I wish to share your optimism, Mr Chan, especially in your last sentence. Though I have little knowledge of France, save for a relative living in Paris right now and contact via Facebook, I did live in a neighbouring country of France for a couple of years.
I could not claim that I have full grasp of the whole range of problems now facing EU, including France: the rich-poor divide(excellently presented by the French economist, Thomas Piketty in his classic, Capital in the 21st century), the Islamophobia, the refugees, the widespread youth unemployment, the regional development imbalance within EU, the former East European countries once turned capitalist now switch back to some shade of communism again, the welfare system etc. etc.
It is the last of the above list of problems, the welfare system, that I have my reservation. Having a cradle to grave welfare system was once the pride of the European liberals, and the envy of many. But as the saying goes: you live by the sword, then you die by the sword. This economic buffer cushion for the poor and needy has, since the Financial Tsunami 2008 and the Euro crisis 2012, ran into all sorts of troubles, indeed some even claim it has reached its end of valid shelf life. How to reform it can determine the make-or-break of a nation.
We all know reforms, especially in political history, both in Chinese and foreign, were always fraught with difficulties; and reformers seldom lasted very long, their names were more associated with beheading than heading their brand of reforms. Indeed, the adjective most used to describe reform in the English language is the word, Bold, which speaks volume. In addition, the following Chinese saying tells the truth of human nature: it is easy to switch from a lifestyle of frugality to luxury but double hard the other way round.
The cosy days of welfare state are over for many Europeans, but can they survive the coming winter days of austerity cuts? I have my doubts.
法國許多政治評論家一直置疑年輕的馬克龍是否在國際事務和外交關係有沒有足夠的勇氣和能力周旋在鐵娘子默克爾，強人普京和狂人特朗普之間。似乎馬克龍看透了媒體的心，而且有意做一次刻意的表演。上任的當天就飛去柏林見默克爾，在聯合的記者招待會上強調法國要進行徹底的政治經濟改革不是為了符合歐盟的要求，而是為了國家的興隆他政府所必須採取的政策，贏得了廣大西歐國家的掌聲。第二天在北大西洋公約組織的高峯會議期間和特朗普午餐，既給夠狂人特朗普面子，又提醒盟友對美國的期待。尤其是兩天之後特朗普宣佈退出巴黎氣候協定，更當晚用英語向全世界廣播，指出遵守巴黎氣候協定是美國和美國人民的利益，套用特朗普“讓美國再次偉大” 的 “讓地球再顯偉大”，連美國的主流媒體也廣泛好評及傳播。連被西方孤立的強人普京也趕來巴黎趁熱鬧。馬克龍在凡爾賽宮紅地毯熱情迎接，但也不忘提醒普京在法國總統大選期間通過俄羅斯國家媒體干預選情，毫不客氣。