34 votes

French government toppled after losing no-confidence vote

25 comments

  1. [23]
    tauon
    Link
    Sorry for the noise, but this is definitely keeping with this week’s theme of Batshit Crazy Things Are Happening. This is my immediate reaction, honestly. The same as for pretty much every other...

    Sorry for the noise, but this is definitely keeping with this week’s theme of Batshit Crazy Things Are Happening.

    This is my immediate reaction, honestly. The same as for pretty much every other big story this past week (or of today) or really, ever since early November.

    16 votes
    1. [22]
      Raspcoffee
      (edited )
      Link Parent
      To be honest, I don't think I even have the time or energy to fully delve into it. Within 7 days, we've seen, on top of my head: an Israelian former general saying the current situation in Gaza...

      To be honest, I don't think I even have the time or energy to fully delve into it. Within 7 days, we've seen, on top of my head:

      • an Israelian former general saying the current situation in Gaza counts as ethnic cleansing.
      • the Syrian civil war all of sudden getting tipped in the favour of the rebels.
      • A dumbass coup attempt in South Korea.
      • Trump and his gang being Trump and his gang.
      • Georgia having massive protests.
      • France getting a political crisis.

      And I've probably still forgotten something. Oh yeah, maybe Romania? Is that also in the same span of 7 days? Fuck knows anymore.

      24 votes
      1. [3]
        CannibalisticApple
        Link Parent
        Don't forget the assassination of a major insurance company CEO just today. Which, while not directly linked to politics... Yeah, no, US healthcare and insurance is absolutely tied up in politics....

        Don't forget the assassination of a major insurance company CEO just today. Which, while not directly linked to politics... Yeah, no, US healthcare and insurance is absolutely tied up in politics.

        And it's only Wednesday...

        23 votes
        1. Raspcoffee
          Link Parent
          If the current pace keeps up btw, the Syrian rebels will get Hama mostly under control tomorrow. Meaning that it's not impossible that by the end of this week Homs further south will be under...

          If the current pace keeps up btw, the Syrian rebels will get Hama mostly under control tomorrow. Meaning that it's not impossible that by the end of this week Homs further south will be under siege. And while not the capital, the positioning of that particular city may as well make that the critical battle in the Syrian civil war.

          Wake me up when it's 2025.

          7 votes
        2. l_one
          Link Parent
          Yeah, I just found out about that maybe 20 minutes ago. Crazy stuff, but not necessarily surprising given the exploitative nature of healthcare finance in the US. I saw there was a post about it...

          Yeah, I just found out about that maybe 20 minutes ago. Crazy stuff, but not necessarily surprising given the exploitative nature of healthcare finance in the US. I saw there was a post about it in ~news but it got locked. Probably too many people voicing opinions slanted near condoning violence.

          3 votes
      2. [3]
        Fiachra
        Link Parent
        Very glad we managed to have a whole uneventful general election in Ireland in the middle of Swirling Chaos Week.

        Very glad we managed to have a whole uneventful general election in Ireland in the middle of Swirling Chaos Week.

        11 votes
        1. [2]
          Promonk
          Link Parent
          It really is like the world is playing for sweeps week, isn't it? How are things in Erin? Even-keeled? Must be nice.

          It really is like the world is playing for sweeps week, isn't it?

          How are things in Erin? Even-keeled? Must be nice.

          5 votes
          1. Fiachra
            Link Parent
            We came within a few hundred votes of putting a literal mob boss in a parliamentary seat, but there is a general relief that nobody crazy grabbed any political power. Instead we reelected a...

            We came within a few hundred votes of putting a literal mob boss in a parliamentary seat, but there is a general relief that nobody crazy grabbed any political power. Instead we reelected a long-running status quo coalition, which will surely have consequences down the road when they fail to address the problems they themselves have fostered for the last 15+ years. But the general public rejected far right populists and I can settle for that for now.

            4 votes
      3. tauon
        (edited )
        Link Parent
        Yep. And earlier in November, we’ve had a government crisis in Germany which is also… unusual, and, well, the US elections. Among that, I almost forgot about China opening the trade war now...

        Yep. And earlier in November, we’ve had a government crisis in Germany which is also… unusual, and, well, the US elections.

        Among that, I almost forgot about China opening the trade war now already, even ahead of the new US president assuming office!

        And the Russian/Chinese (?) sabotage of European deep sea telecom infrastructure!

        8 votes
      4. [2]
        stu2b50
        Link Parent
        South Korea briefly declared martial law.

        South Korea briefly declared martial law.

        4 votes
        1. Raspcoffee
          Link Parent
          Yeah that's the dumbass coup attempt on the list. I don't blame you for missing it in the list because who the fuck knows what's going on anymore.

          Yeah that's the dumbass coup attempt on the list. I don't blame you for missing it in the list because who the fuck knows what's going on anymore.

          10 votes
      5. Interesting
        Link Parent
        Murdered hostages in Gaza as well...

        Murdered hostages in Gaza as well...

