Le elite. Epoch Dragonfly Elite LE White Lacrosse Shaft: Ultimate Performance for Elite Players

How does the Epoch Dragonfly Elite LE White Lacrosse Shaft enhance player performance. What innovative technologies are incorporated into its design. Why is it considered superior to other carbon fiber shafts on the market.

Revolutionizing Lacrosse Performance: The Epoch Dragonfly Elite LE White

The Epoch Dragonfly Elite LE White Lacrosse Shaft stands at the forefront of lacrosse equipment innovation, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in stick performance. Designed for elite players and high-level athletes, this shaft incorporates cutting-edge technology to deliver unparalleled control, power, and precision on the field.

Intelligence Weave: The Core of Performance

At the heart of the Dragonfly Elite LE White is Epoch’s new Intelligence Weave technology. This innovative feature is engineered to optimize energy transfer, directing power towards the head of the stick during passing and shooting motions. The result? Enhanced shot velocity and improved accuracy, giving players a significant edge in gameplay situations.

Unmatched Strength-to-Weight Ratio: A Game-Changing Advantage

One of the most remarkable aspects of the Dragonfly Elite LE White is its exceptional strength-to-weight ratio. Epoch has sourced the finest materials available globally to construct a shaft that offers superior strength without compromising on weight. This unique balance allows players to maintain agility and quick stick movements while also benefiting from enhanced durability and power.

How does the strength-to-weight ratio impact gameplay?

• Improved maneuverability in tight spaces
• Reduced player fatigue during extended periods of play
• Increased shot power without sacrificing control
• Enhanced durability to withstand intense gameplay and checks

The Dragonfly Elite Technology Package: A Closer Look

The Epoch Dragonfly Elite LE White incorporates a suite of advanced technologies, each contributing to its superior performance. Let’s examine these innovative features in detail:

Reload Technology: Maximizing Energy Return

Reload Technology is designed to create urgency for the shaft to return to its natural position after flexing. This feature maximizes recoil and flex during passing and shooting, resulting in more powerful and accurate shots.

Torque Box Elite: Lightweight Strength Redefined

The Torque Box Elite system optimizes the shaft’s mechanical properties while minimizing weight. By reducing voids in the composite layup, this technology ensures maximum strength with minimal mass, contributing to the shaft’s exceptional performance.

HD Resin: Enhancing Energy Transfer and Durability

HD Resin is a chemical surface treatment process that improves load transfer and energy distribution throughout the shaft. This enhancement not only increases overall durability but also contributes to more efficient power generation during play.

Advanced Carbon Layering (A.C.L) Elite: Customized Performance

The A.C.L Elite system is a sophisticated approach to carbon fiber layering that allows Epoch to fine-tune various aspects of the shaft’s performance. This technology enables precise control over:

• Flex characteristics
• Durability
• Weight distribution
• Release point optimization

By carefully engineering these layers, Epoch creates a shaft that can be tailored to meet the specific needs and preferences of elite players.

Uniform Release Point Technology: Maximizing Shot Consistency

The “Kick Up Your Game” feature incorporates Uniform Release Point technology, which creates a natural kick-point or flex point just above the player’s top hand. This innovation maximizes shaft performance during passing and shooting, leading to more consistent and powerful shots.

How does the Uniform Release Point benefit players?

1. Improved shot accuracy due to consistent flex characteristics
2. Enhanced power transfer from hands to the ball
3. Reduced variability in shot release, leading to better muscle memory
4. Optimized energy efficiency, allowing for quicker shot recovery

Slip/Grip Technology: Enhancing Player Control

The Dragonfly Elite LE White features a highly engineered “gritty” textured topcoat, providing players with a consistent and reliable grip. This Slip/Grip technology ensures that players maintain optimal control of the shaft in various weather conditions and during intense gameplay situations.

Benefits of the Slip/Grip feature:

• Improved handling in wet or humid conditions
• Reduced need for tape or additional grip enhancers
• Consistent feel throughout the game, regardless of playing duration
• Enhanced player confidence in stick control

Surface Veil Technology (S.V.T): Unparalleled Durability

To further enhance the shaft’s durability, Epoch has incorporated Surface Veil Technology into the Dragonfly Elite LE White. This innovative feature adds an extra layer of highly engineered material to the outer surface of the shaft, significantly increasing its overall toughness and resistance to wear and tear.

How does S.V.T contribute to the shaft’s longevity?

Surface Veil Technology provides several key benefits that extend the life of the Dragonfly Elite LE White:

• Increased resistance to impact damage from checks and ground balls
• Enhanced protection against environmental factors such as UV rays and moisture
• Improved scratch and scuff resistance, maintaining the shaft’s appearance over time
• Added structural integrity, reducing the risk of catastrophic failure during intense play

Comparing the Dragonfly Elite LE White to Traditional Carbon Fiber Shafts

While carbon fiber has long been a popular material for lacrosse shafts, the Epoch Dragonfly Elite LE White takes this technology to new heights. But how does it compare to traditional carbon fiber offerings?

Key advantages of the Dragonfly Elite LE White:

1. Superior strength-to-weight ratio
2. Advanced energy transfer and flex characteristics
3. Customizable performance through A.C.L Elite technology
4. Enhanced durability with S.V.T and HD Resin
5. Optimized grip and control with Slip/Grip technology

These features combine to create a shaft that outperforms traditional carbon fiber options in nearly every aspect of the game.

The Impact of the Dragonfly Elite LE White on Player Performance

Ultimately, the true value of any piece of lacrosse equipment lies in its ability to enhance player performance on the field. The Epoch Dragonfly Elite LE White excels in this regard, offering tangible benefits to elite players and high-level athletes.

How does the Dragonfly Elite LE White elevate gameplay?

• Increased shot velocity and accuracy through optimized energy transfer
• Improved ball control and stick handling due to the shaft’s lightweight design
• Enhanced durability, allowing players to focus on their game without equipment concerns
• Customizable performance characteristics to match individual playing styles
• Reduced player fatigue, enabling sustained high-level play throughout matches

By addressing these key areas of performance, the Dragonfly Elite LE White empowers players to push their limits and achieve new levels of success on the lacrosse field.

Integrating the Dragonfly Elite LE White into Training and Gameplay

To fully harness the potential of the Epoch Dragonfly Elite LE White, players and coaches should consider how to best integrate this advanced shaft into their training regimens and game strategies.

