Houellebecq is wiser than those who shout in his name

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SUNDAY NOTEBOOKS. The controversy born of the writer’s remarks reveals many tensions, and far too much excess.

Through Herve Gattegno

Lwill the new year be the year of taking action? we wondered before New Year’s Eve, thinking in particular of the upcoming bills on pensions, immigration and the end of life – difficult subjects to the point of making any government hesitate, a fortiori without an absolute majority in the vote. ‘National Assembly.

Well the first week of 2023 was all about words. According to the very French mania for arguing about everything and often even about nothing (“Three times nothing, it’s already something”, said Raymond Devos), three public declarations – by Emmanuel Macron, Omar Sy and Michel Houellebecq – made people leap, roar and fuel controversy, for better and for worse.

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