French weekly magazines review

Spreading social unrest, the political woes of French President Francois Hollande and rising racism in France continue to attract most comments in the magazines for yet another week.

Le Figaro Magazine analyzes the growing “great peasant revolt” against the government’s fiscal policies, started by the "bonnets rouges" or red caps in French Brittany, who are torching toll gates and traffic radars to vent their anger about the ecotax.

The right-wing weekly says these groups remain as determined as ever, warning that the mood of outrage is spreading to other parts of the country and causing national disunity in France.

Le Figaro Magazine believes that the catcalls which greeted Hollande during the commemoration of Armistice Day were partly due to him back-tracking on reforms promised during his political manifesto.

Le Canard Enchaîné is impressed by the composition of this protest movement. The satirical weekly claims that it has become a melting pot, an improbable mélange or mix of laid-off factory workers, farmers, small business owners, union bosses and anarchists.

A spokesman for the so-called French Spring confessed to Le Canard that the red cap has become the symbol of rebellion against the government, hence the spirited move by the far-right National Front party of Marine Le Pen to hijack the movement.

L’Express undertakes an A to Z inventory of Hollande’s failures: France’s credit rating was down graded, the president’s promises are questioned, there is a looming popular revolt and the government is on the defensive. According to the weekly, Francois Hollande has put France on the brink of chaos, adding that he now resembles the pilot of a plane whose steering wheel doesn’t respond any more.

Marianne claims that not only is the man in the street rejecting President Hollande’s policies, but also the ruling Socialist party. According to the left-leaning publication some officials are calling for an outright change of direction, while others want a cabinet reshuffle and a replacement for Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault.

Marianne asked 84 dignitaries from various fields, including politicians, union leaders, philosophers and economists, what advise they can give to the President to help him with the crisis. They were also asked who they would pick for the Prime Minister’s job, if Hollande would opt for a change of government.

Le Nouvel Observateur believes President Hollande is obliged to accept a new partnership with either the Mayor of Lille Martine Aubry, or with Interior Minister Manuel Valls. According to the left-leaning weekly, this idea is gaining ground at the Elysée Palace.

Le Canard Enchaîné expresses indignation at the racist attacks launched against Justice Minister Christian Taubira. The satirical weekly blames the coalition that was against the "Marriage for All" campaign for the rise of xenophobia in France. It recalls a recent incident when a 12 year old girl brandishing a banana shouted racist insults at Madame Taubira while she attended a public function.

The satirical weekly claims that the problem took on a new dimension when the radical right-wing newspaper Minute published a front-page article with the caption: “clever as a monkey, Taubira finds her banana”. Le Canard warns that the far right National Front party is taking advantage of the incident, and asks why it has taken the so-called Republican parties so long to understand and condemn the situation.

Le Point digs out the treasures of the Balkanys, the billionaire couple who it claims have amassed a formidable fortune during their 24-year reign as Mayor of the suburban Parisian city of Levallois. Patrick and Isabelle Balkany are facing investigations for money laundering and tax evasion amid suspicions that they have stashed away millions in offshore accounts.