Europe - The Official Thread

Dotini
Clearly not! He is an obnoxious New York billionaire playboy. Tact is part of intelligence and charm. Like Forrest Gump, he stood in the right place at the right time and lightning struck.
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So if i look at your use of "elite" and especially highlighting charm and charisma you consider its defintion as mostly positive?

To my understanding far right (and far Left) often consider the "elite" as the enemy. That is the conundrum of representation in government, often they are accused of being elitist (like Trump accused the governement). But personally I would rather have an elitist govern then a moron like Trump or bigoted idiots like Le Pen or Bolsonaro who are often appealing as being "of the people".

My personal interpertation is that these candidates are as stupid as the people who support them. Which is the reason why they are appealing in the first place.
 
Dotini
Mind you, I'm not predicting they will succeed in ousting Macron, only that working class left wing will join with working class right wing in the attempt.
Also, a standing reminder that IMO the best (short term) government would be the wise, benevolent despot, i.e., an elite. Macron is a near-perfect elite. But can he dance on rotten ice and change his opinions faster than he changes his shorts?
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Dotini there is a never-ending stream of contradictory, cryptic & ultimately nonsensical comments coming from your corner. You are alternately pro-populist, pro-elitist, pro-left wing, pro-right wing, pro-moderate, pro-dictatorship, pro-libertarian & everything in between. You are clearly in the chronic, advanced stages of post-modernism. You need help.
 
As predicted, Macron has doled out a serving of cake for the masses today and promised to consult with the plebes in the future. Whether this quiets things down remains to be seen but in his mind I'm sure it gives him license to be more severe with the crackdown should the protests continue. With unemployment lingering around 10% it's not hard to come up with people who have time on their hands and nothing to lose. I found this statement to be vaguely familiar:

“We are at a historic moment in our country. With dialogue, respect, and engagement, we will succeed. My only concern is you, my only combat is for you – our only battle is for France.”

I wonder if he'll be chastised for his blatantly nationalist views. Not likely.
 
TenEightyOne
Of course, that's the nature of democracy. The problem is instilling liberty, fraternity and equality in genuine measure.
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Yeah but these guys are in the news and are :censored:ing up the capital. Better do what they say, eh? They represent the people.

Oh. Hang on. If funded-by-billionaires Yaxley-Lennon got a group to do the same thing in London in favour of everyone being a racist now Father, I'd disagree. We should probably all stick to having laws for now.
 
Johnnypenso
As predicted, Macron has doled out a serving of cake for the masses today and promised to consult with the plebes in the future. Whether this quiets things down remains to be seen but in his mind I'm sure it gives him license to be more severe with the crackdown should the protests continue. With unemployment lingering around 10% it's not hard to come up with people who have time on their hands and nothing to lose. I found this statement to be vaguely familiar:

“We are at a historic moment in our country. With dialogue, respect, and engagement, we will succeed. My only concern is you, my only combat is for you – our only battle is for France.”

I wonder if he'll be chastised for his blatantly nationalist views. Not likely.
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Familiar to what?
 
First poll (by Opinion Way) this evening after Macron speech:
Want the movement...
- to continue: 45%
- to stop: 54%

Problem for Macron is that having emerged in the center, he's currently attacked by all the left and the right politicians, including the moderates that got humiliated at the last presidential election.
All news channel are 24/24 about Yellow Vest for several weeks now, that certainly galvanizes the protesters.
 
Milouse
First poll (by Opinion Way) this evening after Macron speech:
Want the movement...
- to continue: 45%
- to stop: 54%

Problem for Macron is that having emerged in the center, he's currently attacked by all the left and the right politicians, including the moderates that got humiliated at the last presidential election.
All news channel are 24/24 about Yellow Vest for several weeks now, that certainly galvanizes the protesters.
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Deja vu all over again? Macron & the Girondists will go to the guillotine to be followed by ...?

I hate to be so bourgeois about it, but the shortcomings of globalism may pale in comparison to the chaos created by populist unrest that comes simultaneously from the right & left.
 
I've been looking at some of the student protests, and they don't seem to be wearing the yellow vests. They may be another demographic with somewhat different issues to the Saturday protesters.




Meanwhile, a tally of arrests and incarcerations over the weekend.

More than 1,700 people were arrested across France during the latest "yellow vest" protests as demonstrators clashing with riot police caused more damage in Paris than a week ago, officials said on Sunday.

Clashes broke out in the French capital and other several cities, including Marseille, Bordeaux, Lyon and Toulouse, during a fourth weekend of nationwide protests against rising living costs and President Emmanuel Macron in general.

The embattled president -- whose name rang out across the Champs-Elysees as protesters shouted "Macron, resign" -- is expected to address the demonstrations in a much-anticipated speech in the coming days.

