On April 8th, the French State Council (Conseil d’Etat) demanded that the High Council for Broadcasting (Conseil Supérieur de l’Audiovisuel, CSA) precisely calculates President Sarkozy’s public speaking time. Although each of the President’s appearance in the media is timed, it is unofficial and is not included in the dividing up of speaking times of the different actors of the national political scene. In the context of the European election campaign, let’s see what’s going to change… 

Its spring (officially, in any case) and like every year at this period a seasonal phenomenon has arrived yet again. It is a phenomenon most associated with the feminine gender. The words: “swimsuits,” “skirts and light dresses”, “shorts and tops,” are now so familiar. Yes, it’s the season when diet schemes flourish on the covers of women’s magazine. Contrarily to what Frenchwomen may think though, they are in fact the thinnest in Europe.

Is there one portfolio that hasn’t imagined landing in Monaco, Andorra, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Jersey, Guernsey… ? Which 6 digits account has not dreamt of a comfortable nest in a tax haven?

"Tax haven" written in French on the back of demonstrators on the Island of Jersey

The citizens of Europe seem worried, there are crises everywhere! Economic crises, threats to buying power, global warming… They’re worried about everything except the upcoming EU elections next June. A Eurobarometer poll carried out at the end of 2008 shows the lack of interest in these elections; of the 28,219 people above the age of 15 asked, across all 27 countries of the EU.

In these times of crisis, President Obama’s economic speeches underline the need to fight against global warming, particularly with the development of renewable energies. The European Union pledged to reach 20% of its energy produced with renewable energy by 2020. In Europe today, only approximately 9% of the energy produced is issued from renewable energies, with great disparities between countries. France’s objective is to reach a proportion of 23% by 2010. 

One can only be enthusiastic by the politics’ awareness for the necessity to fight against CO2 emissions. These emissions are, for 93%, the result of the use of energy choices favouring hydrocarbons and fossil energy.