Questions tagged [france]
Questions about politics and policy of the French Republic.
84
questions
40
votes
15answers
14k views
Why does the U.S. left-wing party hate being called “socialist”, but in France the left-wing party proudly calls itself “the Socialist Party”?
Why does the main left-wing party in the United States (the Democratic Party) hate being called "socialist", but in France the main left-wing party proudly calls itself "the Socialist Party"?
29
votes
3answers
7k views
Is Le Pen ideologically a French equivalent of Trump?
I've heard some say that Marine Le Pen was like Trump and by voting against her the French have put the brakes on Trump-like populism.
What are the political similarities between Le Pen and Trump?
26
votes
4answers
6k views
What significance does the announcement that Marine Le Pen is momentarily stepping aside as the leader of France's “Front National” have?
I have read that Marine Le Pen has announced that she will momentarily step aside from her role as the leader of France's Front National (FN) political party.
How does this have any relevance for the ...
25
votes
2answers
6k views
Is French Guiana a (hard) EU border?
In the context of Brexit, there has been much discussion that the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland would mark the boundary of the EU. This has had large ramifications due to the length and ...
19
votes
1answer
2k views
Why are Marine Le Pen's possible connections with Steve Bannon something worth investigating?
According to The Telegraph, a French MP demanded an inquiry be made into Steve Bannon's links with Marine Le Pen:
Mr Lefebvre made the demand in an open letter to the heads of the
National ...
19
votes
1answer
5k views
What are the consequences of recalling ambassadors?
Two days ago there were rumors Britain and France may recall their ambassadors from Israel. Why is that a political action? Wouldn’t that rather harm the citizens of these countries in Israel?
19
votes
2answers
4k views
Why is the French democracy not using proportional representation for election of the assembly?
Proportional representation was used during the French Fourth Republic, while other kinds of voting systems were preferred during the French Third Republic and the French Fifth Republic (with an ...
16
votes
2answers
1k views
Why is the drive for undocumented migration so strong between France and the United Kingdom?
Since years, undocumented migrants camp in Calais and try to get to the United Kingdom. In recent days, media have reported this has increased. For example, BBC News.
I can understand why ...
15
votes
2answers
3k views
What do paternity test restriction laws aim to achieve?
I recently learned that genetic paternity tests are being restricted or even banned in Germany and France (and perhaps in other countries as well).
In Germany the law requires consent from both ...
13
votes
4answers
442 views
Why is the result if Macron's party's at the first round of French parlamentary elections “historical”?
"Historical", "a tsunami" -- these are the headlines one can read or hear at all French mainstream media. They are about the victory of La République en Marche at the first round of French ...
13
votes
1answer
559 views
Why does the French election have a runoff election instead of preferential voting
In the recent French election, there will now be another vote between Macron and La Pen to determine a winner. A lot of other countries seem to have this system. Elections are not cheap and having ...
13
votes
2answers
1k views
When and why did the President of the French Republic inherit the titles of the King of France?
The President of the French Republic is also co-Prince of Andorra and canon priest of St. John Lateran, amongst other titles. He has also the right to hunt in the domain of the castle of Chambord.
...
12
votes
3answers
714 views
Why is France involved in Mali?
This month France has sent ground troops to and bombed northern Mali. This feels like the first time in a while that a country besides the US has stuck its neck out to fight violent Islamist groups ...
12
votes
1answer
489 views
Has a French president ever made a ruling in favor of Andorra, at the expense of France?
Considering that the incumbent French president is also Co-Prince of Andorra, have there ever been rulings or actions made by a French president, in his role as an Andorrian monarch, that benefit ...
12
votes
1answer
357 views
Why won't the two main French far-left parties unite and present a single candidate?
Lutte ouvrière (LO) and Nouveau Parti Anticapitaliste (NPA) are both French far-left communist parties and they are both represented by a candidate during the French 2017 presidential elections, why ...
11
votes
2answers
1k views
What is the French support for Frexit (France leaving EU) and why?
But the french also hate the EU. No more than 25% of them still supports it. If such a referendum were to happen in france, the result for leave would probably be much higher - comment on another ...
10
votes
1answer
1k views
Why have markets reacted well to the first round of the French presidential election?
