As famous by Kuper, France was already in turmoil earlier than President Emmanuel Macron’s unilateral resolution to boost the minimal retirement age from 62 to 64, as he did not go the measure by means of the parliament. Nevertheless, the anger goes past the difficulty of pensions, as it’s a continuation of a generalized, long-standing anger towards the state and the president, which is embodied within the French presidential system. The presidential system This embodiment emerged in 1958, amidst the chaos of the Algerian warfare and fears of a army coup, and was strengthened in 1962, when it was decided that the president could be elected by common suffrage. “The constitution was written by and in part for Charles de Gaulle, the 1.80-meter tall hero of war, the ‘man of providence’, whose very name made him the embodiment of ancient France,” notes Kuper. “He agreed to return as leader if France silenced the political parties and the parliamentarians. Thus, the constitution created a strong executive power, albeit not centered on the president.” “It is time to end the Fifth Republic, with its all-powerful presidency – the closest thing the developed world has to an elected dictator – and usher in…
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Issued on: 10/02/2023 - 18:14Modified: 10/02/2023 - 18:17 Dutch police said on Friday they were investigating the projection of an anti-Semitic laser message onto the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam -- an incident the prime minister condemned as "repr..
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Issued on: 10/09/2022 - 07:34 Russia said on Friday it was sending reinforcements to the Kharkiv region in eastern Ukraine, where Kyiv says it has re-taken dozens of settlements as part of a broader counter-offensive. President Volodymyr Zelensky ..
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Issued on: 10/09/2022 - 07:23Modified: 10/09/2022 - 07:35 Crowds gathered in the rain outside Buckingham Palace on Friday to mourn Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II amid shock that a reign lasting seven decades had finally drawn to a close. Adblock te..
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Issued on: 02/09/2022 - 17:01 France on Friday launched a criminal investigation into claims by World Cup winner Paul Pogba that he is the victim of a multi-million euro blackmail plot by gangsters involving his brother, the Paris prosecutor said. ..
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Issued on: 02/09/2022 - 16:47 To kick off a new season, Annette Young is in Scotland whose haunting beauty has served as a backdrop to many films and TV series about sorcery and witches such as "Harry Potter" and "Outlander". But in the 16th century..
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Since last spring, France has been hit by an unprecedented crisis: a nationwide shortage of mustard. The lack of the country’s favourite condiment has sent many of the French into a state of almost wild panic, with some going as far as to hoard and t..
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Issued on: 27/08/2022 - 07:33Modified: 27/08/2022 - 08:14 Russia on Friday blocked the adoption of a joint declaration at a United Nations conference to review the Nuclear Non-Prolifeation Treaty, with Moscow denouncing what it said were "political"..
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Issued on: 26/08/2022 - 17:44 Dawn White, who suffers from kidney failure, relies on extensive use of a dialysis machine at her home to keep her alive. But as energy prices in the UK soar, she has seen the cost of running the machine rise from £24 t..
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Issued on: 26/08/2022 - 16:09 President Emmanuel Macron on Friday called Britain an ally whoever is in charge after the favourite to take over from Boris Johnson refused to say if the French leader was a "friend or foe". Foreign Secretary Liz Trus..
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Issued on: 08/05/2022 - 20:46 The G7 club of wealthy nations committed Sunday to phasing out its dependency on Russian oil and issued a scathing statement accusing President Vladimir Putin of bringing “shame” on Russia with his invasion of Ukraine. ..
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Issued on: 08/05/2022 - 10:58 Fighting continues to rage in southern Ukraine. Here, Russian forces hold the port city of Kherson and they claim to control the whole administrative region, of which Kherson is the capital. But in fact they don’t: Ukra..
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