Training considerations:

1. Focus on exercises that capitalize on the shaft’s enhanced energy transfer capabilities
2. Incorporate drills that emphasize quick stick movements and precise ball control
3. Practice shooting from various distances to optimize the use of the Uniform Release Point technology
4. Develop strategies that take advantage of the shaft’s superior strength-to-weight ratio

Gameplay adaptations:

• Encourage players to take more aggressive shots, leveraging the shaft’s power-generating capabilities
• Emphasize quick transitions and fast-break opportunities, utilizing the shaft’s lightweight design
• Develop offensive schemes that capitalize on improved passing accuracy and velocity
• Adjust defensive strategies to account for the increased shot power of opponents using similar advanced shafts

By thoughtfully incorporating the Dragonfly Elite LE White into both training and gameplay, teams can maximize the competitive advantage offered by this cutting-edge piece of equipment.

The Future of Lacrosse Equipment: Innovations Beyond the Dragonfly Elite LE White

While the Epoch Dragonfly Elite LE White represents the current pinnacle of lacrosse shaft technology, it also points towards future innovations in the sport. As manufacturers continue to push the boundaries of materials science and engineering, we can expect to see even more advanced equipment in the coming years.

Potential areas for future innovation:

• Integration of smart technologies for real-time performance tracking
• Development of bio-based or sustainable materials with performance characteristics similar to advanced composites
• Further customization options, allowing players to fine-tune shaft characteristics to an even greater degree
• Advancements in manufacturing processes to reduce costs and increase accessibility of high-performance equipment

As these innovations emerge, it will be fascinating to see how they shape the future of lacrosse and impact player performance at all levels of the sport.

Maintenance and Care: Preserving Your Investment in the Dragonfly Elite LE White

To ensure that players get the most out of their Epoch Dragonfly Elite LE White Lacrosse Shaft, proper maintenance and care are essential. While the shaft’s advanced technologies contribute to its durability, following best practices for equipment care can further extend its lifespan and maintain optimal performance.

Key maintenance tips:

1. Clean the shaft regularly with a mild soap and water solution to remove dirt and sweat
2. Avoid exposing the shaft to extreme temperatures or prolonged direct sunlight when not in use
3. Inspect the shaft periodically for any signs of wear or damage, particularly after intense games or practices
4. Store the shaft in a cool, dry place when not in use, preferably in a protective bag or case
5. If using tape for additional grip, remove and replace it regularly to prevent residue buildup

By following these maintenance guidelines, players can ensure that their Dragonfly Elite LE White continues to perform at its peak for seasons to come.

The Epoch Dragonfly Elite LE White: A Worthwhile Investment for Serious Players

When considering the purchase of a high-end lacrosse shaft like the Epoch Dragonfly Elite LE White, players and parents often question whether the investment is justified. While the initial cost may be higher than that of traditional shafts, the advanced features and superior performance characteristics of the Dragonfly Elite LE White offer significant value for serious players.

Factors to consider when evaluating the investment:

• Potential for improved on-field performance and competitive advantage
• Enhanced durability leading to less frequent replacements
• Reduced risk of equipment-related injuries due to superior materials and design
• Increased player confidence and comfort, potentially leading to more enjoyable gameplay
• Opportunity to experience cutting-edge technology that may influence future equipment choices

For players committed to elevating their game and competing at the highest levels, the Epoch Dragonfly Elite LE White represents a worthwhile investment in their lacrosse journey.

Embracing Innovation: The Role of Advanced Equipment in Lacrosse’s Evolution

The development of products like the Epoch Dragonfly Elite LE White Lacrosse Shaft plays a crucial role in the ongoing evolution of the sport. As equipment technology advances, it not only enhances individual player performance but also contributes to the overall growth and development of lacrosse as a whole.

How does equipment innovation impact the sport?

1. Increased speed and intensity of gameplay, leading to more exciting spectator experiences
2. Enhanced player safety through improved materials and design
3. Greater accessibility to high-level play as equipment helps bridge skill gaps
4. Inspiration for young players to pursue the sport and strive for excellence
5. Continuous improvement in coaching techniques and strategies to leverage new equipment capabilities

By embracing innovations like the Dragonfly Elite LE White, players, coaches, and fans contribute to the dynamic growth of lacrosse, ensuring its place as an exciting and evolving sport for generations to come.

Epoch Dragonfly Elite LE White Lacrosse Shaft

The Epoch Dragonfly Elite LE White Lacrosse Shaft brings everything from groundbreaking innovation to exceptional control, breaking through the limits of performance. The Dragonfly Elite LE White is designed for elite players on the field and the highest-level athletes seeking untapped performance. Featuring Epochs new Intelligence Weave, the Dragonfly Elite LE White is engineered to maximize performance and push energy towards the head of the stick when passing or shooting. Epoch uses the best materials available in the world to construct an unmatched strength to weight ratio creating a superior offering to any carbon fiber shaft on the market.

Dragonfly Elite Technology Package: 

Reload Technology – creates urgency for the shaft to return to its natural position for maximum recoil & flex while passing and shooting.

Torque Box Elite – provides reduced weight, optimal mechanicals and minimal voids in the composite layup for increased lightweight strength.

HD Resin – A chemical surface treatment process to improve oad transfer (energy) for increased durability.

A.C.L Elite – Advanced Carbon Layering (A.C.L.) layers control several aspects of the shaft’s performance, including flex, durability, weight and release point.

“Kick” Up Your Game – Uniform Release point technology maximizes shaft performance by creating a natural kick-point or flex point just above your top hand while passing and shooting.

Slip/Grip – Highly engineered “gritty” textured topcoat for consistent grip.

Surface Veil Technology (S.V.T) – Increases the overall toughness by adding in an additional layer of a highly engineered material to the outer layer.

Lobster Elite Grand Five LE-ELO5LE

Moonballer Drill

Moonballers can be a nightmare to play against.  Think of it like slow pitch softball.  The high arcing pitch looks like it should be easy to hit, bit it’s not!  To play the moonballer, you need patience or a combination of patience and a good mid court swinging volley to move forward and finish the points.  Try practicing both!  Also, don’t be afraid to move back and let the high bouncing ball drop to a more comfortable height.

