The English Blog

Reuters Video: One year on, economic reality bites for France's Hollande

One year into the job, French President François Hollande's popularity rating is around 25%, after the sharpest fall for any president in over half a century. Joanna Partridge reports how Hollande's first year in power has been marked by a stagnating economy and unemployment reaching an all time high - and fears there may be worse to come.

TRANSCRIPT
REPORTER: A year ago, François Hollande rolled into power in France, promising to deliver change. But 12 months on, the French economy only seems to have got worse. And the Socialist President's personal popularity rating has slid to around 25% - the sharpest fall of any in over 50 years.
FRANCOIS HOLLANDE SAYING: "I'm not counting because you don't measure people's aspirations, demands or even their anger, according to the number of people in the street."
REPORTER: The EU predicts France's economy will shrink by 0.1% this year. And unemployment has hit a record high of over 3.2 million. The auto industry has been hit hard - these tyre workers lost their jobs, as did staff at PSA Peugeot Citroen, with Renault planning cuts too. Frederic Dabi from the IFOP polling institute says the French thought things would be different under Hollande.
FREDERIC DABI , ASSISTANT DIRECTOR GENERAL, FRANCE, IFOP POLLING INSTITUTE: "They hoped for a change in their daily lives, about micro-economic questions and social questions and that's where they feel it's going wrong, that there hasn't been a change but rather a sense of continuity, that the economic crisis has dragged on in France."
REPORTER: Opposition parties have accused Hollande of focussing on social issues - such as legalising gay marriage - rather than economic problems. Hollande is stuck between businesses calling for lower taxes and labour costs, while his euro zone partners still want him to make budget cuts. Hollande was arguably the first European leader to start the calls for growth not austerity. Many others have taken up that mantra since - like new Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta. France's lack of reform has been criticised by some key politicians in Germany. Jan Randolph from IHS Global Insight says in fact Paris needs to become more like Berlin.
JAN RANDOLPH: "There has been an agreement at the beginning of the year, in January, the unions and the corporate sector employers have agreed on new flexi-security measures of the kind that Germany adopted in its reform programme and that is an important step forward. More importantly there is co-operation now between employers and employees and the unions. It's a big baby step, but that's it, there's still a lot more to do."
REPORTER: Hollande doesn't have the same relationship as his predecessor with Germany's Angela Merkel. And there's talk France is losing its voice in Europe. Hollande insists results of his reforms will show during the rest of his 5-year presidency. But facing growing social unrest, it will be critical for Hollande that the French economy shows signs of recovery sooner rather than later.

ALSO SEE
•  François Hollande, a president under siege (Europe Online Magazine)
•  French voters have had enough of François Hollande and his government (The Guardian)
•  François Hollande's first year in office: interactive timeline (The Telegraph)
•  Mr Normal has become the Pitiful President (The Telegraph)

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Cartoon: Hollande's Anti-Austerity Pledge

 

This cartoon by Paresh Nath, chief cartoonist for India's National Herald, shows French President François Hollande in a rapidly deflating hot air balloon. The balloon, in the colours of the French national flag, is emblazoned with the words 'ANTI-AUSTERITY PLEDGE', and Hollande is saying, 'We go full steam ahead in the battle for the eurozone!'

COMMENTARY
Socialist François Hollande won the French presidency just over a year ago, in large part due to his pledge to push for growth and battle the German-led austerity approach to Europe's fiscal problems. Now, one year on, economic reality has forced him to adopt the very policies he promised to eschew, and the first anniversary of his election victory was marked on Sunday by tens of thousands of leftwing demonstrators in Paris, protesting against austerity and high unemployment rates. Meanwhile, recent opinion polls show Mr Hollande's approval rating among the public has fallen to about 25%.

IDIOM
If someone says full steam ahead, it means they want something to be done with as much speed or energy as possible. The expression refers to the controls of a steam engine on a ship. "Full steam" means full power, and "ahead" means in forward gear. Here, of course, the phrase is used ironically since Hollande's balloon is plunging towards the earth, a metaphor for his failing presidency.

