Once Upon A Time In France: Migrant Misery, Right Fright, And Josephine Joy
Dreaming Of Bayeux
Because Paris is not quite cold and grey enough this time of year, I decided to make a return visit to Helsinki, Finland to remind myself of what living with only 6 hours of sunlight every day feels like. Fortunately, the bottomless well of Finnish good humor, a deadly serious sauna culture that involved very detailed lessons on which types of branches with which to swat myself while baking like a potato, and moose sausage pizza all made this a typically joyful experience.
From there came a visit to Brno, Czech Republic with a gaggle of French tourism journalists (of which I am now one!) to explore this wonderful city which felt downright tropical after Helsinki’s -10℃ nights. Naturally, going abroad can bring surprising lessons about one’s homeland (albeit adopted). In this case, Brno is Mad For Napoleon Bonaparte, who passed through a few times on his European War Tour. The locals still hold a ceremony for him every year connected to the famous Battle of Austerlitz, demonstrating the kind of warm fuzzies that are a sharp contrast to France where the current relationship status is: complicated. One of our Czech hosts even told the classic “bon apart” joke.
Despite still living in the era of Covid, which took its latest ominous turn with the sudden global panic over the Omicron variant just as I was about to leave Paris, my crossing of borders was relatively effortless. Whether flying Finnair or gliding along in a Czech train, I’m aware that this is all part of a privileged existence.
This trip came just after the latest horrifying reminder of the growing misery and suffering being caused by attempts to shut borders in certain regions. On November 24, a boat carrying migrants from Calais to the U.K. capsized, killing 27. According to the New York Times:
Gérald Darmanin, France’s interior minister, said that the dead, including five women and a little girl, were part of a group whose “extremely fragile” inflatable boat was found completely deflated by rescuers.
The drownings came only a few days after French and British authorities reached an agreement to do more to stem the number of people taking to the sea. They were also a stark reminder that five years after authorities dismantled a sprawling migrant camp in Calais, both countries are still struggling to handle the flow of migrants in the area.
The tragedy immediately led to recriminations in France and the U.K. over who was to blame and who is responsible for policing the borders. It marks a further deterioration in the relations between the 2 countries, which had already been growing tense this year over a post-Brexit fight over fishing rights in the English Channel.
Mostly, the British seemed miffed that the French are not doing enough to stop illegal immigration into the U.K. Prime Minister and Part-Time Muppet Boris Johnson tweeted a public letter insisting France take back any illegal immigrants, which further rankled the French:
That led to the cancellation of talks over the crisis following this diplomatic gaffe, as The Guardian noted:
It follows Johnson’s letter to President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday night setting out five steps to avoid a repeat of Wednesday’s tragedy. The letter was sent publicly as a tweet in time for the front pages of UK newspapers and French officials confirmed Macron had not seen the letter before Johnson tweeted it.
Since then, the accusations have continued to simmer. Though per usual, the British media have been mostly interested in blaming everything on the French. At times, the belligerence between the 2 sides has been surprisingly intense. No one thinks these ancient frenemies are going to war, of course, but the bad blood and hostilities seem likely to endure.
Right Fright
Just days before he officially declared he would be a candidate for president, journalist and professional troll Eric Zemmour went on trial for hate speech. From The Guardian:
Zemmour – who has two previous hate speech convictions but who has risen in opinion polls to be seen as a potential challenger to Emmanuel Macron in spring’s election – is being tried for “public insult” and “incitement to hatred or violence” against a group of people because of their ethnic, national, racial or religious origin.
He made the comments during a debate in September 2020, on the French news broadcaster CNews. He said of children who migrate to France without parents or guardians: “They’re thieves, they’re murderers, they’re rapists, that’s all they are. We must send them back.”
Such accusations, rather than being a blemish, only help to further burnish his brand. What brand is that exactly? Well, when he declared his run, Gargamel began to trend on Twitter:
But after rising in the polls, Zemmour has started to lose some altitude as some of his antics grow tiresome. Like giving the finger to a protester in Marseille. Though to my delight the French call this gesture doigt d’honneur (finger of honor).
Also on brand: Journalists from the TV magazine Quotidien were forced to flee one of his rallies when a mob of his supporters turned on them:
Meanwhile, Les Republicans, the traditional mainstream conservative party have nominated Valérie Pécresse to be its candidate. Pécresse is president of the region Île-de-France, which includes Paris, and is considered somewhat less to the right of the rival she defeated, Eric Ciotti. The latter responded gracelessly by declaring he was launching his own political party.
Still, the nomination gave Pécresse a boost in polls where Paris Mayor and Social Party candidate Anne Hidalgo continues to flounder. Just how easy President Emmanuel Macron’s re-election bid will likely depend on just how far to the right his opponent in the 2nd round is. Sorting out the degree of rightwing views of various candidates takes a scorecard:
Macron: center-right
Pécresse: right of center-right
Ciotti: far right of center-right
Le Pen: far-right
Zemmour: far right of far-right bordering on lunatic asylum territory
Basically, for all the stereotypes of France being a socialist haven, the upcoming election comes down to 50 Shades Of Right-Wing Ideology. There are about 5 months to the first round of the French presidential elections, and honestly, it can’t come soon enough.
Josephine Joy
Let’s turn our attention then to something more joyful: Josephine Baker’s entry into France’s Pantheon.
Baker led an extraordinary life in France that began with her celebrated dancing but eventually included a role in the French resistance during World War II. Upon arriving in France, she said she felt an openness and acceptance as a black woman that she could never find in the United States.
While the decision to place her in the Pantheon was announced months ago, the actual ceremony prompted a genuine outpouring of affection for her across the country.
Baker’s story is often embraced in France as emblematic of the country’s universalist values: Everyone is equal and should not be recognized by race or religion or gender. Writing in The Washington Post, Rokhaya Diallo offers some important context to Baker’s life set against France’s colonial attitudes. That cloak of universalism, unfortunately, has created a rather large blind spot regarding race, something the French insist is an American construction that threatens the nation’s values.
But for now, let’s just celebrate the remarkable life of Baker which is also a symbol of the deep ties between these 2 countries.
Dreaming Of France
Bayeux is in the Calvados Department in the Normandy region. For World War II buffs, it’s a great location for exploring the surrounding D-Day landing beaches and cemeteries. It also boasts its own D-Day museum. Be sure to check out the Bayeux Tapestry, a hand-sown depiction of the Norman conquest of England. And of course the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Bayeux is a Gothic masterpiece.
Great Reads
On that question of race and identity, Paris-based journalist James McAuley looks at Europe’s War On Woke in The Nation. The New York Times wondered if Niger could escape its past as a French colony. And former environmental minister, activist, and filmmaker Nicolas Hulot was the subject of a TV investigation into accusations of sexual harassment.
I’ll work on a bit more cheery news for the next edition.
Chris O’Brien
Le Pecq