Partner, Head of International Real Estate Investment | Leading Real Estate Transactions Expert
A timely day to be at our Watson Farley & Williams Paris office. The results of France’s first round snap election has stunned most; Marine Le Pen’s hard right National Rally looks close to gaining power. Sentiment in Paris is disbelief and dismay. France now faces the unenviable risk of a gridlocked parliament or an unprecedented move to the far right. My colleagues commented on the irony of the UK moving to the left (post Brexit) whilst the rest of the globe looks set to move hard right. (I thought it best not to labour the worrying support Reform UK seem to be gaining). This is my second visit to a major European city in the last week (I was in Dortmund last weekend with my son for the Portugal v Turkey match; he’s a Renaldo fan). What has struck me is the creaking infrastructure in our major cities (and I am very much including London in this sentiment). Border control systems seem to be broken as are the main trunk roads connecting our cities. I do wonder what the outcome will be minus significant investment to upgrade our major cities’ infrastructure. Still, a change of scene and bonding with my Parisian colleagues was very welcome (and of course the French rose). #WFW #geopoliticalrisk #infrastructure
Angela Beth
2w
Good to see you with Audrey D.!
Placemaking & Investment Director, plc NED, Independent Gov Commissioner, trustee, chair, mentor, award-winning leader, TEDX speaker. Strategist, innovator, investor, placemaker, problem-solver, purpose-driven partner.
2wDecades of under investment in infrastructure is starting to show in all sorts of ways -grid capacity and water availability as well as transportation! Amazing insight on the views of your French colleagues in these turbulent times!