March 2025
Talkin’ Bout a Revolution
Don’t you know
They’re talking about a revolution?
It sounds like a whisper
Don’t you know
Talking about a revolution?
It sounds like a whisper
While they’re standing in the welfare lines
Crying at the doorsteps of those armies of salvation
Wasting time in the unemployment lines
Sitting around waiting for a promotion
Don’t you know
Talking about a revolution?
It sounds like a whisper
Poor people gonna rise up
And get their share
Poor people gonna rise up
And take what’s theirs
Don’t you know you better run, run, run, run, run, run
Run, run, run, run, run, run
Oh, I said you better run, run, run, run, run, run
Run, run, run, run, run, run
’Cause finally the tables are starting to turn
Talkin’ ’bout a revolution
’Cause finally the tables are starting to turn
Talkin’ ’bout a revolution, oh no
Talkin’ ’bout a revolution, oh
I’ve been standing in the welfare lines
Crying at the doorsteps of those armies of salvation
Wasting time in the unemployment lines
Sitting around waiting for a promotion
Don’t you know
Talking about a revolution?
It sounds like a whisper
And finally the tables are starting to turn
Talkin’ ’bout a revolution
Yes, finally the tables are starting to turn
Talkin’ ’bout a revolution, oh, no
Talkin’ ’bout a revolution, oh, no
Talkin’ ’bout a revolution, oh, no
“Talkin’ Bout a Revolution,” released in July 1988, is the second single from the self-titled debut album of the American singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman. It peaked at No. 75 on the American “Hot 100” chart.
A COUP-D’ETAT VERSUS A REVOLUTION
The Cambridge Dictionary defines “coup d’état” as “A sudden defeat of a government through illegal force by a small group, often a military one.”
The online Oxford Dictionaries defines “revolution” as “A forcible overthrow of a government or social order in favor of a new system.”
According to English Wikipedia, “A coup d’état, or simply a coup, is typically an illegal and overt attempt by a military organization or other government elites to unseat an incumbent leadership. A self-coup is said to take place when a leader, having come to power through legal means, tries to stay in power through illegal means.
“By one estimate, there were 457 coup attempts from 1950 to 2010, half of which were successful. Most coup attempts occurred in the mid-1960s, but there were also large numbers of coup attempts in the mid-1970s and the early 1990s. Coups occurring in the post-Cold War period have been more likely to result in democratic systems than Cold War coups, though coups still mostly perpetuate authoritarianism.”
And from French Wikipedia: “Un coup d’État est un renversement du pouvoir par une personne investie d’une autorité, de façon illégale et souvent brutal. On le distingue d’une révolution en ce que celle-ci est populaire. Le putsch est un coup d’État réalisé par la force des armes. Une révolution de palais est une forme de coup d’État dans laquelle le régime politique reste essentiellement le même mais les principaux titulaires du pouvoir sont illégalement arrêtés voire assassinés, et remplacés par de nouveaux.
“Il peut également y avoir des coups d’État légaux, ou auto-coup d’État, coups d’État effectués par des pouvoirs déjà en place pour y rester ou s’y renforcer. Napoléon Ier, Napoléon III, ont tous deux affermi leur pouvoir par un coup d’État légal (le premier s’auto-proclamant Consul à vie, puis instaurant le premier empire; le second abolissant la république et instaurant le second empire).”
Translation:
A coup d’état is an illegal and often brutal overthrow of power by a person vested with authority. It differs from a revolution in that the latter is popular. A putsch is a coup d’état carried out by force of arms. A palace revolution is a form of coup d’état in which the political regime remains essentially the same, but the main holders of power are illegally arrested or even assassinated, and replaced by new ones.
“There can also be legal coups d’état, or auto-coups d’état, carried out by powers already in place in order to stay there or strengthen themselves. Napoleon I and Napoleon III both consolidated their power through a legal coup d’état (the former proclaimed himself Consul for life, then established the First Empire; the latter abolished the Republic and established the Second Empire).”
These terms are often used along with several others, such as “dictator” and “authoritarian,” to mention the two I have recently heard the most.
We use words with the meaning we think they have. We can assume that people know the meaning of the words they use. But we also more or less taint some words with our personal emotions.
Using the above definitions of “coup d’état” and “revolution,” they look similar in what they describe. In the popular mind, a revolution is carried out by commoners, with the people rising up against the regime and grabbing power in the country. Similarly, people associate a coup d’état with a large number of military personnel under the authority of an officer who leads them to the strategic holdings of government authorities and ends up deposing the incumbent ruler. Many people view a revolution as the result of a far-left uprising and a coup as the result of one by the far right.
Politicians increasingly use hyperbolic figures of speech. I find that this weakens their statements instead of strengthening them. At the same time, there is a need to describe a situation accurately, even if it means using loaded words with historical significance that could appear ridiculous and completely out of context.