Slicer Drill

Some of the most effective club level player are called “hackers” by their friends.  Others call the “slicers and dicers!”  Typically these players can slice or chop their groundstrokes, keeping the ball low and hard to return.  To play a “slicer” remember to bend you knees a little lower than normal, minimize unforced errors, and be ready for a long match!  These players are usually very steady and will move you all around the court.

Lefty Drill

Most players are right-handed, which can make playing a lefty a relatively uncomfortable experience.  Just don’t be the player who doesn’t even realize they just played a lefty until the match is over!  It’s important to know that most left-handers have strong forehand groundstrokes and strong backhand volleys.  But, they ofter have weaker slice backhand groundstrokes and have trouble with low forehand volleys.  The feeds from the machine in this sequence are designed to simulate what a lefty might throw at you.

The Grinder Drill

The Grinder tries to wear down his opponents physically an mentally, waiting for the other player to make a crucial mistake.  This player hits high, loopy, moderate spin shots that will challenge all players.  This is a six ball drill that utilizes the back court with different types of spin.

Power Baseliner Drill

The Power Baseliner is a player who is explosive in their shot selection, playing with pace and aggression and minimal spin.  This player exhibits and attacking style, known as “first strike” tennis.  This is a six ball drill that utilizes full back court with little sling and more ball speed.

All-Courter Drill

The All-Courter is a player type that focuses their game on tactical savvy.  He/she can compete well from the baseline and will come to the net to finish points.  When playing this type of player, expect a great deal of shot variety.  This is a six ball drill that utilizes both full back court and front court with some top spin and less ball speed.

2020 Lobster Sports Elite Grand V LE Tennis Ball Machine

Why is the Elite Grand  V LE so ground breaking?
You are able to personalize your own workouts and program to an unbelievable 18 shot spots.

Picture personalizing the shot location, the feed rate, as well as the spin for each shot and then saving that into your customized drill!
This feature is unmatched on any tennis ball machine anywhere on the planet.

100% Programmable

The ONLY Machine Perfect for Simulating True Match Play

Lobster Sports Elite Grand V LE Tennis Ball Machine features innovative technology allows you to to program shot locations, speed, spin, and feed rate, as well. The variations of shots are limitless. Generate customized drills effective at simulating true match play. Anyone can transform the weak points of their tennis into areas of complete domination.

The Elite Grand V LE features cutting edge technology allows you to to program shot locations, speed, spin, and feed rate, as well.
The different versions of shots are limitless.
Create personalized drills capable of simulating true match play.
Anyone can transform the flaws in their game into areas of complete domination.

Fully Unique Oscillation
With Variable Speed & Spin!

The Grand V LE provides a revolutionary design makes it possible for your machine to toss balls throughout the whole range of the court mixing up pace, spin, trajectory and oscillation. This fully random engineering advancement allows for the Grand V LE to genuinely simulate genuine match play, a feature that’s unsurpassed by virtually any portable tennis ball machine available.

3 Brand New Pre-Programmed Drills!

The Grand V LE is also equipped with 3 pre-programmed six shot drills that duplicate the most popular styles of play: grinder, all courter, and power baseliner.
These types of incredible workouts blend pace, trajectory, and spin to prepare you to play up against the world’s elite!

Using the press of a control button, you can now practice against the playing style of your choice.

The Most Extensive 3-Line Function on the Market! – Narrow, Medium & Wide

Additionally, the Grand V LE comes with by far the most extensive 3-Line function found today. With its three adaptable positional configurations; Narrow, Medium, and Wide, you can groove your forehand and backhand ground strokes or apply it as a great way to warm up your shots.

NEW FEATURES and UPGRADES

• Programmable Feed  As
  you know, the LE allows the user to program the speed, the spin, and
  the location of EACH shot within a 6 shot drill.  Now, the users may
  choose to vary the feed rate from shot to shot.  Ball one can be
  programmed at 3 seconds, ball two at 2 seconds, and ball three at 4
  seconds, etc
• Random Feed Option  This
  feature varies the feed rate or time interval between ball tosses.
  Mixing up the ball rate interval simulates match play and keeps players
  on their toes!
• Random, Variable Depth in 2-Line  This
  features varies the depth of the shot randomly (short, mid, and deep)
  within the normal two line drills, if selected.  The user can now select
  narrow, medium, wide 2 line drills and, if interested, select variable
  depth to keep things interesting.
• Triple-Oscillation  This
  feature will allow the machine to oscillate both horizontally and
  vertically simultaneously, allowing for random shots at a fixed ball
  speed, spin, and feed rate that is predetermined by the user.

20 Function Remote Control

For
operation with the equipment
while “on the fly”, the Grand V LE offers
an optional 20-function wireless remote
device . The state-of-the-art small
controller enables
you to modify just
about every function of the equipment with
just a push of
a button. Enjoy immediate changes
in performance such
as; play/pause, oscillation sweep, fully random, 3-line, speed, feed,
spin, and
a lot more.

The Elite Grand V LE  comes with the Fast Charger / 3-4 hrs. Recharge Time + Over Charge Protection

Lobster Tennis Ball Machines Comparison Chart

Amazon.com: 2018 Panini Elite Draft Picks #63 Le’Veon Bell Michigan State Spartans Football Card: Collectibles & Fine Art

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Info about zl1 | LineageOS Wiki

Thomas Le, Elite USPTA, PTR. USTA-HP -Director – NorCalTennis®Academy

Tom started tennis at a young age and progressed through tournaments, High School, College Tennis and then Men’s Open tournaments.  In early 2003, Tom joined the coaching staff for the Men’s Tennis Team at De Anza College while coaching at Fremont Hills Country Club in Los Altos Hills. CA, where he worked with the Competitive Junior Program.

Later in 2003, Tom was named Director of Tennis at the Rancho Santa Teresa Swim and Racquet Club in San Jose, CA. where he founded his own program -NorCal Tennis Academy. Two years later, he retired from competing and devoted entirely to coaching.

His academy specializes in Competitive Player Development, training players from complete beginner to tournament, college and tour professional players. Under his direction, NorCal Tennis Academy produced numerous State, National ranked players and ITF juniors; many have competed at the #1 High School Singles positions and many went on and earned College Tennis Scholarships.  His players have also been selected to represent Team USTA Northern California at many National level events.

In August of 2013, in recognition of the Academy 10th year anniversary, Coach Tom and his coaching staff were invited to San Jose City Hall and were awarded a Commendation by the City Major and Councilman. In 2015 and 2016, NorCal Tennis Academy has been awarded by the USTA: Team Tennis Program of the Year.  Coach Tom was also awarded 2015 Coach of the Year. In 2017, the academy was awarded Program of the year by USTA Northern California.

