Not surprisingly, France has lost it's spine when it comes to nearly all domestic policy. After the Job Law debacle, those frogs in the government just can't seem to stand behind anything; at least not until after the elections.
Paris government has backed down from an anti-smoking law that would ban cigarettes in public places, even bars. It seems that it is an election year there, too, so lawmakers have put anything that would be unpopular on the back burner.
"They're not going to do anything for a year, until the next elections," said Rey, 28, alternating between sips of beer and drags on a Camel at Aux Petits Tonneaux ("At the Little Barrels") bar in central Paris. "And that's too bad -- we need a lot of reforms."
The French government has retreated on not only the smoking law, but also on laws regarding flea market regulation (OK, flea market regulation? Don't they have anything better to do?) , pollution, health care initiatives; they're pretty much not doing a thing right now.
"The government leaders are so frightened they cannot move," said Claude Evin, a former French health minister who has spent years advocating smoking bans and other health-related initiatives. "They are startled by their own shadow. France is facing a terrible situation with such leaders."
I'll give them that. America should stand up and listen, they do almost the same thing every election year.
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