Wednesday 9 May 2007

French election reaction in pictures

After Nicolas Sarkozy's win in France's presidential election reaction across the political spectrum has been...quite predictable, actually.

Winners are grinners


Socialists lament the prospect of having to do real work in order to get paid


And 'youths' burn a few extra cars for good measure


On the night after the election was held, 760 cars were set alight and over 500 'youths' were arrested. What sort of society puts up with this rubbish?

No other country on earth immolates cars with quite the gusto of the French - including Iraq. On average, an astonishing 112 cars per night are sacrificed by these 'youths' in order to make a statement. Given it's been going on since the mid-70s, and allowing for a build up over time to the current number, if the average over that time is only 30 then over 300,000 cars have met their maker. No wonder Citroen and Peugeot have been doing so well.


Apparently, the view is that if they burn cars then the press will follow - and politicians immediately after that giving away more of the farm in order to keep the peace. As the old saying goes, if you reward bad behaviour then you can guarantee it will be repeated.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

LOL...the photo of those downcast voters for Royal remind me of the day John Kerry gave his concession speech. I worked in New York City at the time, and everyone in my office was gathered around the television in the lobby as though they were watching a state funeral.

And I'd like to see that kind of car torching happen here...Americans love their cars, and would not stand for spoiled "youths" torching them.