Throughout each year, Coach Tom travels with players on the ITF/WTA professional circuit. He has been working with numerous College players and Top 10 ITF Juniors in transition to the professional ITF and WTA tour. Many have competed for Junior Fed Cup and Fed Cup. He has worked with ATP players between 600s-1000s ranking. He also enjoyed coaching on the Junior USTA National Circuit for both individual tournaments and National Team Competition for the USTA Northern California division.

Along with running his academy, Coach Tom served on the Board of Directors for the USPTA Northern California from 2015-2019.  He enjoyed working with younger coaches to find a career path in Tennis coaching, he mentored over half dozen coaches for their USPTA certifications, including Elite level. He graduated from San Jose State University with a Degree in Business Management, followed by Financial Planning from The American College.

With over 20 years of coaching experience, including:

• ITF Tour Coach w/ WTA players
• Elite Professional Certification by the USPTA*
• PTR* Performance Pro.
• USTA High Performance Coach
• USTA Northern California Zonals & National level events: 10s, 16s and Top.1 Pacific Cup.
• USTA Northern California 2015 Coach of the Year
• USTA Northern California 2015 and 2016 Team Tennis Program of the Year
• USTA Northern California 2017 Tennis Program of the Year
• Vice President of the Board -Board of Director USPTA Northern California 2015-2019
• Dunlop Coach, Dunlop Sports America, 2011-present
• Wilson Sport Advisory Staff, 2003-2010
• Director of Tennis, Rancho Santa Teresa Swim Racquet Club 2003-2008
• Tennis Pro, Fremont Hills Country Club, Los Altos Hills, CA 2002-2004
• De Anza Men’s Tennis Assistant Coach in 2003.

*ITF: International Tennis Federation
*USPTA :United States Professional Tennis Association
*PTR: Professional Tennis Registry

Back to Academy Coaching Team

National Team Events with Coach Tom 

At Professional Events 

Careers at UNESCO

90,000 The color of the political elite in the new government of France | Europe and Europeans: News and Analytics | DW

The new French government, whose composition was announced on Wednesday, May 17, turned out to be quite versatile. The newly elected centrist president, Emmanuel Macron, kept his promise and united right and left ministers in his cabinet. As a result, both socialists and conservatives from the Republican party were included in the new French government.

For Macron, who is not a member of any of the traditional political parties, this balance is important on the eve of the June parliamentary elections, in which he needs to win a majority.

Europe is a priority

In confirmation of his intention to focus on the development of Europe, Macron appointed the socialist Jean-Yves Le Drian as Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs. This is the new title of the position of the head of the French Foreign Ministry, which appeared only in this cabinet. It shows that “Europe is a priority,” Reuters quoted a source in French diplomatic circles as saying. At the same time, in the new cabinet, Le Drian will only have to change the department.In the previous government, he headed the Ministry of Defense and was considered one of the most popular ministers in the extremely unpopular cabinet of former President François Hollande.

Jean-Yves Le Drian – the new Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France

The appointment of MEP Sylvie Goulard as Minister of Defense underlines the importance of the European theme. She speaks four languages ​​and shares Macron’s pro-European and centrist views. Other closest supporters of the president in the new cabinet include the head of the centrist Democratic Movement party, François Bayrou, who was appointed minister of justice, and the socialist Gerard Colon, who now reports to the interior ministry.He was the first of the major socialist politicians to support the nomination of Macron for the presidency. The financial and economic bloc went to a member of the conservative party “Republicans” Bruno Le Maire.

Moderate conservative at the head of the cabinet

Edouard Philippe, who heads the new cabinet of France, belongs to the same party. A moderate conservative from the city of Le Havre, of which he had been mayor for the past six and a half years, he realized in his youth that he wanted to get involved in politics. After graduating from high school in Bonn, Germany, where his father taught at a French school, the future French prime minister studied at the prestigious Paris Institute for Political Studies (Sciences Po) and the elite National School of Administration (ENA) in Strasbourg.

MEP Sylvie Goulard headed the French Ministry of Defense

His grandfather, a port worker in Le Havre, who became one of the first active communists in the city, played an important role in the formation of Philip’s professional preferences. True, Philip himself eventually realized that communism did not appeal to him. He discovered French socialism, or rather its moderate version, which was personified by the then French Prime Minister Michel Rocard. Philip belonged to a student group of his supporters, whom the socialist politician invited once a month to his breakfast.”I appreciated and admired Rocard, whose social democratic policies convinced me,” Edouard Philippe told French newspaper Le Monde.

In the best traditions of Jacques Chirac

It was this distancing from state economic policy that brought Philip to the republican camp. By a happy coincidence, he became close to Alain Juppe, who in 2002 led the newly founded Union for a Popular Movement, the predecessor of the current Republicans.

The new French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe

Juppe was just looking for an assistant. This place was given to young Philip, who had influential patrons in the party. The new position allowed him to get a relatively close acquaintance with the politics of the then President Jacques Chirac. “His main virtues were freedom and authority,” Philip recalls. “They characterized him as a right-wing politician.”

It was these advantages that attracted the future French prime minister the most. Thanks to them, he became the moderate and pragmatic conservative that he is considered in France. “Philip is not an opportunist,” the socialist Jerome Gage believes. “His development largely reflects the right turn that political life in France has taken. The left centrists have shifted towards the right centrists. Physically and culturally, Philip corresponds exactly to the political type that Jacques expressed. Chirac “.

Balzac’s hero

In Le Havre, critics describe Philippe as an authoritarian politician who rarely gives in.”In the mayor’s office, he determined and decided everything himself,” said his political opponent, Communist Party member and city councilor Natalie Nail. “He left his employees no room for action. On the contrary: they had to follow the slightest instructions.” In 2012, Philippe was elected a member of the French National Assembly.

One of the former classmates calls the new head of the French cabinet “a pretty Rastinyak”, referring to the hero of Balzac’s novel “Father Goriot”.Honore de Balzac himself described his hero as “a genius of ambition and impudence.”

Balzac’s words about Rastignac should be well known to politicians, because Philip is an avid book lover. He himself is the author of two political novels. In addition to literature, the new head of the French cabinet is fond of boxing. Back in his student days, Philip was an extraordinary person. “We were always sure that something would come of him,” said Jerome Gedge, with whom the new prime minister studied at Sciences Po.

