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A Socialist, a Populist or a Royalist?

Volume XIX, Issue 23

I make Monet like Claude money play on words

One of my readers complained that since Joe Biden took office my political rantings have ceased, and he was disappointed. He’s on the other side you see (the right), and must have loved reading my pro-leftist rhetoric just so he could get riled up. To that I got a big chuckle, then realized how true it was. I haven’t had too much to complain about when it comes to U.S. politics lately. Even the press has little to say about Mr. Biden—at least the French press—which followed the antics of Mr. Trump even more than they did M. Macron’s.

Most of our readers know I am not a big fan of Mme. Hidalgo, the Mayor of Paris. And I’m not the only one who doesn’t like her very much.

  • “To hear some tell it, Paris is under siege. This time it’s not the Vikings, Protestants, or Nazis, not even residents of the make-believe jihadi “no-go zones” decried by Fox News. According to #saccageparis, with more than one million tweets and counting, the mayor herself, Anne Hidalgo, is the pillager. Paris’s first woman to have the top job, one of the last standing of the Parti Socialiste, is turning the city into an atrocious dump, they say. The campaign pleads with the cast of Emily in Paris to spread the word.” (Source)

Photo of trash scattered around a sidewalk in Paris France

“Saccage” means “sacking.” And they wish they had sacked her in the last election, but they didn’t. She runs the city in a style that’s not very becoming. I’ve noticed, as have so many others, that the city is dirtier than ever. The so-called improvements she’s made to make the city more ecologically friendlier, such as the enormous web of bike lanes, have put pedestrians in danger—just try crossing rue Saint-Antoine now—you’re putting your life at risk, and it’s not because of the cars. They’re gone, but the bikes and scooters ignore the traffic lights. Traffic is worse than ever thanks to poor city planning causing even more pollution. Just the redesign of Place de la Bastille which took many months and lots of heartache for all of us will make your blood boil now that it’s a traffic nightmare and even less of a pedestrian zone than it was before. At every turn, I find myself upset with the way the city has taken on a slovenly, not well taken care of look.

Graphic showing the traffic redesign at Place de la Bastille in Paris France

Screenshot by transportparis.com

Here’s just a brief excerpt from the AirMail article (but I urge you to read it in its entirety):

  • “She was happy to pose for pictures at the signing of the 2015 Paris Agreement, whose goals she’s laudably tried to make good on, except that she decided to do it all at once. When large portions of a medieval city become a construction zone, the rats do tend to come out to play. Hidalgo has shut down whole arteries to cars overnight, causing enormous traffic pileups in an apparent bid to rid the city of offending vehicles out of frustration alone. If her goals are green, what about the extra diesel fumes coughed up from traffic at a constant standstill?”

Screenshot of a Tweet showing French President Macron getting slapped in publicThe scary part is what happens in 2022 if she runs for President. She’s the most high-profile socialist in France. And then there is Marine Le Pen of the National Rally (former National Front), who is even scarier than Hidalgo (in my book). Meanwhile, just this week, French President Emmanuel Macron was slapped in the face by a man during a visit to the town of Tain-l’Hermitage in southeastern France. He cried out, “Montjoie! Saint Denis!,” a centuries-old royalist war cry, then finished with “A bas la Macronie” (“Down with Macron”).

So, what have we got in our cards for 2022? A socialist, a populist or a royalist? And then the next question is: How will the outcome affect the real estate market!?

One thing I’ve learned is that populism is not the answer. “Populism is in the ascendancy in today’s political environment. Whether its rise is a result of the global financial crisis may be a subject for debate, but one thing is clear: populism thwarts long-term economic progression.” (Source) The U.S. economy historically has performed better under Democratic presidents than Republican presidents, but how will France’s economy behave under Hidalgo vs Macron’s brand of politics?

A graffitied poster of Marine le Pen on a wall in France

Marine Le Pen Poster

On vera (we will see)…but for the moment, I’m rooting for the Royalist! Ha!

Graphic of the Royal Standard of the King of France

The Royal Standard of the King of France

GREAT NEWS FOR THE ISSUANCE OF VISAS!

According to the official visa website for France the issuance of visas will gradually resume in the coming weeks. The practical arrangements will be set out by diplomatic and consular posts, taking into account the local context. This gradual resumption is subject to any new conditions and health rules for entry to French national territory, information on which will be provided when the time comes.

The French Consulate in Washington, DC has posted that all the visa categories are available as of NOW. Applicants can make an appointment in the VFS centers (Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, Washington, Kingston and Jamaica)…but due to very high demand, you might not find available appointments so easily.

To all of you who have been waiting patiently, have a bit more patience and your time will come!

A bientôt

Photo of Adrian Leeds in front of a graffitied wall in Paris FranceAdrian Leeds
The Adrian Leeds Group®

P.S. Are you contemplating a move to or long-stay in France? You don’t have to try to do it on your own. We have partnered with Fragomen Worldwide to provide our clients with expert immigration advice. Details are available on our website.

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2 Comments

  1. Lissa Morris on June 10, 2021 at 2:47 pm

    I love reading your columns and watching your shows. Big fan.
    Lissa Morris

  2. Trish Young on June 10, 2021 at 9:02 pm

    My heart sank into my boots when Anna Hidalgo was voted in for a 2nd term. She has absolutely destroyed my annual vacation by her rental rules – and ferocious policing of.
    And now you torment me with the thought she could become president.
    AnywY, basically she’s not French she’s Spanish and is simply hell bent on the destruction of Paris. Particularly after seeing the new set up at Bastille.

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