Do you rather take the straw hat or the 49.3? This was the choice that presented itself in the France vue pages of the international press this week, in which travel stories rubbed shoulders with political news, and where the poetry and serenity emanating from some who had just returned from the French Atlantic coast contrasted with the shameless reason of others who followed French news.
Regarding the latter, we will have noted in particular the famous “off” by Emmanuel Macron to which the correspondents responded for two hours on Monday evening. The exercise (consisting of giving an account but without quoting) has disconcerted more than one among foreigners. But it gave rise to various articles announcing the political fall and the unstable situation of a head of state facing a colorful parliament. The general echo: thorny issues as far as the eye can see and difficult choices at the Élysée Palace. The various papers and their predictions are summarized here.
Also, this week, the British press noted with the greatest astonishment the love that the French can show for their late queen. The media echo, the tribute of the Head of State… The affection “almost universal” of these republicans of Gauls for Elizabeth II was quite impressed across the Channel (minus the left-wing mayors, whose revolt against flags at half-mast did not go unnoticed either).
This is precisely the moment that the British site captures Reaction to publish a call to roll up our sleeves for a new beginning between the two countries, an article that we would like to recommend to you this week. Its author, Walter Ellis, rightly returns to Macron’s acclaimed tribute to the Queen, to a relationship that has been troubled since the Brexit vote, and frankly rotten since Boris Johnson. The two countries have everything to gain from reconciliation and the time is right, argues the journalist: the king would agree, and the Prime Minister should follow. So let’s imagine, for a renewal of Franco-British friendship, Emmanuel Macron reaching out to Liz Truss, who, let’s remember, stood out for her publicly expressed doubts about the nature of relations between London and Paris. The whole potentially taking place on the occasion of the funeral of the queen, at the beginning of next week, the coming days therefore reserve us some suspense. But at a time when the British are teaching the world a lesson in patience and helping each other in the most extraordinary of queues, it seems impossible to us not to put forward a call to reach out to each other. You will find our translation here. Good reading !
And have a great weekend.
Caroline Lohrenz
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This might also interest you:
1. Holy Brits, for the occasion: The queue to see the coffin of Elizabeth II, “a pinnacle of Britishness”
The wait is long, very long, to reach the Palace of Westminster and pay homage to the deceased monarch. But the British press recalls the passion of the subjects of Her Majesty for the queues and underlines the phlegm with which they face boredom.
2. La Grande Brière, bewitching and little-known marshland
If you had answered “straw hat” above before being offered 49.3 and international relations, click here: the Parc de la Brière totally seduced this journalist fromThe country, like many poets before him.
3. Pap Ndiaye wants to be “a small beacon of hope” for teachers
From Italy, the site Linkiest sees the hope of renewal among teachers. Expectations are as high as the context is tense.