NOTE
Of course, a hot air ballon does not use steam but heated air as its lifting gas. However, steam balloons do exist, and you can see an example of one here.

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Lost in Traduction

I took these pictures at the railway station in Le Havre. While you might be able to forgive a French restaurant for translating its menu into English with hilarious results, when it comes to SNCF, the state-owned national railway company, you expect something a little more professional (especially when there must be hundreds of these posters in stations all over France). In fact, the translation is so bad that I wondered if they'd just used Google Translate. But no, Google Translate would have given a better result (although for some inexplicable reason it refused to translate 'objets'):

Found.
Found a telephone service is available at the following number.
Thank you for your details.
Name and phone number.
A sales representative will contact you as soon as possible.

By the way, the correct translation of 'Objets Trouvés' is 'Lost Property', an interesting difference in perspective.

The lesson is clear: if you don't want your organization to be a laughing stock, use a native speaker translator.

Reuters Video: French bake-off for best baguette

Over 200 bakers use old-fashioned craftsmanship to win the title of Paris' best traditional baguette. Elly Park reports.

TRANSCRIPT
REPORTER: With official rules for its dough content and length, finding the best baguette is serious business in Paris. Now 42-year-old baker Ridha Khadher's golden loaf is officially the city's best baguette for 2013. Khader won the coveted title after competing against 202 other bakers who each had to enter two loafs that underwent critical inspection by a panel of judges for taste, quality of dough, smell and appearance. Paris-based American food blogger Meg Zimbeck is a judge.
MEG ZIMBECK: "I like to crack a baguette on the outside and hear a crunch and have the crust on the outside be very well developed, but when you open it up you want to have really well developed holes, which this (SHOWS SLICE OF BAGUETTE) does not have for example."
REPORTER: In the end Khadher's loaf came out on top. In his bakery he shared the key to his success.
RIDHA KHADER: "We knead the dough the day before, 24 hours in advance. We moisten it to 70 percent, we make them by hand, we put less yeast in it. It's a bread that's well rested and well crafted in the old-fashioned style."
REPORTER: Besides bragging rights the title also comes with a cash prize of 4000 euros… and the responsibility of providing French President Francois Hollande with freshly-baked baguettes for a year.

COMMENT
The sight of all those baguettes is making my mouth water. If you're in Paris and want to try the best baguette, Ridha Khader's bakery is situated at 156, rue Raymond Losserand, in the 14th 'arrondissement'.

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Reuters Video: Big red ball goes on sight-seeing tour through France

A large inflatable red balloon bounces its way into Paris as part of a traveling exhibit by American artist Perschke. Kilmeny Duchardt reports.

TRANSCRIPT
REPORTER: Big ideas can start small, but they can grow pretty quickly. American artist Kurt Perschke's RedBall project is the perfect example of that. This balloon's been to Barcelona, Perth, Toronto, Abu Dhabi and now Paris - drawing attention to various landmarks in each of those cities. Perschke talks about his strategy when placing the round object.
KURT PERSCHKE: "I'm looking for a series of sites: sites that are monumental, that you might see, sites that are unexpected, things that you might see on a postcard and things that only maybe a Parisian would know."
REPORTER: The red ball boarded a boat and took a cruise past several of Paris's biggest landmarks including Notre Dame Cathedral and the Eiffel Tower. Parisians have also found it wedged into pieces of architecture.

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Reuters Video: Ron Mueck's new sculptures are larger than life

The curious, startling and lifelike artwork of sculptor Ron Mueck goes on display in Paris. Sharon Reich reports.

TRANSCRIPT
REPORTER: They're disturbingly life-like, but far from life-size. The works of sculptor Ron Mueck, are on exhibit in Paris. The Australian artist has three new sculptures in the show, including this "Couple Under an Umbrella." The details are startling and the works are huge - this one is more than 13 feet or about four meters high. Grazia Quaroni of the Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art says the size of the figures presents a host of challenges.
GRAZIA QUARONI: "Treating the anatomy in this particular way, sometimes skipping the rules and making some mistakes in the sculpture, helps in making the sculpture even more human than human."
REPORTER: To create molds for the statues Mueck creates his figures in clay then coats them in shellac, rubber and plaster. Then, they're ready to be painted, clothed and have hairs applied. The larger-than-life statues will be on display through September 29.