All this is so far away from Tracy Chapman’s song, which describes the dire poverty experienced by many people living in Western countries that claim to be rich. I could have chosen among bands including Steppenwolf, Jefferson Airplane, C.S.N.&Y., and C.C.R., which I still listen to a lot all these years later. Each of them wrote in one way or another about a revolution. I chose this title because it is “Talkin’ Bout a Revolution.” Maybe in the maelstrom of vociferous speech that we hear every day, Chapman is the one who describes best the radical changes many people believe are needed.
ANOTHER WAY TO PAY URSSAF SOCIAL CHARGES
In the old days, checks were the standard way to pay URSSAF. We have come a long way, and a check is now a long and somewhat insecure way of paying URSSAF. Most commonly, URSSAF withdraws the amount owed from the bank account recorded in your file, though in some situations this method of payment may not work. Using a credit card is also possible. Now a new way allows payment to be made by using the references on the bill. Below are the comments I got from URSSAF.
– Ease of use: you no longer need to know your URSSAF RIB or fill in your payment reference. It takes just a few clicks.
– Security: the transaction is carried out after strong authentication with your online bank. Everything is done automatically via your banking space.
– Optimum tracking: this system enables you to track your transfers seamlessly.
Here is how it works:
1. Go to the “Pay contributions” section of your online account.
2. Select payment by bank transfer. You will be redirected to the new service (operated by Payzen) to search for and select your bank.
3. Log in to your bank using your online banking details and confirm the payment and the account to be debited.
4. A confirmation window from your bank appears. To return to your online space, click on the “Return to URSSAF” button.
Remember that renewal of the various self-employed cartes de séjour must be up to date with URSSAF, as the prefecture will ask for a statement of good standing.
FRENCH INCOME TAX DECLARATION TIME IS LOOMING
On a more mundane topic, I would like to remind everybody that the paper version of the 2024 income declaration must be filed in France by midnight on May 22nd, 2025. The declaration forms will be available at www.impots.gouv.fr on April 13th. That is also the day you can start filing your declaration on the same website. To do so, you need your tax ID number (numéro fiscal) and a password.
If you are making your first income declaration to the French tax office, you should do so using the paper form and checking the “first-time” box on the form (CERFA #2042) where it says Vous déposez une déclaration pour la première fois cochez (“Check here if this is your first declaration”). It is possible to get the tax office to give you the information needed to declare for the first time electronically, but I tend to advise against it because using paper documents makes it much easier to see and understand how the system works.
Note that the deadline for online declarations is later than that for paper declarations. The schedule depends on your postal code:
• Départements 01 to 19 must file by midnight on May 25th.
• Départements 20 to 54 by June 1st.
• Départements 55 and up by June 8th.
Reminder: if you are self-employed in France, the quarterly declarations sent to URSSAF do not constitute income tax declarations, which must be sent to the tax office. Many foreigners are under the impression that the quarterly declarations are their only fiscal obligation.
You are a French fiscal resident if you:
• stay in France 183 days in a calendar year, whether you have legal immigration status or not
• have immediate family members (spouse and/or minor children) who are living in France and therefore are French fiscal residents
• have a French employer
• run a French business, even something like tutoring schoolchildren in English.
Occasionally you may have a year with no tax owed to France, either because you only had foreign income not taxed in France or because your taxable income is too low. Then a problem can arise if the prefecture wants to see your income tax bill (avis d’imposition sur le revenu), as happens with many types of immigration status.
Unlike in the USA, filing is a two-step process. The income declaration is sent in, with no payment attached. Then, starting in August, the tax office issues the avis d’imposition sur le revenu based on the declaration, and the deadline to pay the income tax is September 15th.
Many organizations in France, in both the public and private sectors, may require you to furnish an avis d’imposition. For example, the Caisse d’allocations familiale (family subsidy bureau) uses this document among others to decide if applicants deserve aid and, if so, how much.
AN ELECTRONIC INVOICE EVEN FOR AUTO-ENTREPRENEURS
Starting in 2026, businesses and self-employed people in France will gradually be required to switch to electronic invoicing for all transactions. This reform, designed to simplify administrative procedures and strengthen tax control, will require the use of private, fee-based platforms. The government, as usual, presents it as a step forward, simplifying accounting and declarations.
It is clear that this reform will establish strict control over self-employed people, making it almost impossible to cheat. It will also impose a cost on the self-employed, as registered private companies will provide the service. The worst thing is that the government will be able to change the software’s settings whenever and however it likes. For example, a recent news report on the reform says the government will be able to increase the TVA ratio, lower the thresholds, and so on.
The reform is provoking strong reactions among the self-employed, who see it as an additional burden in an already difficult economic climate.