France is on the verge of a new political coordinate system

The question of how Philip sees his role as prime minister is still open.Critics like Natalie Nail accuse him of being opportunistic. “He is a real rightist, who pretends to be someone who openly opposes the left,” says Nail. “He does this in order to maintain close ties with the people of Le Havre, a city that until 1995 was ruled by the communists. ”

Be that as it may, at a time when traditional parties found themselves in second or even third roles, old political ties must be redefined. Edouard Philippe will soon have the opportunity to present his own interpretation of the new political frame of reference in France.The first meeting of the government headed by the new prime minister will take place on Thursday, May 18.

See also:

• “The battle of good and evil” in France: how it was

  France between “good and evil”

  Candidates with diametrically opposed electoral programs fought for the presidency of France: the independent technocrat Emmanuel Macron and the head of the right-wing populist movement “People’s Front” Marine Le Pen. In the media, their fight was nicknamed “the battle of good and evil.”

• “The battle of good and evil” in France: how it was

  Macron voted at the resort of Le Touquet

  Emmanuel Macron was considered the clear favorite of the race. He received, according to the exit polls, over 65 percent of the vote and was ahead of his rival by more than 30 percent. In the elegant resort of Le Touquet in northern France, where Macron voted, he and his wife have a country house.

• “The battle of good and evil” in France: how it was

  Le Pen had chances to win

  Marine Le Pen threw her ballot in a ballot box at a polling station in Henin-Beaumont commune in the Nord-Pas-deux region Kale, where she traditionally has many supporters.Although Macron was predicted to be in the lead, Le Pen still had a chance to win.

• “The battle of good and evil” in France: how it was

  Turnout below normal

  Voter turnout in the second round of the presidential elections in France at 17.00 was 65.3 percent of voters. This is lower than in the 2012 and 2007 presidential elections.

• “The Battle of Good and Evil” in France: How It Was

  Unprecedented Security Measures

  Due to the threat of terrorist attacks, the elections in France were held under enhanced security measures. More than 50,000 police officers and thousands of soldiers kept order throughout the country.

• “The battle of good and evil” in France: how it was

  Where Le Pen, there is Femen

  In Henin-Beaumont, where Le Pen voted, a rally was held by a member of the Femen movement. They climbed over the church railing and unfurled a poster that read “Marin’s Rule – Marianne’s Despair”, implying the symbol of the French Republic.

• “The battle of good and evil” in France: how it was

  Evacuation took place on the square near the Louvre

  The police evacuated people from the square in front of the Louvre, finding there a suspicious bag.After checking, the square where Macron planned to celebrate his victory was reopened. There were batteries from the camera in the bag.

• “The battle of good and evil” in France: how it was

  “Macron is the president!”

  And so the supporters of Emmanuel Macron celebrated the victory of their candidate in Marseille – immediately after the announcement of the results of the exit polls. Macron, at 39, became the youngest president in the history of the republic.

• “The battle of good and evil” in France: how it was

  “A new chapter in history”

  Thousands of his supporters came to celebrate Macron’s victory in the center of Paris on the square in front of the Louvre.The newly elected head of France himself believes that his victory opens a new chapter in the country’s history, “the chapter of hope and newfound trust.”

• “The battle of good and evil” in France: how it was

  Disappointed supporters of Le Pen and their blue roses

  The hopes of the ultra-right in France did not materialize: the leader of the National Front Marine Le Pen was defeated in the second round by According to the exit polls, a little more than 34 percent of the vote is almost half of its rival Macron.

• “The battle of good and evil” in France: how it was

  Le Pen admitted defeat

  Immediately after the end of the voting, the presidential candidates had a telephone conversation. Marine Le Pen congratulated Emmanuel Macron. In a short public speech, she admitted defeat. At the same time, she stated that the election result showed that the National Front remains the leader of the opposition in France.

• “The battle of good and evil” in France: how it was

  In Berlin, they actively supported Macron

  Mass actions of the Pulse of Europe movement took place in the capital of Germany and in 100 other EU cities in support of the European Union and the pro-European candidate for Presidents of France Emmanuel Macron.

  Author: Ksenia Polskaya, Mikhail Bushuev

The inevitable Macron – Vedomosti

The “miracle” that many in France and abroad hoped for did not happen. In the second round of the presidential election, Emmanuel Macron was convincingly won. A politician that few people knew about a year ago. Even the maximum mobilization of the right and, in part, the conservative Republicans did not help Marine Le Pen achieve victory. Such radical decisions and personalities as Marine Le Pen, no matter how much she swears loyalty to the ideals of the Gaullist republic, come to power in France only as a result of a crisis, but not as a means to avoid it.Thank God, in the spring of 2017, France has not yet suffered shocks and disasters comparable to the events of 1957–1958, when the Fifth Republic was born out of the fire of the Algerian war and, in fact, the civil war. The majority of the French who came to the elections preferred a candidate representing the main fundamental principles of the Fifth Republic – the management of a qualified elite and a commitment to European integration. What does the election of Macron mean for France and Europe?

First, following the hackneyed paraphrase of the quote from the great Voltaire, if Macron were not there, he should have been invented. For the 2016–2017 election campaign. the French political system and the traditional establishment have come in such a wrecked state that it is difficult to imagine worse. Both the traditional mainstream political forces – the Socialists and the Gaullist Republicans, who have constantly appeared under the new name – completely discredited themselves during the successive presidencies of Nicolas Sarkozy and François Hollande. The country’s economy cannot cope with the responsibilities that participation in the euro zone imposes on it.In the European Union, the Franco-German tandem has gradually evaporated over the past 10 years and gave way to the sole leadership of Berlin. On the big world stage, France was also hardly perceived as a great player in itself. Inside, the popularity of the far-right from the National Front and leftists grew violently. And, what is most sad, the dominant attitude in society has become hopelessness and disbelief in traditional politicians.

