I am not a salty person. I was not born resentful, or prone to holding grudges. Howeverrr.
The fact that my last name could had been La Rivière-Lambinon (my French family's name – La Rivière referring directly to the river Seine) instead of my actual Germanic ridiculously short surname, makes me want to throw a chair through some patisserie bakery's window
French president’s office confirms state visit off after mass strikes and demonstrations across the country
More than 450 protesters were arrested on Thursday as about 300 demonstrations drew more than a million people nationwide to protest against unpopular pension changes that would raise the retirement age from 62 to 64. Unions said more than 3 million people took to the streets to demonstrate against a fiercely contested law that was pushed through parliament without a vote last week.
The president and his wife, Brigitte, had been due to host a banquet for Charles and Camilla, the queen consort, at the former royal palace at Versailles. They were then due to travel by train to to Bordeaux on Tuesday to witness the devastation caused by last summer’s wildfires before marking the opening of the British consulate in the city and visiting an organic vineyard.
Until Thursday’s protests, French officials insisted the visit would go ahead despite threats of disruption. French strikers had reportedly refused to literally roll out the red carpet.
The powerful CGT union had said in a statement: “We will not be doing the furnishings, the red carpets or other flags and decorations.”
Sandrine Rousseau, of the radical left La France Insoumise, said: “It’s more important to listen to the demonstrators than to roll out the red carpet for the king.”
