‘And Manon Aubry who goes to Lebanon in Business Class?’: Charles Consigny merciless with Alma Dufour on BFMTV

A heated debate erupted on French television Friday evening when lawyer Charles Consigny confronted La France Insoumise lawmaker Alma Dufour over her party's proposal for a sixth week of paid leave. Consigny, an editorialist for BFMTV, expressed strong opposition, stating, "In France, we have nothing but holidays." He argued that French workers already enjoy significant time off and that such benefits are ultimately paid for by the average citizen, quipping, "It's always Nicolas who pays."

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In France, we have nothing but holidays. It's always Nicolas who pays.

Dufour defended the proposal, presenting a graph to argue that French workers' annual hours, totaling 1,491, are comparable to the European average. She listed several European countries where people work fewer hours, including Germany, Norway, Denmark, Austria, the Netherlands, Sweden, Iceland, and Luxembourg. Dufour challenged the notion that working more hours directly translates to greater wealth creation, pointing to countries like Poland, which she noted is surpassing France economically, and Greece, which she claimed has recovered.

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Today, a Frenchman works 1491 hours annually. Less than the Germans, the Norwegians, the Danes, the Austrians, the Dutch, the Swedes, the Icelanders, the Luxembourgers.

Consigny pushed back, suggesting that Poland is indeed outperforming France and that Greece has seen economic recovery. However, Dufour interjected, implying that while Greece may have recovered economically, it might not be a desirable place to live. Consigny retorted that there are likely worse places to live than Greece, adding to the contentious exchange.

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But it's not because we work more that we create more wealth.

The discussion also touched upon retirement age, with Consigny provocatively stating that Édouard Philippe, a former Prime Minister, retires at 70. Dufour responded with ironic laughter, finding the age record-breaking. The debate further extended to unemployment, with Consigny questioning how many young people travel the world on unemployment benefits, a claim Dufour dismissed as pertaining to the children of his associates.

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Manon Aubry who goes to Lebanon in Business class?