IDIOM
If you say that something or someone is larger than life, you mean that they are more interesting and more exciting than an ordinary person or thing. • In death, Margaret Thatcher remains larger than life. The title of the report is a play on words because Ron Mueck's sculptures are literally larger than life.

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Cartoon: The Incredible Shrinking President

It's always interesting to read what cartoonists have to say about their own work, and this is Daryl Cagle's commentary [from his blog] on the above cartoon, which shows a shrinking French President François Hollande.

He (Hollande) is wildly unpopular in France after being elected recently, and our world cartoonists draw him all the time, so I thought I would give it a shot. That is “Liberty” from Eugene Delacroix’s “Liberty Leading the People” who is in the Mom role, measuring Hollande’s growth on the door frame – and that’s a clip of the real Liberty at the right.

Jean Plantu, the cartoonist for Le Monde in Paris, likes to chide me about how I can’t draw bare breasts as an editorial cartoonist in America. Of course, I am my own editor, and I can draw anything I want – the only problem is getting editors to print what I want. This cartoon has a triple whammy: boobs, foreign subject matter and a character (Hollande) who American readers don’t know, and I drew it on a Saturday, the dead day for editorial cartoons.

COMMENTARY
It would be difficult to imagine a worse week for the French President than the one that has just passed. With France in the grip of a serious economic downturn, Hollande's approval rating was already at a record low, when, on Tuesday, Jérôme Cahuzac, his former budget minister admitted that he had lied for months when he denied holding a secret Swiss bank account. That revelation unleashed a political storm that threatens to damage the president’s standing further. As if that wasn't enough, it then emerged that his former Socialist Party treasurer had invested in two Cayman Islands offshore companies.

The cartoon inverts the usual idea of the parent charting a child's growth by marking their height on the door frame by showing Liberty (the French equivalent of Uncle Sam) measuring Hollande's shrinking stature — a metaphor for his rapidly diminishing presidential status/standing/stature.

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Reuters Video: Beehives create buzz on French government building roof

A plan to welcome bees onto the roof of the French National Assembly building in Paris takes flight as blue, white and red hives are installed. Tara Cleary reports.

TRANSCRIPT
REPORTER: An austere French parliamentary building will soon be a hive of activity. Not because of the politicians inside, but thanks to bees on the roof. Thierry Duroselle of the French Society of Beekeepers says besides honey production, the insects are a great symbol of biodiversity.
THIERRY DUROSELLE: "We think it's a nice opportunity to educate people -- members of the public and politicians -- on the role of bees."
REPORTER: Laurence Dumont from the French National Assembly says if the bees produce enough honey it will be donated to visiting school groups or charities.
LAURENCE DUMONT: "So, with three hives we aim to produce 100 to 150 kilos of honey a year. So maybe about 800 pots."
REPORTER: It's not clear if the queens and their workers will be avid royalists or whether France's state colors painted on their hives will have them humming a nationalist tune.

WORDPLAY
This report contains several bee-related plays on words:
1. Buzz is the noise made by bees when they are flying. If something such as a news story creates a buzz, it gets a lot of people talking about it. 
2. If birds or insects take flight, they fly into the air. If a plan takes flight, it begins successfully.
3. A hive is a structure in which bees live. If you describe a place as a hive of activity, there is a lot of activity there or people are busy working there.
4. The fertile female bee in a hive is known as the queen, which explains the reference to royalists. However, France is no longer a monarchy, hence the reference to nationalist tune (also a nod to National Assembly).
5. If something hums, it makes a low continuous noise (like bees). If you hum a tune, you sing it with your lips closed.

