France is for Lovers… (who have babies)
After Michael Moore’s film Sicko was released, conservatives fumed about his portrayal of France (and every other country) claiming it was biased, exaggerated or slightly inaccurate. While that’s probably somewhat true, yesterday I found out there’s even more about France for Americans to drool over:
1. The French government dispenses 200 Euros each month, to any person with a residency card, to help pay for rent. You are applicable regardless of your nationality (meaning you don’t need to be a citizen of France) and regardless of your income. You just apply. (Side-note: I am ineligible for this sick deal because I am only here for five months and thus do not hold a residency card. Merde!)
2. If you are a young mother (my professor speculated under the age of 17 but could not recall exactly), legally you cannot be evicted from your apartment during the winter. If you don’t pay your rent, between the months of November through March, you cannot be forced to leave.
3. You get paid to have 3+ kids. Literally you get a sum of money, immense tax breaks, and most public amenities at half the price (metro/bus fare, etc.) These laws were made in the post world war II period when France’s population was not growing as a result of industrialization. After the devastation and humiliation of the war, these laws were put in place as some kind of competitive nation building tactic. Have more French babies! We’ll pay you!
4. Three months paid maternity leave. If you’re wondering what the U.S. policy is on this… I’ll sum it up for you: it doesn’t exist. In fact, the U.S. stands next to countries like Swaziland and Liberia, which also don’t guarantee paid leave for mothers.
America, fuck yeah!
