France Military Eyes 2014 Cuts, Far-right Seeks To Benefit

Credit: Reuters/Christian Hartmann By John Irish and Emmanuel Jarry PARIS | Thu Oct 3, 2013 8:21am EDT PARIS (Reuters) – France’s military will cut about 7,500 jobs next year, a defense ministry source said on Thursday, detailing government belt-tightening plans that the far-right hopes will deliver it votes at municipal elections in 2014. The cuts come as tensions rise within Socialist President Francois Hollande’s 17-month-old coalition, whose poll ratings have fallen to 23 percent due to dissatisfaction about the economy and jobs. The defense ministry said in April that 34,000 jobs would likely be cut over the coming six years, but its overall budget would remain largely static, steering clear of drastic spending cuts after military officials and lawmakers said that would reduce France’s ability to counter global security threats. “Given the six year objectives, (the cut) should be around 7,000 to 7,500 military and civilian personnel in 2014,” the source said on condition of anonymity, ahead of a news conference by Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. A handful of bases will be closed or restructured, including an 800-man regiment in the town of Orange in the Vaucluse department, where support for the anti-immigrant, anti-European Union National Front is strong, the source said. Marion Marechal-Le Pen, a National Front member of parliament for Vaucluse, said the cuts would hurt France’s defenses and local economies in areas like hers. “I can only worry about the immediate economic impact in a region that has already been heavily hit by unemployment and economic difficulties,” she said, reacting to media reports about the cuts. “The governments of the right and the left have preferred to sell off our military know-how and lose our diplomatic independence by making small short-term savings. That will cost France’s sovereignty dearly in the coming years,” she said. France’s military employs some 228,000 personnel today. A further 165,000 individuals are employed by the defence industry, not including sub-contractors.

Britain and Ireland tied 9-9 with Continental Europe at Seve Trophy in France

The weeks best news photos Heres a quick way to catch up on the weeks news, through some of our favorite photos. Its been so close all week. It could have gone either way, Casey said. It seems like we have been getting off to bad starts all week, and this session, looked like we were getting off to a good start and things went a bit pear shaped in the middle. The tournament ends on Sunday with 10 singles. Each team needs 5 1/2 more points for victory. Continental Europe lost the last six meetings and is trying to win the trophy for the first time since the inaugural contest in 2000. I want to win it badly, its as simple as that, Europe captain Jose Maria Olazabal said. I dont like that record at all and hopefully this group of 10 people will be able to achieve that tomorrow. After two days of fourballs, Continental Europe was leading 5 1/2-4 1/2. On Saturday morning, Nicolas Colsaerts and Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano halved their match with Stephen Gallacher and Paul Lawrie. The Scottish duo was three down after eight holes, but birdied Nos. 16 and 17. Fernandez-Castano missed the winning putt from 10 feet on the last hole. Joost Luiten and Gregory Bourdy birdied their last three holes to beat Jamie Donaldson and Marc Warren 2 and 1. Chris Wood and Scott Jamieson combined for six birdies to defeat Thorbjorn Olesen and Francesco Molinari 2 and 1.

French Minister says France can learn from how Ireland treats its diaspora

The idea now is to activate them the way the Irish have to understand where we should be and where our companies should go In a recent meeting with ministers responsible for the diaspora, there were discussions on how to help people continue to feel that they belong and are linked to their home country. That they are still French citizens. More: How a French cabinet minister owes 157 property tax in Ireland French Minister says France can learn from how Ireland treats its diasporaThe diaspora can be a force and a resource, says French Minister for French Abroad Helene Conway. Sinead O’CarrollTheJournal.ie 2013-10-06T08:15:132013-10-04T17:19:01Sasko Lazarov Photocall Ireland!Working Abroad Expo in Dublin.FRANCES MINISTER FOR French Abroad was in Dublin this weekend on an information-gathering mission.Helene Conway, who lived in Ireland for thirty years before being appointed to Cabinet by Francois Hollande, said she attended the Global Economic Forum to learn from what is being done here in terms of the nations relationship with its citizens living abroad.The biennial event took place for the third time over the past two days in Dublin Castle with 300 delegates taking part from more than 40 countries. It was set up with an aim to bring business and cultural leaders together to explore how the Irish abroad could contribute to the nations economic recovery.Conway believes France is not as proud of those who succeed abroad as Ireland is.We need to have the competence of everybody, wherever they live in the world, she said, noting that one of Irelands actions following big bang in 2008 was to set up the forum.Maybe [the Troika] was the incentive to go and find everybody who can help. I think, in the middle of the Celtic Tiger, there was no incentive to go and seek help. We [in France] have the same now.Ireland was hit by a global crisis in 2008. We were as well but it was hiddenwhen Hollande was elected, we came to power and discovered huge holes everywhere in terms of debts.All of these were left hidden and maybe we were more honest. We said this is all the debt we have, if we continue like that we will have the Troika on top of us the way the Irish had.Hollande appointed Conway as the Minister for French Abroad in 2012.There is an awareness now that this diaspora can do something. But the problem is they have never been a diaspora in the French mind, she explained.But now that France is in trouble. We really need to rely on the competence on everybody to get out of this hole. The French dont really have a collective thinking.