QandO

March 31, 2004

It could be worse. You could live in France
Posted by McQ

And if you did, you'd be enjoying the following:

In its latest economic outlook, published Wednesday, France's official statistics institute Insee cut its growth forecast for the first and second quarters but said the economy was still on course to expand by 1.7 percent over the full year.

The real challenge for Sarkozy, however, will be tackling unemployment, which held firm at 9.6 percent in February, according to official figures also released Wednesday.

In fact, let's review the year . Teachers, actors and research scientists all went on strike for more money. 15,000 died in a "heat wave" (sounds like something which would happen in the third world, doesn't it?).

All-in-all a banner year for the French.

The good news is that that detestable slug Dominique de Villepin is the former Foreign Minister. He's been appointed to the Interior Minister's slot after Jacques Chirac's government got its ass handed to it in regional elections - and big gains were made by the socialists. Looking at France's government and welfare system, how does one tell the difference between the socialists and the "conservatives"?

But hey, it looks like an up year. 15,000 less to drain social welfare, only 10% unemployment and a whopping 1.7% economic growth with the socialists closing in for the kill.

Sounds like a lovely place to live.

TrackBack