In such circumstances, those who in France are traditionally responsible for the fate of the country – the high-class political and financial elite, had to urgently make an extraordinary decision.And it must be admitted that the instinct of self-preservation worked flawlessly – the former Minister of Economy, Industry and Digital Affairs, investment banker 39-year-old Emmanuel Macron joined the election race. He is brilliantly educated, young, smart and knows how to get along with people. It personifies the connection between France, a traditional, elite and educated school of national administration and a new, dynamic and forward-looking one. Quite strange looked the very ridiculous comments of many Russian colleagues about the family of the new French president – he is married to a lady who is 24 years older than him.In such comments, it is obvious that they have complete ignorance of the national culture and the nature of relations between men and women in France. For a French voter, the personal life of a candidate is, firstly, his personal life, and secondly, a matter of individual preferences. No matter how original these preferences were for representatives of more archaic cultures.

For Macron, they voted primarily for the sake of overdue and overripe reforms of the economic and social system, for a partial and inevitable revision of the most expensive social security system in Europe, which makes the country almost completely uncompetitive.At the same time, it is necessary to preserve existing achievements. Therefore, supporters of the candidates who were eliminated in the first round – François Fillon and even less successful politicians, including a representative of the once great Socialist Party, came and voted for Macron.

The choice of the majority of the French who voted is obvious – the coming to power of Marine Le Pen would lead to a political explosion both at the national and European level. For many reasons, entire social strata of French society would categorically not accept it.Defending their principles, people would go out into the streets en masse, and a nuclear power would be on the brink of civil war. Let us not forget that France is a country of revolutionary political culture. In the economy, the main solution proposed by Le Pen – the revision of France’s participation in the euro area – would lead to the risk of partial depreciation of the savings of the population after the devaluation of the hypothetical “new franc”. This, in particular, is not denied by the father of the NF economic program, Professor Jacques Sapir.Therefore, the French – accumulators and bourgeois by nature – also voted for Macron with their wallet.

At the European level, the election of Marine Le Pen would certainly be the beginning of the end of the European Union. France’s withdrawal from the euro and the Schengen would have made the entire European project meaningless, primarily for its main partner, Germany. Which would actually be left alone with aggressive Poland and surrounded by poor or small and politically not having much authority. A united Europe is impossible without France, and France as an important global player is impossible without Europe standing behind it. Therefore, Macron’s most important problem is the European one. By 2017, the mechanisms that make participation in the EU absolutely beneficial for France were largely exhausted. Similar to how it happened with the UK by the fateful June 2016. However, elites split in the UK, a significant part of the establishment radicalized and led the country out of the European Union.

In France, the elite retained unity and brought a new face to power. But the European problem itself has not disappeared anywhere. And it remains the most important threat to the Fifth Republic, just as the colonial problem became fatal in the fate of the Fourth Republic. Then the colonial question was radically resolved by the great Frenchman General de Gaulle. And now there is an understanding that if the relations between France and the EU are not readjusted, then an explosion could occur in the next five years. The euro holding back the development of the manufacturing sector and the open doors for migrants are precisely these two issues.And none of them can be resolved at the national level. This means that Macron will need to look for exchanges and combinations that will benefit France, but at the same time have a positive impact on the unity within the EU and harmony in transatlantic relations. In other words, in order to begin again to benefit from Europe, France will need to plunge itself deeper into this Europe. Ahead of Macron and his German partners lies a decisive battle with Poland, which has stubbornly resisted the move towards greater integration.And this battle will require attracting the maximum number of small and medium-sized EU countries to its side. Which, of course, is unlikely to lead to positive shifts in relations between France and Russia. At least in the sense that we understand positive today.

The author is the program director of the Valdai Club

Marine Le Pen cannot yet keep up with Emmanuel Macron

yourself as a centrist. Le Pen sees himself as the voice of disaffected elites, globalization and migration, while Macron advocates for the EU, free trade and liberal tax and labor market reforms. On Wednesday, the last debate of candidates took place – the main topics were the EU, the fight against terrorism and the economy. According to a BFM TV poll, 63% of viewers considered Macron’s speech more convincing, but the leading French media noted the aggressiveness of the debate. Center-left newspaper Le Monde likened the debate to “a brutal, messy boxing match where all means are good,” while liberal Les Echos noted that the rivals spent time attacking each other rather than presenting their reform programs.

For the first time in the history of modern France, none of the representatives of the two traditional parties – the right-wing Republicans and the Socialist Party – got into the second round. In this respect, Macron was lucky, as he had much more opportunities to expand his electorate at the expense of the left, center and part of the right, while Le Pen had practically no reserves. Republican François Fillon, President François Hollande and many establishment politicians called on to vote for Macron.The gap between the candidates has not changed over the past two weeks since the first round: 59% of voters are ready to vote for Macron, and 41% for Le Pen. A quarter of voters have not decided on their preferences; in France, the call to ignore the elections and the hashtag “May 7 without me” is gaining popularity.

In no case will I be subordinate to the dictates of Mr. Putin. This is my big difference from Ms. Le Pen’s project, which is a real project subordinate to Mr. Putin and Russia.

Emmanuel Macron

Leader of the Forward! Movement

The duel between Macron and Le Pen is a struggle between two leadership styles of our time, and not just a French phenomenon, Alberto Alemanno, professor at the Higher School of Commerce HEC in Paris, is convinced: “Le Pen is the embodiment of populism and, as she herself states, the voice of the people, in while Macron is the personification of a technocrat and, as he believes, the only one who knows how politics really works. On Sunday, divided France will also have to choose between two opposites in socio-economic, cultural and territorial terms. ” Do not forget that almost half of all voters in the first round – the electorate of the far-left Jean-Luc Melanchon and Le Pen herself – voted for candidates who oppose the elites and question the legitimacy of the EU, the professor recalls. However, if during the debates and campaigns Le Pen worked primarily for her own electorate, then Macron tried to expand it and speak with the whole country.

We have no reason to wage a cold war against Russia. We have every reason to revive relations with Russia because it is a great nation and because Russia did not express hostility to France.

Marine Le Pen

Leader of the National Front

Only a low turnout will play for Le Pen, says Evgeny Osipov, a senior researcher at the Institute of General History of the Russian Academy of Sciences: “The more serious the elections in France, the higher the turnout, while Macron’s electorate – people who dream of seeing him as president – practically do not.First of all, he is a convenient, compromise figure, it’s like a marriage of convenience – they vote not for him or his program, but against Le Pen, and the most interesting thing will start in a month. ” In French politics, there is the phenomenon of “cohabitation”, when the president and the prime minister belong to different parties and are equal in their influence. A decade and a half ago, to eliminate this phenomenon, which paralyzed the political life of the country, amendments were made to the constitution, after which parliamentary elections were held a month after the presidential elections.“Now the situation is unique, and cohabitation is returning, because Macron does not lead any of the leading parties, and he cannot expect that his party, which is only a year old, will gain a majority in a month. The clear favorite of June is the Republicans, and they will do everything to take revenge for the defeat and put Macron under their control, ”Osipov said.

