In the Angers newspapers : when commemoration exempts from reflection

News analysis. - The anniversary of General de Gaulle's death gave birth during the first days of november to commentaries about the former statute of France in the world 40 years ago and its present condition. Many readers of local press complain, and impute to the politicians who followed the De Gaulle's mandate, the responsability of what they consider as a downgrading of their country. 

What is astonishing is these regrets come from young people who still believe in the power of a providential statesman, who, like De Gaulle or Jeanne d'Arc, would deliver France of its troubles. These readers reproach to the present French leaders their lack of integrity. If the destiny of a country would rely - only - on the probity of its politicians, that would be very worrying. Hopefully, the solutions not only come from statesmen, but mainly from institutions.

France is heavily put into debt simply because during almost 40 years the state and its subsidaries spent money more than they earned. Was it forbidden par the fifth republic constitution? No, so the successive governments used their right to have more expenses than receipts. Is it cautious to rely only on the will of a statesmen to balance the budget? Of course not. So the problem come more from institutions than policitans. The politicians are a product of institutions. If the habits of politicians have to be changed, the institutions have to be changed first.