The French-American Foundation Weekly Brief

The French-American Foundation reviews what’s happened in France this week.

Monday, May 10 marked the 162nd anniversary of the abolishment of slavery in France and its colonies. According to Radio France International, in a statement read by Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux, President Nicolas Sarkozy said, “France, the country of enlightenment and liberty, is today at the forefront of the fight against modern slavery, a scourge that we are determined to combat relentlessly.”

On Tuesday, May 11 France attacked the United Kingdom for its failure to be more involved in France and Germany’s euro bail out efforts. French market regulator, Jean-Pierre Jouyet, told Europe 1 radio that it is inevitable that the pound will be the target of markets and that Britain will be on its own when that happens.  According to Agence France Presse, Jouyet stated, “The English are very certainly going to be targeted given the political difficulties they have… If you don’t want to show solidarity with the eurozone, wait and see what happens outside it.” Britain, which while a member of the European Union, does not use the euro, has been particularly distracted lately as its three main political parties battled for control of Parliament.

According to Agence France Presse, a French court on Wednesday, May 5 refused an American request to extradite an Iranian business man named Majid Kakavand who was accused of violating the U.S. embargo by exporting goods to Iran. The court ruled that Kakavand had not broken French law as the equipment involved was not necessarily of a military nature. According to the U.S. State Department, efforts to arrest Kakavand will continue.

According to the Associated Press, France is proudly claiming credit for the recent euro rescue efforts. The AP reports that it was French President Nicolas Sarkozy who persuaded a reticent Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, to  sign off on the plan which has stabilized the euro and for the time being, eurozone member Greece. Public opinion in Greece appears to reflect Sarkozy’s assessment, with 76.6 percent of respondents having a “positive” or “somewhat positive” view of the French leader in a recent poll.

On Tuesday, May 11, French President Nicolas Sarkozy opened a new outlet of the famed Pompidou arts center in Metz, France. The new museum was designed by Shigeru Ban and Jean de Gastines, and reflects Ban’s Japanese roots. It will have access to the main branch’s collection and will serve as a showcase for some of the 65,000 pieces currently there in storage, according to Agence France Presse.

The Cannes film festival kicked off Wednesday, May 12. According to France 24, while the potential blockbuster “Robin Hood” will open the festival, there is a notable lack of U.S. titles this year, reflecting the harsher economic climate. Le Monde reports that the financial downturn will also be the subject of many documentaries screened this season.