“French Obama”: why Macron is a bad option for the Kremlin

• Alexander Baranov
• BBC Russian service

April 24, 2017

Photo author, AFP

Photo caption,

Favorite of the presidential races in France – a typical European liberal elite

When Barack Obama called Emmanuel Macron on April 20 to wish him success in the first round, the French presidential candidate was so delighted that he immediately posted a video of the conversation on Twitter.

Obama, wise by the experience of the American elections, warned the 39-year-old Frenchman that he cannot relax until the very end, because everything can suddenly turn around at the last moment.

“I will do my best, trust me. I will fight until the last minute,” Macron promised. “We will be in contact and our teams will continue to communicate to decide how to work together if I qualify for the second round.” …

Photo author, Twitter

Photo caption,

“Let’s keep protecting our progressive values.Thank you for this conversation, Barack Obama, “Emmanuel Macron tweeted

Forward press spokesman Lorenz Heim hastened to reassure the French that this call was not a sign of support for 44th US President Emmanuel Macron as

Apparently, just as Marine Le Pen’s recent meeting with Vladimir Putin in Moscow was not a sign of Kremlin support for the French far-right leader.

Macron spoke to Obama in his office against the backdrop of two flags – France and the European Union.

In general, this is enough to guess that Macron is not the most pleasant presidential candidate in the French Republic for the Kremlin.

Atlantist and Liberal

Emmanuel Macron is indeed sometimes compared to Obama, despite all the differences between the two politicians. But from the Russian point of view, these differences are secondary. In the main, Macron and Obama are ideological allies.

By his convictions, Emanuel Macron is an Atlanticist and a Europhile.He announced in Berlin that his Forward! is the only truly pro-European political force.

Young, energetic and brilliant at communicating his thoughts, Macron is liberal, supports globalization and economic liberalization, and is a staunch supporter of a stronger European Union.

Emmanuel Macron is a typical member of the liberal European elite, who greeted his victory in the first round with delight. Big business also welcomed his success: for business circles, Macron, against the background of other candidates, is the personification of stability, progress and good news for the euro.

Unlike the leader of the “National Front” Marine Le Pen, who is not particularly welcomed in European capitals (except for Moscow), Macron, a newcomer to big politics, has already made a number of visits, from Berlin and London to Brussels and New York, where he gained a lot of supporters.

In his person, German Chancellor Angela Merkel acquires a convinced ally. Unlike many French politicians, Macron backed her open door policy for migrants, saying Merkel and Germany “saved our collective honor by accepting migrants in dire straits.”

He welcomes migrants to France, confident that the country will cope with the accompanying problems, and the influx of labor will have a positive impact on the country’s economy.

“No compromises”

Macron was born in Amiens, his father is a professor of neurology, his mother is a doctor of medical sciences. After attending university and the Institute of Political Science, he graduated from the prestigious National School of Administration and worked as an investment banker at a bank owned by the Rothschild family.

Like any representative of the liberal European elite, Macron is wary of the current Russian government, and it will not be easy for the Kremlin to find a common language with him.

At the same time, Macron cannot be called an openly anti-Russian politician. He is careful in his statements and tries to find common ground with various political forces.

Photo author, AFP

Photo caption,

Some French people compare Emmanuel Macron with the young François Hollande

As a result, some French people see him as an indecisive and even empty politician without a clear position, rather like not Obama, but the young François Hollande …

But for all the uncertainty of his political platform, Macron’s liberal pro-European instincts are unlikely to allow him to make any compromises with the Kremlin.

“Unlike you, I do not want to go for rapprochement with Putin. Unlike you, I advocate a strong and responsible French policy. Unlike you, I want to see a strong France in Europe,” Macron said during electoral debate, arguing with Marine Le Pen.

Macron is not the socialist Melanchon, who admired the “strong leaders” Putin and Chavez and said that for the sake of world peace, France must withdraw from NATO.And not Fillon, who called for better relations with Russia.

“We need to maintain a dialogue with Vladimir Putin, but under no circumstances should we indulge what he sometimes supports and defends … Russia needs to be directly pointed out its responsibilities,” Macron said on April 10 in an interview with French television channel BFMTV …

Macron takes a position similar to that of Barack Obama in his approach to the Syrian problem.

If François Fillon insisted on the need to compromise with Russia on the Syrian issue, that this conflict cannot be resolved without Russia, then Macron first of all accuses Bashar al-Assad of crimes against humanity and believes that Russia should bear its share of responsibility for support for the Syrian regime.

At the same time, he admits that military intervention is undesirable and that he does not have a political solution to the Syrian problem after Assad’s departure.

Fake news and cyberattacks

Macron’s attitude towards the Kremlin is undoubtedly influenced by the fact that, according to his campaign headquarters, the Russian state media were conducting a targeted campaign to discredit him.

The Russian authorities deny these accusations, calling them absurd.

But Macron’s headquarters say the campaign to vilify him in the Russian state media began immediately after his registration as a candidate last November and intensified in January after Macron began to gain popularity in public opinion polls.

“Let’s clarify this issue,” Munir Mazhubi, who led Macron’s election campaign on the Internet, told Sky News in March. “We accuse RT and Sputnik News of being the main sources of fake information about our candidate.”

“At the same time, our servers are the targets of hacker attacks. We have been targets of several cyber attacks, but we were able to stop them all,” he added.

According to Mazhubi, the staff of the headquarters had to undergo special training to protect against cyber attacks and take additional security measures.

Munir Mazhubi believes that Macron was attacked because of his liberal, pro-European views.

“More open Europe, stronger Europe, more progressive France – for some countries and private organizations, these are all ideas that need to be fought,” Mazhoubi said.

At the same time, he admitted that he has no concrete confirmation of who exactly directed and organized the cyber attacks. It should also be borne in mind that a wide variety of French targets are subject to numerous cyberattacks.

Photo author, AFP

Photo caption,

In 2007, Macron married his former teacher Brigitte Tronieu, who is almost 25 years older than him

Nevertheless, the general secretary of the Forward! Richard Ferrand accused Russia of organizing “hundreds, if not thousands” of cyberattacks, as well as spreading fake news, the purpose of which, he said, was to turn public opinion against Macron.

