will not oversee the running of their economy, in effect Greece has lost her economic sovereignty. This is the fate of any nation now, that requires a bailout.

With the recent attention being given to Greece and Italy, we cannot forget Portugal. Portugal is beginning to show the same signs that Greece had before it went into financial meltdown.

Behind all the deals and negotiations are the citizens of Europe, who are becoming increasingly angry at the whole affair. Solvent nations are seeing their citizens angry that they are having to bailout out the wrongs of others, and those nations in financial difficulty are seeing increased civil unrest due to the crippling austerity packages put in place. Across Europe nationalism is growing.

The deal may succeed, but there are a lot of factors at work which could cause it to unravel very quickly. This is not a time for us to be putting our faith in the politicians to find a solution; It is the time to support the work of Prophet TV, to enable the missions in Europe to continue. Economic meltdown need not happen, but we must protect Europe to ensure that it doesn’t.

 

 

 

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Random Events, Free Will or Something Darker?

Col Gaddafi Killed

This mission into Europe, as the mantle re-entered Paris, Sarkozy gave orders to end this Gaddafi battle and for the air force to stop his escape so the people could catch him.

This is a testimony from DP, of a vision he had on returning to Paris:

In a vision I saw them screaming at me, ” your a dead man, your a dead man” and that within 72 hours it would be over and it all happened on the pavement.  God never does anything but that He first reveals it to His prophets. Prophets are not picked by themselves, but by God and God always confirms something “Before” it happens, especially when He puts His prophets in “Key” gateways that influence the entire world. This is God’s strategies and how He affects things to come into power. Prophets in the Gates, are the way God does this, and smart business men, support Prophets in the gates to keep them in the gates. Watch Prophet.tv to “See the News Before it Happens” and  Thank you for supporting Prophet.tv

As partners of Prophet TV will recall, it was on a previous European mission in March, that President Sarkozy suddenly took the lead in forging an international partnership to help the rebel forces in their fight for freedom against the long and bloody Gaddafi regime.

Prophet TV gatekeepers were involved in the intercession for France and allied forces throughout the enforcement of NATO’s no fly zone at the time.  And now again, when the mantle comes into the region we see the conclusion of the matter- Gaddafi was killed, on the pavement, by rebel forces, just as in the vision.

We do not like to see the death of anyone, however God brings swift conclusion to free the people.

Thursday, 27 October 2011

 

 

News

What’s Causing the High Suicide Rate at France Telecom? – Yahoo! Voices – voices.yahoo.com

1 Comment

Within the last eighteen months there have been twenty-three suicides among the employees of France Telecom, Europe’s third largest telecommunications company, the latest occurring on September 11th by a 32-year-old woman who jumped from her office window in Paris.

There is now an investigation under way, and just one day before the latest suicide France telecom had said that it was postponing the company’s reorganization until October the 31st and they were going to increase medical staff by 10 percent.

Because of the problem of suicide in the company, the Chief Executive Officer of France Telecom, Didier Lombard met with the French Labor Minister, Xavier Darcos. Darcos asked the staff of France Telecom to begin having talks with staff representatives to learn to detect signs of distress and suicide.

The reorganization is the cause many contribute to the suicides. Because of the notes that people left behind and the places in which they chose to commit their suicide, it is apparent that unhappiness and stress in the workplace did play a role.

But I ask, musn’t this just be a trigger for an already existing problem? Or can a job really push an otherwise happy and normal person to ending his or her own life?

I spoke with some people I know in France, one who works for France Telecom and another who does not. The one who does work there told me, when I asked about it, that indeed the environment at France Telecom had become very strange. The other reported that he heard that the reason people were having such a hard time is because the majority of the employees there were of civil servant status — meaning that France Telecom could not fire them, or would at least have a very difficult time doing so. Therefore, in order to try to convince them to leave on their own account the company would do things like make them sit in strange places in the office, like small corner cubicles and give them dreadful jobs that they’d find unpleasant.

Personally, I think I would leave such a post before I became suicidal but I understand what might keep a person at such a job, as the salary is surely regulated and perhaps there is a retirement benefit to look forward to, or at the least job security. This situation reminds me of the situation here in the States some years ago with postal workers, which spurred the popular phrase “going postal,” which means that someone becomes insane and hurts others. Also, a person’s job becomes part of their identity and often that’s hard to let go.

On a more positive note, out of France Telecom’s 100,000 plus employees, those suicides represent something close to the national average for suicides, which is 17.6 per 100,000.

Source:

France Telecom Employee Suicides Prompt Action

By Gregory Viscusi and Matthew Campbell

Sept 15, Bloomberg

READ: What’s the cause of french suicide?

via What’s Causing the High Suicide Rate at France Telecom? – Yahoo! Voices – voices.yahoo.com.

News

Suicide in France: Some Hypotheses

1 Comment

The relatively high suicide rate in France is investigated and a number of influences are hypothesized as causative. These include, on a societal and demographic level, a history of high immigration, low emigration, a high proportion of old people, high urbanization, extraordinarily high alcoholism, and the extreme gap in income between upper and lower classes. The rigid bureaucracy of the state can leave the individual feeling infuriated and defeated. The legal system produces many injustices, such as long imprisonment without charges. The Church is liberal and supplies little prophylaxis against suicide. Overall, social integration must be judged to be low. Culturally, French values include an underlying pessimism, no strong fear of death, strong pressures to behave correctly and much malice toward neighbors. The modal personality structure contains defensive, constricted elements producing a vulnerable pseudo-autonomy. French child-rearing practices are effective in producing such personalities.

Read: Suicide in France