French Military Parades

After getting back home from Vienna yesterday, I heard some news about the French election for the post they call President.

There is a Norwegian-French candidate, Eva Joly. She reportedly made a statement against the Bastille Day military parade, saying celebrations should be more civilian, arousing harsh French reactions.

Both Mrs. Joly and her critics are partly right.

There should not be military parades on Bastille Day. In fact, there should not be celebrations at all on Bastille Day – at least not republican ones. The fleurs-de-lis should be flown.

Her critics are right in that the military parade should go on – as a celebration well symbolizing the raw power of the system that replaced the Bourbon monarchy.