Disgruntled Expats
 

I read in another thread that some of you old stagers (if I may call you that) are considering moving out of France as a result of the civil unrest.

Here in the UK there's been scant coverage of the disorder, probably because the vast majority of the media reports on Brexit - endlessly.

I spent many happy years living in France but didn't experience any unrest, so my advice here should be regarded as being general, rather than based on the sort of experiences you're currently having.

There's a unity between Trumpism, Brexit and France's current problems - it's based on too many people being at the bottom of the pile and too many people whose voices are not heard. The political class is broken. In the UK, the centre-right holds power and is stretched across conservative and social democrat views, whilst the extreme(ish) left control the Labour party. So "who can I vote for?" is the cry of many, just as it is in France.

You may have Le Pen soon, we may have Brexit.

If I were you, I wouldn't hurry back to the UK any time soon. If a second referendum is called, the socio-political consequences are huge, especially if the original vote's overturned. 15,000,000 people will feel disenfranchised, so civil unrest is almost inevitable. If Brexit happens, the remain group of 14,000,000 will feel robbed. The UK economy is likely to take a nose-dive, no matter what the right wing says.

So my two centimes worth is to advise you to stay put unless you're young enough to begin elsewhere. Or go to Spain and live amongst the Daily Mail readers.

Re: Disgruntled Expats
 

I suppose it all depends on location/personal preferences and both countries can be very rough in parts. I would still feel safer on the Isle of Man, Jersey, Isles of Scilly, or some remote area in Northern Ireland/Scotland compared to Marseille. Then again, I felt more safe on the Island of Île de Ré compared to Birmingham, but Corsica seemed worse than Scunthorpe. You could escape to the French Alps but then you also have the flash floods and avalanches.

Re: Disgruntled Expats
 

It's all very interesting. "Trumpism" is changing the world (for the better, in my view), and nationalism/popularism seems to be on the rise, at last, at least in parts of Europe. I would be pleased to see a Le Pen government - she certainly couldn't do any worse than the the last three. Perhaps then, the leadership may realise the folly of their "climate change goals", and cease penalising everyone for nothing, but the governments self-vanity, and the UN's misguided direction. Vive les gilets jaunes, I say - I'm not going anywhere, quite happy here...

Re: Disgruntled Expats
 

@Chris'Julie - I expect you support a hard Brexit too?

Re: Disgruntled Expats
 

We all thought that the "One foot in the grave" character - Victor Meldrew was fictional. ;) ;)

Re: Disgruntled Expats
 

Well, I'm quite excited by it all, rather than moaning...

Re: Disgruntled Expats
 

You want to be an immigrant in a country with a far right controlled government and then suggest she couldn't be any worse than the last three. Has history not taught you anything? You could enter the Darwin Awards and win....

Or your just Trolling because the wind and boredom is getting to your head......

Re: Disgruntled Expats
 

I wrote what I thought, whether you approve, or not. It IS interesting, and the populist and nationalist cause, to my way of thinking, is the preferred one. Funny how so many of these forums are littered with lefties, who take umbrage at what others of a different persuasion think..

Re: Disgruntled Expats
 

How did you determine I was a "leftie" from just stating my opinion are other people not entitled to an opinion can I determine from your response you don't advocate free speech and thought, do you follow the Trumpism ideology of thinking news is fake to use as smoke and mirrors.

Your typing and thoughts went into the public domain on a privately owned website it will provoke a response......

Im a pretty middle of the road kind of person I have seen the world fought in the Army and watched the machine that goes ping stop one too many times I have learnt that narrow minds demanding a exclusionary now seek a bleak future or self gain.

Re: Disgruntled Expats
 

To the OP, I've not heard of any Brit (or other nationality) leaving France because of the demonstrations.

I've heard loads of EU people leaving the UK because of Brexit though, something the ''Populist loving poster enjoying life in a welcoming country'' probably is happy with.

Re: Disgruntled Expats
 

Just to get the background right - you're British, and you're enjoying your retirement here in France courtesy of EU freedom of movement, is that correct?
And you find it "interesting" and in line with "your preferred cause", that future generations of Brits won't have the same opportunities you had? You don't find that a backwards step? No, well I suppose it won't affect you. Although I see from your previous posts that you're quite a fan of having Waitrose groceries delivered to you in France - that service might get interrupted.

Re: Disgruntled Expats
 

Yes sifting back through the post throws up some right wing delights


I think we have a real life......

Re: Disgruntled Expats
 

Without entering unduly into any political mud-slinging, I was interested by some comments on a French radio broadcast this morning. With references to French presidents, the previous one as we know was often referred to as 'the pedalo captain', and by contrast the current president this morning referred to as the 'captain of an outboard motor - which unfortunately has the maneuverability of an ocean liner'. I liked that! No marine equivalents were mentioned for the far left or far right, but I could think of a few!
One member here states "I'm not going anywhere, quite happy here", and everyone to their own. However we've arrived at a situation where the police are at the end of their tether, exhausted, moral has never been lower. They are unable to come out on strike, but many have shared a desire to do just that, suicides in the force is on the increase due to conditions, the state owes them millions of euros in overtime pay, which may possibly be payed at some future date. And if that wasn't bad enough news, there's worse. The French national fire brigade, a large majority of which are volunteers, are coming under increasingly violent attacks by the public during the course of their life-saving duties. Just a few years ago 800 such attacks were on record. Recently an increase of 23% of serious attacks has been officially stated, to a shameful figure of 2813.
Some may indeed be "quite happy here" with all this. I am most definitely not!

Re: Disgruntled Expats
 

The people that are quite happy here tend imho to be the ones that DONT interact with the community around then, suicide rates as a whole are up in France in farming the rates are immense children are under pressures that need not be there and psychiatric care in France is lock you up our throw you away. They are a nation of hypochondriacs but getting good psychiatric care is a nightmare, GP's are being pushed to the limit and tend these days not to give a ʇᴉɥs unless their insurance is at risk.

Doctors surgery is a good place to get ill...... I don't understand why the Flu jab can't be put in a Epipen which a pharmacist could help administer take the work load off doctors. The Epipen came from the Army originally and was used for chemical warfare drugs we carried them around for self administration stick the Flu Jab in them winter work load is removed from doctors....

Re: Disgruntled Expats
 

Neither have I. I may have mentioned that I was contemplating moving from a rural area to somewhere nearer to "civilisation", but within France and purely for personal reasons. Nothing to do with the "gilets jaunes", strikes, casseurs,,...