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Video: François Hollande Speaking English in India

TRANSCRIPT
I'm sure that the vi.. this visit will bear (?) our relationship at the best level we can hope (sic). We come from a great partnership, India and France, and we must always improve the relationship between our two countries. India is a great democracy, the big (sic) democracy in the world, a country which is (in ?) development, and France must be with you in the challenge. Thank you, thank you.

ANALYSIS
Besides having an accent which borders on caricature, Hollande makes a number of mistakes. He says "bear our relationship" (probably translating the French "porter"), when he should have said "take", and omits the "for" after "hope". He should have used the superlative "biggest" when describing India as "the big democracy in the world" (though to be fair he gets the preposition "in" right). Finally, he talks about India being a country "in development" ("en dévelopement") rather than a "developing country". In any case, I'm not sure his Indian hosts would appreciate being referred to as a developing country, which sounds rather patronizing now that India is one of the so-called BRICS.

COMMENT
French President François Hollande doesn't seem to have made much, if any, progress since he was last caught speaking English on camera. It's strange that an elite politician would speak English so poorly. Mind you, Nicolas Sarkozy was no better. Not a great advertisement for language education in French schools ...

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Reuters Video: Anti-gay marriage demonstrators scuffle with police in Paris

A massive protest against same-sex marriage and adoption in Paris turned violent after demonstrators pushed through barriers around the Champs-Elysées. Deborah Gembara reports.

TRANSCRIPT
Hundreds of thousands took to the streets of Paris to protest same-sex marriage. They waved French flags and carried signs saying that marriage is about a man and woman. Many say they came to the capital to try to stop the government from allowing same-sex couples to marry and adopt. The protest, which comes ahead of a vote in parliament on the issue, turned violent after protesters began pushing against barriers set up around the famed Champs-Elysées. The back and forth with police went on for several minutes before police began spraying tear gas which had many coughing and gasping for air, and in some cases falling to the ground. Many of the demonstrators say they oppose same-sex adoption and artificial insemination because they believe it will have a negative impact on children. They're also furious with President Francois Hollande's pledge to push the law through despite limited public debate. The bill which has already made its way through the lower house of parliament, goes before the Senate on April 2.

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Reuters Video: Snow causes commuter havoc in northwestern Europe

Unusually heavy snowfall across western Europe causes severe travel disruptions. Sarah Sheffer reports.

TRANSCRIPT
REPORTER: Unusually heavy snow in northwestern Europe causes severe transport disruptions for commuters throughout the region on Tuesday. At Paris' Gare du Nord station, Eurostar passengers were told that no trains were expected to run due to the severe weather. One passenger said she was trying to visit family in London.
EUROSTAR PASSENGER MONICA SAYING: "Snow came, and the world stopped."
REPORTER: The City of Light was hit hard by the cold snap. One Parisian commuter unable to drive to work because of the snow said the weather has been unexpected. Cross-Channel services linking London and Brussels were also affected. And hundreds of British drivers were stranded in their cars on Tuesday as snow caused traffic chaos in southern parts of England. The freezing conditions stranded some motorists in their cars for up to eight hours overnight. Emergency services, local authorities and the Highways Agency were working through the night attending to hundreds of incidents.

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Reuters Video: French hungry for change as fast food sales overtake traditional restaurants

Traditional French gastronomy is set for a shake-up as fast food sales leap ahead of table service restaurants for first time. John Russell reports.

TRANSCRIPT
REPORTER: The French are abandoning long lunches in the bistro for the convenience of fast food, according to statistics published by food consultancy Gira Conseil last week. "Le snacking" has overtaken sit-down meals for the first time, gaining 54 percent of the market share traditionally dominated by restaurants and cafes. General Director of Gira Conseil Bernard Boutboul said that the figures showed a historic turning point in French dining habits
BERNARD BOUTBOUL: "Fast food has overtaken table service in France for the first time in terms of sales of meals outside the home. And that is truly historic because the restaurant industry in France is originally table service. The French like sitting at a table, there is a social link around the table, sharing, conviviality. For a few years fast food has been on the rise and table service has decreased, and for the first time the two have exchanged places and fast food has won."
REPORTER: It's not all French fries, though -- with the variety of fast food on offer a key factor in encouraging sales in the country. Still, it remains to be seen whether it remains to be seen whether the French will continue the current fast food trend.