I've heard that markets have reacted well to the first round of the French presidential election, in which the National Front candidate and a centrist, mainstream candidate got through to the second ...
10
votes
3answers
836 views
Why does France have systematic difficulties in obtaining a budget deficit below 3%?
According to this article France plans for a budget deficit slightly over the EU allowed limit of 3%:
France's budget deficit is likely to overshoot the European Union's
limit of 3 percent of GDP ...
10
votes
1answer
520 views
Did most French people change their opinion about who contributed most to the defeat of Nazi Germany?
It seems implausible, but I have found many sources citing this image:
If this is true is it unique to France or do other countries follow a similar pattern in change of opinion?
10
votes
1answer
477 views
Why is France cutting nuclear power policy so different than Germany's?
According to this article France postpones nuclear power reduction:
The French government has postponed a long-held target to reduce the
share of nuclear energy in the country’s power production ...
10
votes
1answer
246 views
What is the meaning of the obligation by French Presidents that nuncios wear the biretta?
The King of France, and the French Presidents after them, had been given by the Pope, the privilege to impose to the nuncio, the ambassador of Vatican, in France to wear the biretta.
What are the ...
9
votes
3answers
1k views
How much money does France get from its former colonies?
There are various stories in the internet about how France gets billions from its former colonies. These figures are often inconsistent. Does France benefit from its former colonies?
9
votes
1answer
378 views
How does France's electoral system work
With the elections across the EU likely to have significant consequences for the future fate of Europe, I'd like to try to understand the electoral systems of each state a little more. I'm ...
9
votes
1answer
618 views
Can Macron legally reform Islam in France?
In February 2018, french president Emmanuel Macron said :
"I want to lay the foundations for the whole organization of Islam in
France"
He plans to do this to diminish the number of young ...
8
votes
3answers
792 views
Why is there so much worry about France potentially leaving the EU?
I've kept reading and listening on information and opinions about the upcoming French election and one of the main issues that keep coming up is the future of France in the EU. I know that many of the ...
8
votes
1answer
471 views
Time Limits on, and Purpose of State of Emergency in France?
It was reported in the
Independent that France ended the state of emergency on 1 November of this year (2017).
Is there a time limit to which an emergency can be imposed in the country? Why do ...
8
votes
1answer
3k views
Why does the economist label France a flawed democracy?
The Economist's Democracy Index lists France as a flawed democracy. Why doesn't the Economist see France as a full democracy?
8
votes
2answers
784 views
What limitations to freedom of speech are there in France?
The question is similar to this one:
Freedom of speech is understood to be fundamental in a democracy. What limitations to freedom of speech are there in France? Is holocaust denial an example? can ...
8
votes
2answers
266 views
Is there debate on keeping the French nuclear deterrent, like there is in the UK?
In the UK, there has been a lot of debate recently about whether to renew Trident, their nuclear deterrent. Most arguments are based on cost, usefulness in the modern world, and nuclear disarmament ...
8
votes
2answers
513 views
Why is Marine Le Pen ordered to undergo psychiatric testing instead of being fined?
According to BBC, Marine Le Pen was ordered by a French court to undergo psychiatric testing:
A French court has ordered far-right leader Marine Le Pen to undergo
psychiatric tests as part of an ...
7
votes
3answers
296 views
The Gilets Jaunes protest started in response to fuel prices - which has been reversed - so why do they continue?
The Gilets Jaunes (yellow vests) protest started in response to fuel prices, which, as I understand it, were reversed in December?
So why do they continue?
7
votes
1answer
390 views
What is the significance of Macron's proposed status change to the European Flag, and what steps would be needed to make this a reality?
President Macron said he wants to officially recognize the status of flag of Europe (my translation).
Does this mean that the flag has been decorative only up until now? What would officially ...
7
votes
2answers
559 views
What is the position of the main Spanish Catalonia independence movements on French Catalonia?
The geographic area of Catalonia is not limited to Spain but extends to France, corresponding roughly to the French department of Pyrénées-Orientales. This area is referred as Northern Catalonia.
...
6
votes
4answers
2k views
Why was the voter turnout so low in the second round of French elections?
