The French government would like tourists to believe that France is at the forefront of modern technology, the land of TGV, Airbus and the Ariane space programme (although the latter two are European rather than French). But the truth is that France still lags behind in many respect, especially from a legal or political point of view.
France is the only Western European country with a compulsory identity cards system that does not yet have electronic ID cards. In comparison, neighbouring Belgium introduced electronic ID cards in 2002 and nowadays there are even electronic ID cards for kids and for foreign residents. Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Iceland, Norway, Finland, Estonia, and even Romania all have electronic ID cards. France doesn't.
I have explained before how inefficient the French post and banking service were. Additionally, France is one of the last countries in Europe where cheques are still one of the main forms of payments (about 30% of all transactions). Only Malta and Cyprus use cheques more frequently. The use of debit and credit cards in France is one of the lowest in the developed world. It feels like the French don't trust technology and like to stick to the old paper.
France is the only developed country where paternity tests (so practically any kind of DNA test) are prohibited by law. If you order a paternity test via the Internet or by telephone in France, not only the shipment may be confiscated by the customs but you risk a year in prison and a fine of € 15,000 (Article 226-28 of the Penal Code). (source) I consider that as a serious Human Rights infringement. Read more.
I don't watch much TV but when I do it is often French TV, and I am appalled almost every time that programmes never start on time. I am not complaining about a few minutes here. Some programmes start 15-20 minutes late, and occasionally they even start 10-15 minutes early, which is even more annoying. In the digital age how can they still manage their timetables so poorly ? Unfortunately this is a reflection of French society as a whole. The French are almost never on time for anything. It's a problem as endemic as in southern Italy.
If you drive around Western Europe one thing you will notice immediately is the contrast between the old age and poor condition of the average French car on the road compared to those in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Britain, and in fact practically anywhere where the GDP per capita is supposedly similar. The reason is that the French government is not strict enough regarding vehicle inspection. Half of the cars in the French countryside would be prohibited to drive in Germanic countries.
This Latin laissez-aller attitude is found at many other levels of French society. The antiquated French education system has been blamed recently by a BBC journalist for the pervading gloomy mood in modern French society. One of the main issues in France today is that young people have too much freedom to choose whatever subject they want at university. Because education is free, many change their mind halfway through their studies or study to get two or even three degrees, then go to work in other (mostly English-speaking) countries where the work market is more flexible and better paid.
So the French people end up paying for one of the world's most expensive tertiary education system, and a lot of this money never comes back into the system as brighter people leave France. Among those that remain, many will be unemployable anyway because they have useless degrees or too many degrees (= too expensive to employ), or both. If the French were a bit stricter on entrance exams, set higher fees, and encouraged people to study for degrees for which there is a real demand on the market, the French economy would be much healthier.
French people live the longest in the EU, and yet they have the earliest retirement age (62 years old, against 65 to 67 in other countries). The French constantly oppose all kind of necessary reforms of the economic system, staging national strikes and massive demonstrations at the slightest inconvenience. That's why I wouldn't be surprised if France became the next Greece, and eventually led to the collapse of the Eurozone.
7 years ago, I was already writing a thread Is France "the sick man of Europe" ? in reaction to an article by The Economist. Since then things have gone from bad to worse, and the incompetence and irresolution of President Hollande does not augur well for the years to come.
France is the only Western European country with a compulsory identity cards system that does not yet have electronic ID cards. In comparison, neighbouring Belgium introduced electronic ID cards in 2002 and nowadays there are even electronic ID cards for kids and for foreign residents. Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Iceland, Norway, Finland, Estonia, and even Romania all have electronic ID cards. France doesn't.
I have explained before how inefficient the French post and banking service were. Additionally, France is one of the last countries in Europe where cheques are still one of the main forms of payments (about 30% of all transactions). Only Malta and Cyprus use cheques more frequently. The use of debit and credit cards in France is one of the lowest in the developed world. It feels like the French don't trust technology and like to stick to the old paper.
France is the only developed country where paternity tests (so practically any kind of DNA test) are prohibited by law. If you order a paternity test via the Internet or by telephone in France, not only the shipment may be confiscated by the customs but you risk a year in prison and a fine of € 15,000 (Article 226-28 of the Penal Code). (source) I consider that as a serious Human Rights infringement. Read more.
I don't watch much TV but when I do it is often French TV, and I am appalled almost every time that programmes never start on time. I am not complaining about a few minutes here. Some programmes start 15-20 minutes late, and occasionally they even start 10-15 minutes early, which is even more annoying. In the digital age how can they still manage their timetables so poorly ? Unfortunately this is a reflection of French society as a whole. The French are almost never on time for anything. It's a problem as endemic as in southern Italy.
If you drive around Western Europe one thing you will notice immediately is the contrast between the old age and poor condition of the average French car on the road compared to those in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Britain, and in fact practically anywhere where the GDP per capita is supposedly similar. The reason is that the French government is not strict enough regarding vehicle inspection. Half of the cars in the French countryside would be prohibited to drive in Germanic countries.
This Latin laissez-aller attitude is found at many other levels of French society. The antiquated French education system has been blamed recently by a BBC journalist for the pervading gloomy mood in modern French society. One of the main issues in France today is that young people have too much freedom to choose whatever subject they want at university. Because education is free, many change their mind halfway through their studies or study to get two or even three degrees, then go to work in other (mostly English-speaking) countries where the work market is more flexible and better paid.
So the French people end up paying for one of the world's most expensive tertiary education system, and a lot of this money never comes back into the system as brighter people leave France. Among those that remain, many will be unemployable anyway because they have useless degrees or too many degrees (= too expensive to employ), or both. If the French were a bit stricter on entrance exams, set higher fees, and encouraged people to study for degrees for which there is a real demand on the market, the French economy would be much healthier.
French people live the longest in the EU, and yet they have the earliest retirement age (62 years old, against 65 to 67 in other countries). The French constantly oppose all kind of necessary reforms of the economic system, staging national strikes and massive demonstrations at the slightest inconvenience. That's why I wouldn't be surprised if France became the next Greece, and eventually led to the collapse of the Eurozone.
7 years ago, I was already writing a thread Is France "the sick man of Europe" ? in reaction to an article by The Economist. Since then things have gone from bad to worse, and the incompetence and irresolution of President Hollande does not augur well for the years to come.
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