A total 1,220 of the 1,723 detained were ordered held in custody, the ministry said.

Police in Paris said they made 1,082 arrests on Saturday, up sharply from 412 in the previous round.

The interior ministry said some 136,000 people took part in Saturday's protests across France, around the same number as on December 1.

But it was Paris which again bore the brunt of the violence and destruction.

Protesters in the capital set fire to cars, burned barricades and smashed windows in pockets of violence, clad in their emblematic luminous safety jackets, as armoured vehicles rolled through the streets.

City authorities said the 'yellow vests' had caused "much more damage" than on December 1 protests.

"The sector concerned by the incidents was much larger... With fewer barricades, there was much more dispersion, so many more places were impacted by violence," Paris deputy mayor Emmanuel Gregoire told France Inter radio.

"There was much more damage yesterday than there was a week ago."
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https://www.france24.com/en/20181209-over-1700-arrested-latest-yellow-vest-protests-france
 
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Milouse
Problem for Macron is that having emerged in the center, he's currently attacked by all the left and the right politicians, including the moderates that got humiliated at the last presidential election.
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Can someone in French government trigger a no-confidence motion against Macron?
 
novcze
Can someone in French government trigger a no-confidence motion against Macron?
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In theory, it's possible to destitute the President by gathering 2/3 of votes in the National Assembly, then being confirmed under 15 days by the same vote at the Senate, then this would be confirmed by a high court made of the two chambers). This for a reason that would prevent him to exercice his power, not political.
Anyway, Macron has a large majority in the National Assembly.
It is common, though, that the Prime Minister and the whole government resigns, when asked by the president. Then the president can name a new Primer Minister of his choice, as long as he "match" the National Assembly.

TenEightyOne
French students, that's the demographic. Was there ever a time when there wasn't a regular protest from them?
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School Holidays. It also usually works well to stop their protests...

Edit:
There has been a shooting, likely terrorist, (currently 2 to 4 deads and 11 wounded) in Strasbourg.
Shooter is on the run.
The target was the Christmas Market, already known to have been a target in the past.
That could change the current situation in the country.
 
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I do wonder if this shooting is protest related or terrorist related (likely the latter). I really hope they catch them because as of the last news bulletin they are still at large.
 
Robin
I do wonder if this shooting is protest related or terrorist related (likely the latter). I really hope they catch them because as of the last news bulletin they are still at large.
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The police confirmed that it was someone who was suspected of being a terrorist and they were supposed to pick him up this morning, but couldn't find him in his house. They did find explosives.

Yet another case of failure, and 4 people die because of it.
 
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Speaking of terrorists, our national intelligence agency in this year report noted, that potential terrorist are most likely to come from the Schengen Area, which is no surprise, because when you have free movement of people you can't do background checks like you would do for visa applicants. And since western Europe dropped their immigration standards, it can have influence on our national security.
 
Dotini
I've been looking at some of the student protests, and they don't seem to be wearing the yellow vests. They may be another demographic with somewhat different issues to the Saturday protesters.




Meanwhile, a tally of arrests and incarcerations over the weekend.


https://www.france24.com/en/20181209-over-1700-arrested-latest-yellow-vest-protests-france
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Cut the head off the chicken and it flails around for a while before finally dying. AFAIK, you have to have yellow vests in your car by law which would explain why the adults all seem to have them but the school age kids don't.

Update on the terrorist attack (alleged) from CNN:

A gunman who opened fire near a Christmas market in Strasbourg shouted the Arabic phrase "Allahu Akbar," meaning "God is greater," at the time of the attack, French prosecutors said, as anti-terror police joined an international manhunt.
The suspect, identified only as 29-year-old Cherif C, killed two people and left one on life support with no chance of recovery, said Paris prosecutor Remy Heitz. Police had previously said three people were killed and 13 injured in the attack Tuesday.
The gunman -- who remains on the run -- has an extensive criminal background that includes 27 convictions in France, Germany, and Switzerland, said Heitz, mainly for acts of robbery and violence.
More than 700 security force members have been mobilized to find the suspect, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner told France's National Assembly. The man was already known to security services as a possible threat, police said.
The father, mother and two brothers of the suspect are in custody and being questioned by police, a source close to the investigation told CNN.

One wonders how CNN could get the translation of Allahu Akbar wrong but it is CNN after all.
 
Johnnypenso
Cut the head off the chicken and it flails around for a while before finally dying. AFAIK, you have to have yellow vests in your car by law which would explain why the adults all seem to have them but the school age kids don't.

