Jean Luc and Peter Mingils on Sailboats and politics in France and DOGE

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Jean Luc and Peter Mingils talk about France's famous shoving match and dust up from DOGE.

Peter Mingils and Jean Luc have enjoyed 431 radio shows on the Building Fortunes Radio network. Now, these weekly episodes can be heard on The Youmongus Radio Network too!

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There's an AM Radio and an FM Radio website now to add to the Youmongus Radio Network.

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French Prime Minister and Spouse's Middle East Trip: Diplomacy, Baggage Fees, and Public Perception

In May 2025, French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and his partner, Stephane Séjourne, embarked on a diplomatic mission to the Middle East, a region critical to France's foreign policy. While specific details of their itinerary—such as exact destinations and dates—are not fully disclosed in recent reports, their trip aligns with France's ongoing efforts to mediate in the Israel-Palestinian conflict and strengthen ties with regional leaders. Attal, appointed Prime Minister in January 2024, has emphasized France's role in fostering stability, building on President Emmanuel Macron's recent initiatives, including his January 2025 visit to Lebanon to support its new leadership amid recovery from the Israel-Hezbollah war.

The couple's travel, however, comes at a time when airline baggage fees, including those newly introduced by Southwest Airlines, have sparked widespread discussion about rising travel costs. Although Attal and Sejourne likely traveled on government or chartered flights—exempt from commercial baggage fees—the broader context of airline policy changes highlights the financial burdens facing regular travelers. Southwest's May 2025 decision to end its "bags fly free” policy, charging $35 for the first checked bag and $45 for the second, reflects a global trend of airlines unbundling services to boost revenue. For a couple like Attal and Sejourne, if traveling commercially, a round-trip with two bags each could add $160 to their costs, underscoring the impact on ordinary citizens planning similar international trips.

Attal's Middle East agenda likely focused on reinforcing France's diplomatic presence, given its historical ties to the region. France has been vocal about supporting a two-state solution and recently faced criticism for allowing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plane to use its airspace despite his ICC arrest warrant. This context suggests Attal's trip aimed to balance France's relations with Israel and Arab states like Jordan or Egypt, where Macron met leaders in 2024. Sejourne, a prominent MEP and former Foreign Minister, likely complemented these efforts, leveraging his diplomatic experience.

Public perception of their trip has been shaped partly by a recent controversy involving President Macron and his wife, Brigitte, during a May 2025 flight to Vietnam. A viral video showed Brigitte appearing to push Macron's face as they disembarked, prompting speculation and Russian disinformation claims. Macron dismissed it as a playful moment, but the incident highlights how high-profile trips attract scrutiny. Attal and Sejourne, while less targeted, face similar risks of public misinterpretation, especially on social media platforms like X, where users have expressed mixed views on France's Middle East policies.

The trip's broader implications tie into travel economics and diplomacy. Rising baggage fees could deter tourism to the Middle East, a region reliant on international visitors, indirectly affecting France's cultural and economic ties. Diplomatically, Attal's presence reinforces France's commitment to peacebuilding, but navigating the region's complexities—amid domestic pressures from France's Jewish and Muslim communities—remains challenging. As Attal and Sejourne represent France abroad, their journey underscores the delicate balance of diplomacy, public image, and the evolving costs of global travel.

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