        3 votes
      6. [11]
        kingofsnake
        Link Parent
        Can I add the veiled blackmail that Trump will turn the tariff screws on Canada or maybe we should just become the 51st state? Not to mention his 'we can just take water and minerals from Canada's...

        Can I add the veiled blackmail that Trump will turn the tariff screws on Canada or maybe we should just become the 51st state? Not to mention his 'we can just take water and minerals from Canada's statements. Very flexy

        3 votes
        1. Raspcoffee
          Link Parent
          Sure go nuts, others have added others as well. This week has been a massive clusterfuck so I think it's pretty useful to rant this all out together by this point.

          Sure go nuts, others have added others as well. This week has been a massive clusterfuck so I think it's pretty useful to rant this all out together by this point.

          3 votes
        2. [9]
          stu2b50
          Link Parent
          Is that blackmail? What is it blackmail for?

          Is that blackmail? What is it blackmail for?

          1. [8]
            kingofsnake
            Link Parent
            You're right - I should have left it as 'veiled threat'. Too many thoughts at once :)

            You're right - I should have left it as 'veiled threat'. Too many thoughts at once :)

            1 vote
            1. [7]
              stu2b50
              Link Parent
              That still implies that there’s something Trump wants instead, that he’s using tariffs as a vehicle to get. As far as I can tell, he just wants tariffs for the sake of tariffs and the trade...

              That still implies that there’s something Trump wants instead, that he’s using tariffs as a vehicle to get.

              As far as I can tell, he just wants tariffs for the sake of tariffs and the trade deficit. That’s not to say I think it’s a good idea, but I don’t see the threat angle.

              1 vote
              1. [6]
                kingofsnake
                Link Parent
                The threat of tariffs is for bargaining leverage right now - that's what he wants. When it comes to our resources, he wants a deal on them and will threaten to cripple our poorly diversified...

                The threat of tariffs is for bargaining leverage right now - that's what he wants. When it comes to our resources, he wants a deal on them and will threaten to cripple our poorly diversified economy (with tariffs) to get discounts on minerals, water etc.

                Unfortunately for Canada, NAFTA required a lot of good faith patronage from the Americans that -- if replaced by bad faith -- we would have little recourse to counter.

                Tariff threat for leverage and future discounts - I think that's pretty straightforward.

                3 votes
                1. [5]
                  stu2b50
                  Link Parent
                  While not impossible, I haven’t seen any reporting that Trump particularly wants some kind of resource deal from Canada. I don’t see much dialogue between the US and Canada on it in general, just...

                  While not impossible, I haven’t seen any reporting that Trump particularly wants some kind of resource deal from Canada. I don’t see much dialogue between the US and Canada on it in general, just the Trudeau meeting which basically was just “tariffs would raise prices in the US” and “lol”.

                  Do you have a source? Would be interesting to see.

                  1. [4]
                    kingofsnake
                    (edited )
                    Link Parent
                    He put tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum last time and this is him priming us for the next round. If you were around for CUSMA negotiations, you'd know that hehad every issue with our...

                    He put tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum last time and this is him priming us for the next round. If you were around for CUSMA negotiations, you'd know that hehad every issue with our subsidiaries to domestic dairy as well.

                    For reporting - watch for it. This is how he jockeys for power over things that aren't his or agreements like CUSMA that he can bend with threats.

                    I don't know what else to tell you about how veiled threats work.

                    2 votes
                    1. [3]
                      stu2b50
                      Link Parent
                      I suppose we’ll see. I get the feeling based off of the broadness that there isn’t particularly a method to the madness. I hope that you’re correct.

                      I suppose we’ll see. I get the feeling based off of the broadness that there isn’t particularly a method to the madness.

                      I hope that you’re correct.

                      1. [2]
                        kingofsnake
                        Link Parent
                        I hope that I'm not. Canada is doing it's best not to become target of Trump's - our whole economy is tied up in America and if he got the idea to stick it to us, we're fucked.

                        I hope that I'm not. Canada is doing it's best not to become target of Trump's - our whole economy is tied up in America and if he got the idea to stick it to us, we're fucked.

                        1. stu2b50
                          Link Parent
                          I mean, Canada is a lot more fucked in the scenario he just has no plans other than “I promised tariffs, imma give them tariffs”. There’s no negotiating, then. If it’s just about Canadian...

                          I mean, Canada is a lot more fucked in the scenario he just has no plans other than “I promised tariffs, imma give them tariffs”. There’s no negotiating, then.

                          If it’s just about Canadian protectionism, I mean, even Democratic presidents have taken issue with that in the past. It was a point of contention for both Obama and Biden. Just the usual.

                          1 vote
  2. [2]
    Raspcoffee
    Link
    Apologies for linking to a liveblog but the English sites I could find was of liveblogs. We'll have to see what happens next I guess, as it seems to be uncharted territory for French politics.

    Apologies for linking to a liveblog but the English sites I could find was of liveblogs. We'll have to see what happens next I guess, as it seems to be uncharted territory for French politics.

    9 votes