President Nicolas Sarkozy
Digital News Report- French President Nicolas Sarkozy has threatened to walk out of the G20 Summit on Thursday in London if stricter international financial regulations are not met, according to Finance Minister Christine Lagarde. The US favors fiscal stimulus, while most European countries would rather have tighter financial regulations.
“We need to get results, there’s no choice. The crisis is too serious to have a summit for nothing,” Sarkozy told reporters today in Chatellerault, France. On his visit to Chatellerault, Sarkozy was met by thousands of protesters, some of which reportedly threw rocks, eggs, and bottles at Police. The police responded with tear gas.
Many of the protesters were students or people who have been laid off. Many factories in France have been forced to lay off workers and protests are occurring across the country as a result.. Threatened lay offs at a Caterpillar factory in Grenoble caused workers to hold executive managers hostage on Tuesday.
President Obama set off for London today for the summit, which marks Obama’s first trip to Europe as President. Thousands of protesters are scheduled to arrive in London for the summit. He also plans on visiting France and Germany to celebrate the 60th anniversary of NATO and then head to Prague, Czech for a summit among US and European Union countries.
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What is it with the French? I have met some lovely French people in my travels, but I don’t get their ideals. The whole country goes on strike if things don’t go the way they want. Then there’s the crowd who just takes their bosses hostage.
The president threatens to walk out of a summit if things aren’t done as he sees they need to be. He’s acting like a spoiled brat. I agree there needs to be global economic reform, but does he expect threats of his absence will bring about this reform? If it’s that important, stay in there and keep fighting.