LANGUAGE NOTE
The French word for 'fast food restaurant' is 'le fast', that's one syllable instead of five. And a 'self-service restaurant' is 'un self'—one syllable instead of six! Still can't get a decent sandwich though.

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Reuters Video: Surprise revival for horsemeat in France

Horse butchers in France notice a rise in horsemeat sales following a scandal in which horsemeat was found in products labelled as beef in countries across Europe. Sunita Rappai reports.

TRANSCRIPT
REPORTER: A Parisian horse butcher's shop - one of 700 or so in the country that have recently reported a surprise surge in sales. Non-stop media coverage of the recent food scandal in Europe where horsemeat was being sold as beef seems to have piqued consumer interest. France's horse butchers' trade group say sales have gone up by 15 percent. Butcher Jocelyne Lamire says she's noticed an increase in interest and new customers. "We definitely have more people coming in," she says. "But will it last?" The horsemeat scandal erupted last month when tests in Ireland revealed some beef products also contained equine DNA. The discovery prompted tests and product recalls across Europe - as well as fresh debates on the ethical and gastronomic merits of eating horse. This consumer says horse meat is energizing, tender and savoury - and as long as people are eating cow, there's no reason not to eat horse as well. France and Germany announced on Thursday that they would push for compulsory labelling on the origins of meat used in processed foods to avoid any repeat of the scandal.

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Reuters Video: Take my heart and throw away the key

City officials lock horns with couples over padlocks in Paris. Sharon Reich reports.

TRANSCRIPT
REPORTER: It's Valentine's Day and it may be chilly ... but romance is in the air. As a symbol of their devotion, hundreds of lovestruck couples attach locks on the Ponts Des Arts bridge tossing away the keys into the River Seine. The locks are adorned with messages of love, but it seems they are causing heartache for Parisian officials who are working to have them removed . The reason they say, is that the metal appeals to thieves who use wire cutters to remove them and in the process destabilize the structure. But a little sawing, can't stop love. British tourist Dan Murphy even took advantage of the spot to propose to his now fiancee Lauren Price.
LAUREN PRICE: "It just shows it's the most romantic city in the world."
REPORTER: French couple Vincent Durier and Aurelie Flamand sealed their love here too.
VINCENT DURIER: "We came because it symbolises Saint Valentine. We were in Paris and said to ourselves, why not come here? We saw online that it was famous for lovers. So we're taking part in the custom."
REPORTER: While they may be locking horns with lovers, Parisian officials still have a soft spot for Cupid -- they have put up electronic billboards around the city where couples can broadcast short love notes.

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Reuters Video: Audacious diamond heist hits Printemps, Paris

A De Beers boutique in a central Paris department store is targeted in swift and seamless multi-million euros diamond robbery. Sarah Sheffer reports.

TRANSCRIPT
REPORTER: Central Paris's famous Printemps department store, the scene of a multimillion euro diamond heist on Tuesday. The robbery took place shortly before the close of business at the store's De Beers jewellery boutique.
POLICE UNION SPOKESMAN LC POIGNANT: "Two people entered the Printemps store, walked up to the first floor where the jewellery shop is located and had all the jewels from the stall given to them in a bag, or rather from the shop. They were armed with hand guns but did not use them and then escaped via the employee staircase which comes out the back entrance."
REPORTER: The robbery reportedly happened so fast that shoppers and staff nearby did not even notice it was taking place. A special exhibition for Queen Elizabeth's 2012 Diamond Jubilee was taking place at the shop as it was robbed, showcasing a spectacular crown adorned with hundreds of diamonds. The piece was not stolen. A police investigation is ongoing. Police say the investigation will establish whether security levels were adequate for this exhibition. The heist took place just hours after a major diamond robbery in Brussels airport.

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