According to French election: Turnout sharply down in Le Pen-Macron battle, voter turnout in the second round of French presidential election was the lowest since 1981:
The participation rate ...
6
votes
2answers
252 views
Why did France stop its uranium extraction activities?
According to the French Wikipedia article, France had these going from 1953 to 2002, but no mention of the reason of the cessation.
Now most of the material comes from the outside of the country, ...
6
votes
2answers
893 views
Why did France not sign the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties?
It looks like France is the only Security Council permanent member that did not sign the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties. (The US signed in 1970, but has yet to ratify, although successive US ...
6
votes
1answer
273 views
What is the political proposal of Emmanuel Macron?
I have to admit that not being French, I have not paid too close attention to the various proposals of the different presidential candidates. Now that the second turn draws near, I'd like to ...
6
votes
1answer
101 views
To which extent can the French president bypass the parliament using decrees?
I am interested in the actual power the French president has to bypass the parliament to issue a decree. Which control mechanisms do exist on parliament side? And what is the possible content of such ...
6
votes
2answers
353 views
Macron's “lead climbers” (vs. trickle down)
Are there more details on Macron's vision of how tax cuts will positively affect (French) society? I found a story from last year his rejection of the well-known “trickle-down” economics narrative, ...
6
votes
2answers
567 views
What political benefit would there be in stronger ties with Putin and Russia?
I was reading this article about Marine Le Pen stating that
[Ms. Le Pen] vows to... strengthen ties Vladmir Putin's Russia.
What is so significant about strengthening ties with Russia, and why ...
5
votes
1answer
4k views
What are the reasons presented by the French government to explain why the price of diesel fuel increased so much in France?
Many media channels are covering the "fuel protests". According to BBC, the main reason behind these protests is fuel (especially diesel) prices raising:
The price of diesel, the most commonly used ...
5
votes
2answers
206 views
Is the French government formed before and/or after the legislative elections?
In 2017, France had Presidential elections on 23 April and 7 May and will have legislative elections on 11 and 18 June. I was expecting the President would wait with appointing a government until ...
5
votes
1answer
291 views
What were the positive and negative effects of the French ISF?
The Impôt de Solidarité sur la Fortune (ISF, or wealth solidarity tax), is easily the most controversial part of French tax policy, and its removal by Emmanuel Macron was probably the most ...
5
votes
0answers
361 views
How have the people living in “jungle” squatter camps around Calais been obtaining food and medicine?
Does the French government allow those living in the "Jungle" and similar squatter camps to claim benefits?
How have the "jungle people" been obtaining food and having their medical needs met? Have ...
4
votes
2answers
270 views
Why has Macron apparently decided to support the Romanian candidate (Kovesi) instead of his own country candidate (Bohnert) as EU prosecutor?
A rather surprising news came from the Romanian Presidency:
President Klaus Iohannis on Friday had a phone conversation with his
French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, during which the latter told ...
4
votes
1answer
128 views
What are the incentives for CFA countries to remain under France's financial umbrella?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42_-ALNwpUo
It seems that France benefits a lot from having its former colonies rely on France's financial system, but the former colonies don't really seem to derive ...
4
votes
1answer
96 views
Is there any impact of voting for a list that will not get any representation?
Members of the European Parliament for France are chosen proportionally, according to the votes received by each list of candidates, provided that the list receives more than 5% of the votes.
The ...
4
votes
1answer
325 views
Does Marine Le Pen oppose circumcision?
In Marine Le Pen's Insane Kippah Ban Defense it's stated that Marine Le Pen is opposed to (male) circumcision:
This becomes most apparent in Le Pen’s views on the headscarf and the
yarmulke: ...
4
votes
1answer
172 views
Can François Fillon be replaced as candidate of The Republicans to the presidential elections?
Few months ago, François Fillon was elected candidate of the right wing party The Republicans in France to the presidential elections in 2017.
These days, however, he is facing severe problems due to ...
4
votes
1answer
241 views
Can French President decide the recognition status of another territory/state?
According to this Wikipedia article, Marine Le Pen promised the recognition of Russian annexation of Crimea if elected as a president:
According to Russian media, Le Pen has promised to recognize ...