The electronic invoicing will be introduced in stages. From 1ᵉʳ September 2026, large and intermediate-sized companies will be the first affected. For small and medium-sized enterprises and micro-businesses, including auto-entrepreneurs, it will apply from 1ᵉʳ September 2027. The reform applies to all companies subject to TVA, whether they supply goods, services, or public auctions.
THE GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER REPORTS ON TOUGH FRENCH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT
A faithful reader sent me the link to this article, which I had not seen. The article concludes that France may be asking applicants for naturalization to meet too high a French language standard since apparently a large segment of native French people would not pass the test involved.
The heading of the article is: France’s language tests for foreigners seeking citizenship defeat French people: Native speakers found to struggle with exams coming in under stricter rules for those who want to stay in the country.
This finding, I believe, further disproves the government’s claim that it is pushing foreigners to ask for the carte de résident only so they can be fully integrated into France more rapidly. As I explained last month, there is a huge discrepancy between people holding the VIP passeport talent carte de séjour, who will have a lot more time and are often graduates of Western universities, and foreigners working low-paying jobs who have little time to study, often lack even a secondary education diploma, and hold a much shorter-term carte de séjour. By changing the language requirement, the French government shows what kind of immigration it wants, despite the fact that “less-desirable immigrants” are well integrated and, through their work, provide their share of effort to the French global economy.
HOW THE DOMINIQUE PELICOT TRIAL DEFINITIVELY INVALIDATES THE LEGAL CONCEPT OF BON PÈRE DE FAMILLE
A form of cultural evolution explains why the legal concept of bon père de famille (good father of the family), originally found in the Napoleonic Code, was recently replaced with raisonnablement (reasonably).
Article 1728 of the French Civil Code, related to housing rental, formerly stated that the renter was obligated to use the premises rented “as a good father of the family” (en bon père de famille). The current version, however, adopted in 2014, states that the renter must “use the premises reasonably.”
Article 26 – LOI n° 2014-873 du 4 août 2014 pour l’égalité …”.
Article 1728 now reads:
“Le preneur est tenu de deux obligations principales :
1° D’user de la chose louée raisonnablement, et suivant la destination qui lui a été donnée par le bail, ou suivant celle présumée d’après les circonstances, à défaut de convention ; 2° De payer le prix du bail aux termes convenus.”
An article published by Le Monde on December 18th 2024 explains the connection with the trial of Dominique Pelicot, found guilty the following day of having repeatedly drugged his wife, Gisèle, in the small Provençal town of Mazan and having invited dozens of men to rape her.
“When the Mazan rape trial opened, the eyes of the world turned to Dominique Pelicot, accused of having drugged, raped, and having his wife raped by more than fifty men over a ten-year period. In the media portrayals of the septuagenarian and his co-defendants, one phrase keeps recurring: ‘bon père de famille’‘good fathers’”.
(Lorsque s’ouvre le procès des viols de Mazan, les regards effarés se tournent vers Dominique Pelicot, accusé d’avoir drogué, violé et fait violer sa femme par plus d’une cinquantaine d’hommes pendant dix ans. Dans les portraits médiatiques du septuagénaire et de ses coaccusés, une formule revient sans cesse : les « bons pères de famille ».)
The article suggests that this legal concept, born in Roman antiquity and once associated with seriousness and respectability, had seen its prestige irreparably tarnished in the years between the 1804 promulgation of the Civil Code and the Mazan rape trial. It survived into the early 21st century but then quickly crumbled in a few years. The Me Too movement, progress in the struggle for equality between men and women, and several other factors crushed the almighty, always-perfect father figure, with the Pelicot trial giving it the coup de grâce.
One thing I find interesting about this situation is that in many countries, including the USA and France, legal language uses antiquated or even Latin formulas, and this does not seem to bother anyone. Societies are fine with them, except occasionally when plaintiffs do not understand what is said or written.
I grew up hearing about crimes passionnels (crimes of passion) when a man killed his female partner. In the old days, such a killer often received a light sentence because it was held that he acted out of passion and love. Eventually, the media and others started to use féminicide. The Commission générale de terminologie et de néologie, which works in conjunction with the Académie française, recommended its use in the legal field in 2014, with the meaning of “homicide of a woman, young girl, or child on the ground of her sex.” By 2020, the legal concept was widely used, and sentencing in such cases became a lot harsher, often worse, than for a “normal” homicide. Naming the crime so as to put the focus on the woman’s death rather than the man’s feelings changed everything.
Similarly, the change from en bon père de famille to raisonnablement says a lot about the need, in some instances, for the law to name things in a way that keeps up with the times. In contrast, ab intestat, the latin for “sans testament/without a will,” does not bother anybody and can be used for the foreseeable future. A more interesting example, perhaps, is pretium doloris, meaning “prix de la douleur/price of pain and suffering.” The literal translation is “the price of the pain,” in connection with the Code Civil, Article 1240, defining the right to be compensated for damages.
