French Elite Forced To Pay A Price
Living in a society stressing success with hopes of becoming part of the economic elite, it is troubling to hear that just across the pond the wealthy are being chastised for their triumphs.
The French government has proposed an extreme 75% wealth tax on incomes exceeding one million Euros. The rich are in an uproar, but one wealthy French man is not about to sit around being robbed of his fortune.
French actor Gérard Depardieu is not wasting any time, and has recently been granted citizenship by President Vladimir Putin to reside in Russia. The flat income tax rate of 13% enjoyed by Russian citizens certainly is more appealing in comparison to remaining in France for Depardieu.
Depardieu has certainly received some backlash for his actions by the French government. Jean-Marc Ayrault, Prime Minister of France, has even gone so far as to describe Depardieu’s move as “shabby and unpatriotic.”
Depardieu originally registered as a Belgium resident when the tax rate catastrophe broke out.
While the French court system has adjourned the high tax, France’s socialist government supposedly intends to reinstate it.
In addition to acting and filmmaking, Depardieu is also an avid businessman and even owns his own vineyard. He has been nominated fifteen times for ‘Best Actor in a Leading Role,’ in which he one two of, and also landed himself Oscar nomination.
Depardieu is currently an official resident of Belgium, in an area also inhabited by other fleeting French elite.
The New Year leaves a lot to be determined concerning the actors whereabouts. Hopefully the actions taken by him and others serves as a wake up call for the French government.
Michael Kaye | Elite.