Update on the terrorist attack (alleged) from CNN:

A gunman who opened fire near a Christmas market in Strasbourg shouted the Arabic phrase "Allahu Akbar," meaning "God is greater," at the time of the attack, French prosecutors said, as anti-terror police joined an international manhunt.
The suspect, identified only as 29-year-old Cherif C, killed two people and left one on life support with no chance of recovery, said Paris prosecutor Remy Heitz. Police had previously said three people were killed and 13 injured in the attack Tuesday.
The gunman -- who remains on the run -- has an extensive criminal background that includes 27 convictions in France, Germany, and Switzerland, said Heitz, mainly for acts of robbery and violence.
More than 700 security force members have been mobilized to find the suspect, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner told France's National Assembly. The man was already known to security services as a possible threat, police said.
The father, mother and two brothers of the suspect are in custody and being questioned by police, a source close to the investigation told CNN.

One wonders how CNN could get the translation of Allahu Akbar wrong but it is CNN after all.
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That translation is actually correct.
 
mustafur
God is greater...

Then what? Lol
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Johnnypenso
"Allahu Akbar," meaning "God is greater,"...One wonders how CNN could get the translation of Allahu Akbar wrong but it is CNN after all.
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I'm confused, what are you guys translating it as? The literal translation is "God is greater". Maybe that's a British translation... referring to something as greater (or the greater) is perfectly normal.
 
TenEightyOne
I'm confused, what are you guys translating it as? The literal translation is "God is greater". Maybe that's a British translation... referring to something as greater (or the greater) is perfectly normal.
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My first 3 Google results:
'God is greater'(CNN definition ironically)
'Allah(God) is [the] greatest'(Wikipedia)
'The Lord is the most magnificent'(Urban Dictionary)
Whatever help my post adds...
 
It's an overused nonsensical phrase, and nowadays it has the reputation of being followed by either gunfire or an exploding religious nutcase when shouted, so what it actually means is pointless anyway.
 
I suppose it can also depend whether you're used to a phrase or not. We're all desensitised to "Oh my god!" or "Jesus Christ" or "Bloody hell" these days. It's not really my god, I'm an atheist, but it's just something you say. I speak German but was surprised that in Austria almost everyone says hello with Grüß Gott! or Grüzi! (Salutations to god). It took me a while to realise that I'm not trapped in a cult, that it's not literally true and then I remembered "Oh my god!" in English.

If you speak Arabic, you'd probably hear Allahu Akbar a lot. I'm sure a lot of nice people say it and a lot of :censored:s say it too.
 
Strasbourg Police confirms that Radicali Ali has been shot and killed tonight.

According to the police he was recognised while walking down the street, they tried to arrest him, he opened fire, and the police opened fire better.

The end for another piece of excrement.
 
Dennisch
Strasbourg Police confirms that Radicali Ali has been shot and killed tonight.

According to the police he was recognised while walking down the street, they tried to arrest him, he opened fire, and the police opened fire better.

The end for another piece of excrement.
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ryzno
My first 3 Google results:
'God is greater'(CNN definition ironically)
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Yup.

ryzno
'Allah(God) is [the] greatest'(Wikipedia)
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Which goes on to say (excuse the copy/paste links I left in)

That wiki
The form Allāhu is the nominative of Allah, meaning "God". In the context of Islam, it is the proper name of the Abrahamic god.[4][5] The form akbar is the elative of the adjective kabīr, meaning "great", from the Semitic root k-b-r. As used in the Takbīr it is usually translated as "greatest", but some authors prefer "greater".[6][7][8] The phrase is often transliterated less accurately as Allah akbar. The term Takbīr itself is the stem II verbal noun (tafʿīlun) of the triliteral root k-b-r, meaning "great", from which akbar "greater" is derived.
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ryzno
'The Lord is the most magnificent'(Urban Dictionary)
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Urban dictionary... no :D

Dennisch
It's an overused nonsensical phrase
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As an atheist I completely agree. However, the phrase in various forms is very familiar across the Abrahamic world (how many times a day do you read 'OMG'?) but the foreignness, perhaps particularly the arab-ness, is what seems to make people hostile to it.

You will probably never know what Dutch sounds like to an outsider but I can assure you that you're all talking backwards :D :D[/QUOTE]
 
TenEightyOne
As an atheist I completely agree. However, the phrase in various forms is very familiar across the Abrahamic world (how many times a day do you read 'OMG'?) but the foreignness, perhaps particularly the arab-ness, is what seems to make people hostile to it.
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Dutch people hate the terrible (usually American) over the top use of the OAWH MAH GAWD whenever something mildly spectacular happens.
We have a saying. Doe maar normaal, dan doe je al gek genoeg. Translates to Act normal, that's crazy enough.

TenEightyOne
You will probably never know what Dutch sounds like to an outsider but I can assure you that you're all talking backwards :D :D
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:D

I have the benefit of having friends from all over the world. They all hate how I talk with my family. :lol:
 

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