Michel Barnier (of Brexit fame) is the new French Prime Minister. Most of the episode is our discussion on what that means for the right, for the left, for France, and for Europe. We further talk about national and local budgets, fiscal conservatism and the demonstrations that are happening all over France today. And then there's Happy News: we hav…

We start with Telegram and its rightwing libertarian billionaire owner. What exactly is he accused of, is it a free speech issue? And Juliette reveals the manner he ended up with French citizenship.. In PM news Macron has navigated himself into a situation where France might have another snap election. We end with the Paralympics. Good vibes :-) So…

French politicians are returning to work. From left to right, talks were had about the prime minister and cabinet. We discuss potential PMs and challenges France is facing. And while discussing French healthcare we went a bit on a tangent discussing Pepijn's bat-related ER visit.. BREAKING: while recording Mélenchon made an important statement. We …

This week we discuss wide ranging topics from calls for a rewrite of the French constitution, the sixth republic, and.. Smurfs. And there's an extensive segment into the cultural relevance of the classic custard dessert, Flanby (link below). And even though it all links into politics we can proudly say WTFrance is now basically a food podcast. As p…

Politics are winding down as the French go on summer holiday. We discuss how Macron suggest an older white man as potential prime minister, the 2025 budget, how a 2014 debate about France building an aircraft carrier for Russia might become relevant again, and naturally we discuss the upcoming.. grape harvest. For the first time in weeks the Paris …

The French are still busy with the Olympics and admiring home-town hero Léon Marchand. We discuss how Macron spends taxpayer money on wining & dining royalty & billionaires, how The Republicans are still infighting, and how everyone tries to push difficult political choices forward. Laurence Fox, an angry English man known for being Inspector Lewis…

This week is all about the 2024 Paris Olympics. The beauty of the opening ceremony but also how some French politicians find fault with certain participants. And as is becoming a tradition we discuss whether France has a new prime minister. We also discuss what the Olympic mascot is supposed to represent. Turns out it is not what I, Pepijn, had as …

We discuss how the unrest in New Caledonia affects the national assembly, how in the national assembly there were more votes cast than there are members, and how a bored and overconfident group of Macronists accidentally help the left. Oh, and then there's the Questeur! There was a LOT to discuss this week and thus the episode is a bit long. As we'…

What is next after the surprising outcome of the French elections. We (that is Juliette and Pepijn) discuss why France finds it difficult to find a path forward in a difficult political situation. Find us at https://universeodon.com/@WTFranceبقلم Juliette & Pepijn