Paris and other cities are facing a cost of living crisis

Rubbish in many arrondissements 

The much admired City of Lights is rocked once again by riots. This time it is because the Federal Macron Government had decreed that the retirement age be pushed later by another 2 years from the current 62 to the new 64.

If they are to move forward and push this decree into law, this means that the lower house of Parliament will not get to vote on this decree. It is not even a referendum, which surely affects all French people.

The truth of the matter is that as a foreigner, when I first went to Paris in 1987 I was blown away by its splendour, monuments, and charm. In 1993 on our honeymoon, it was quite the romantic destination. In 2008 I was taken aback by the amount of foreign migrants who had descended to the city and made the city feel less safe and more gritty. In 2016, we stayed in the most posh arrondissement, 1, near the Lourve and I was shocked to see that there was a big rise in the level of homelessness, drug addicts and petty thievery. There were gypsies preying on every street corner and also in the famed Metro.

In short, the city was going downhill for the last 30 odd years. 

In the Metro, one could certainly feel the pulse of the city. In 2016, we took the Airport Express from Charles de Gaulle airport to Gard de Nord and I was shocked that there was no proper connectivity between the airport platform and the train platforms apart from a couple of very old looking lifts. The airport 'express' was a rickety old piece of work. 

I realised that the city had lost a lot of its charm, its joie de vrie and although it appeared multicultural in many places. there was definately a degradation of unity of the people. The sense of anger brought about by the socialist Government who are taking steps now to prevent a further catastrophe in years to come - is palpable.  

This recent spate of riots is but another reaffirmation that the Western democracies no longer hold sway to the impression of the 'good life'. 

Freedom yes they do have perhaps more so than in (for example) Singapore. Then again, how much repression of the citizens do you find or know that has occurred to ANY Singaporeans ?   We can speak, write and critique everything political and there are town hall meetings to air our grieviences (MPs meet the people sessions). 

The difference ? Things do get looked into and action gets taken. 

Tough laws do exist in Singapore, but 99.999% of people don't mess around with illegal drugs. So that is not an issue with almost all Singaporeans.  

Singapore's standard of living, personal safety, access to proper water, sanitation and sewage removal  are truly world class when compared to the likes of Paris, Madrid, London or MIlan.