SHIP STUDIO IS AVAILABLE FOR RENTAL STARTING JULY 15th 2025
The SHIP studio is currently available to rent on July 15th. The dedicated website for this studio details everything there is to know about it and my neighborhood, which is located in the 11th district, and the link is below. It has been months since I started working on the website. It feels like the studio will be occupied most if not all of 2025. The rent is still 1,400€, which includes everything.
https://www.jeantaquet.com/home-in-paris
Best regards,
QUESTION
WHY ARE IMMIGRATION REQUESTS NOT REVIEWED AT THE SAME TIME AND THE PROCESS IS SO SLOW?
My husband and I are on one-year cartes de séjour visiteur, which expired on November 25, 2024. This is our third year renewing them. We applied to renew for another year on September 9, 2024. In the past, we have been approved within two weeks.
I received in mid-November a document called attestation de prolongation d’instruction d’une demande de renouvellement de titre de séjour allowing me the same rights as on my current carte de séjour until the 12th of February, 2025. My husband did not receive the same document. We normally receive the same correspondence on the same day and hour.We have tickets to return to the States and spend Easter with family on April 15, returning April 30. It seems that we may or may not hear news before then, depending on whether the “instructing officer” has taken note in his file. It seems that there is no longer a way to contact the prefecture or anyone at the Ministry of Interior via telephone. There are no appointments available at the prefecture to ask in person. Is it possible for my husband to leave and return on his passport alone? He has never heard anything. He has been without a valid carte de sejour since November 25. Please let us know what can be done.
ANSWER
There was a time when the French immigration administration was reliable, for the most part, and this kind of situation was exceedingly rare. Going without any answer or communication of any kind for close to six months is inhumane, but increasingly common. Still, it remains rare enough that your husband is entitled to some explanation and, ideally, a attestation de prolongation d’instruction d’une demande de renouvellement de titre de séjour.
The reason identical files sent at the same time are treated so differently is explained by a change in how ANEF works. Renewal requests used to be handled at an office located in the prefecture to which the applicant belonged. Thus both of you received any communications at the same time, and often the same person probably dealt with both of your files. Today, however, ANEF can send a given file anywhere in France, and there is almost no chance of both of your files being reviewed by the same office. This explains the discrepancy you are experiencing.
Currently, ANEF takes, on average, two months to just open a file. That is why so many people are getting the attestation de prolongation d’instruction d’une demande de renouvellement de titre de séjour. They really try to submit the renewal request closer to three or even four months before the immigration status expires. The renewal requests are approved several weeks later. Therefore, it has become nearly impossible to get renewal requests approved before the status expires.
Hence, the civil servant reviewing the file for the first time should ideally look first at the expiration date so as to ensure that the applicant’s legal stay in France continues. The attestation de prolongation is usually renewed since it is only valid for three months. This rarely happens with the visiteur immigration status but is becoming common for others, especially the more complex ones.
The real problem, which can have serious consequences, is when the renewal request file is left unopened for several months. This appears to be your husband’s situation. He is left with an expired carte de séjour and any communication with ANEF regarding this issue seems a waste of time.
I share your concern. Your husband can leave France with just an expired carte de séjour without any problem. The prolongation document is sent by email, so he might get it while you two are away. At this point, that could very well be wishful thinking. Still, someone will eventually work on his file, which would allow him to travel back from the USA with an expired carte de séjour and the prolongation.
As regards the worst-case scenario – coming back to France with just a passport and expired carte de séjour – the French police have access to his file if they choose to check, and they will see it is pending. In most cases, showing an American passport is all it takes to enter France. But the airlines are now acting as bad immigration officers, which can create difficulties. They can call the French consulate in Washington, DC, to get the needed clearance.
Finally, you seem to be equating the expiration of the carte de séjour with a loss of immigration status. It is virtually certain, though, that his immigration status will be renewed. The only question is when.
Sending messages through the ANEF website might feel useless, but in my experience, this appears to be the most efficient action to take. Calling the hotline is a waste of time, as the person is looking at a screen that says pretty much what you see in the account. I believe such messages are not really forwarded to the person working on the file.
Once when helping with a similarly insane case, I went with the client to either pick up the carte de séjour or demand an explanation. We got neither, and the civil servant told me that since the renewal procedure had lasted for over a year (the renewal request had been submitted exactly four months before expiration), the best thing might be to hire a lawyer to threaten a lawsuit and possibly take the prefecture to court, as the situation was completely out of line.
DISCLAIMER
Please forward this message to all those who would be interested in its contents. The information contained in this newsletter is intended only as general information. I strongly urge readers to seek professional guidance concerning the legal and tax matters mentioned. This newsletter is intended as a general guide and is not to be taken as professional advice.