“We want the authorities at the highest level to do this and ensure that there is no foreign interference in our democracy. The Americans saw it, but it was too late,” Ferrand warned.

Russian media portrayed Emmanuel Macron as a candidate for oligarchs, a protege of the world globalist elite and an agent of the American financial system, citing his work at the Rothschild Bank.

In early February, the Izvestia newspaper wrote, referring to Julian Assange, that Macron allegedly “conducted incriminating political correspondence with the former US presidential candidate from the Democratic Party, Hillary Clinton.”Incriminating details of the correspondence, however, did not appear.

In the same month, the Russian media spread the news, transparently hinting at Macron’s allegedly close relationship with the CEO of Radio France Matthieu Gaye.

“In addition, one of his supporters is the famous businessman Pierre Berger, a business partner and longtime lover of Yves Saint Laurent, who does not hide his homosexuality and advocates for same-sex marriage,” Sputnik quoted National Assembly deputy Nicolas Duik as saying.

Macron, who out of great love married his French teacher, had to make excuses.

“You will hear different things: that I allegedly lead a double life, that I have a second life. This is unpleasant for Brigitte ( Macron’s wife – ed. ). If at a dinner party they tell you that I have a relationship with Matthieu Gaye, then, apparently, we are talking about my double, “- said Macron to the French media.

In the first round, Emmanuel Macron was only slightly ahead of Marine Le Pen, but after this victory the situation changed radically.

He was not the only candidate against whom negative information circulated in the Russian media. But if, as the leaders of his headquarters and party claim, there was indeed a targeted information campaign against him, then its organizers will have to decide whether to continue to spoil relations with the politician, whose victory in the presidential elections they are no longer able to prevent.

The internal political elite will regroup after the elections | Articles

“Modernization” and “mobilization” contours in the highest circles of the Russian elite are at the stage of formation, and their interaction will seriously affect domestic politics in the near future.This is stated in the analytical report “Politburo 2.0: Renovation Instead of Dismantling” of the communication holding “Minchenko Consulting”.

For the first time, the “Politburo 2.0” model was presented in August 2012. The author, political scientist Yevgeny Minchenko, notes that five years later, Russia’s relations with the West remain a key factor in determining the country’s development model. The strategy of forming a network of allies from among parties with conservative rhetoric did not work: both Fillon and Le Pen lost in France, and Donald Trump in the United States is in a situation where his opportunities to normalize relations with Russia are limited.

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In this situation, “mobilization” and “modernization” contours are formed in the upper elite. To the first, Minchenko includes the OPK bloc and the security forces, the head of Rostec Sergei Chemezov, the Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu, the head of the National Guard Viktor Zolotov and the Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika. The second is the liberal government bloc and private business. Potential participants include Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, ex-Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin and Sberbank CEO German Gref.

“The Russian elite is facing a fork between the mobilization model and the militarization of the economy, on the one hand, and an attempt to launch a new wave of modernization,” says the text of the report. – Today, competition within the Politburo 2.0 does not revolve around the 2018 presidential election. Their outcome is practically predetermined due to the preservation of the intra-elite balance, the high rating of Vladimir Putin, and the absence of serious competitors. ”

Evgeny Minchenko explained to Izvestia that in these conditions there is competition to propose a plan for the country’s development and its place in it.

– In this regard, Sergei Sobyanin succeeded: he proposed a renovation plan, – he noted. – This long-term project involves communication with a large number of representatives of the elite and business, which creates a kind of “security bubble” around Sobyanin.

The positions of Sergei Shoigu, Dmitry Medvedev and Sergei Chemezov are marked in a similar way. The growing influence of the head of the presidential administration (AP) Anton Vaino is also noted.

As for the head of the internal political bloc of the Presidential Administration, Sergei Kiriyenko, his positions will largely depend on the course and result of the 2018 presidential campaign.At the same time, a regrouping within the “Politburo 2.0” is also expected.

– Regrouping is also expected at the stage of forming the government, – said Minchenko. – The next prime minister, be it Medvedev or someone else, will most likely not be Putin’s successor, but a “cleaner” who will carry out unpopular reforms and leave before the next presidential election.

Mikhail Vinogradov, President of the Petersburg Politics Foundation, who published his own Rating of Successors on Monday, told Izvestia that conditional “coalitions” are more “symbols” of a modernization or mobilization scenario, rather than ideological inspirers of one course or another.

– They are hardly capable of making their presence in power a condition of the implementation of any course – even one that is comfortable for themselves. In addition, no one is safe from the fact that several courses will be implemented simultaneously or the final choice between the scenarios will be postponed indefinitely, as was largely the case during the second and third presidential terms of Vladimir Putin, Vinogradov said.

The next report on positions in the “Politburo 2. 0 “Evgeny Minchenko intends to present in November 2017, on the eve of the official start of the presidential campaign.

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90,000 Russian elites ranked in the top ten September 3, 2020 – Business – St. Petersburg News

Researchers from the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland, together with the Moscow School of Management Skolkovo, published a study of the quality of elites in 32 countries. In this rating, Russia took 23rd place, neighboring at the same time with Saudi Arabia and Botswana, writes RBC on September 3.

The world’s elites were assessed in four categories: economic power, economic value, political power, political value, as well as 72 indicators. The authors of the study clarified that high-quality elites create additional values ​​for the entire society through their activities, while low-quality elites appropriate common wealth for themselves, hindering the development of the country.

The highest quality elites are represented in Singapore. Next comes Switzerland, Germany and Great Britain.The fifth place was taken by the United States. China ranked 12th, Poland 13th, Kazakhstan 19th, Indonesia 20th and Mexico 21st. In last place was Egypt.

Russia, which took 23rd place, is characterized by a high spread in the index data, researchers from Skolkovo noted. For example, our country has high indicators in macroeconomic policy, and in inflation in general it takes 1st place https://www.fontanka.ru/2020/08/17/69425971/. But the assessments of administrative decentralization and involvement in the global economy are much worse.The researchers also emphasized that Russia has high barriers to foreign investment, which is caused by high political risks inside the country and aggressive geopolitics.

Andrei Sharonov, President of the Skolkovo Moscow School of Management, and Ruben Enikolopov, Rector of the Russian School of Economics, commented on the results of the study and noted the main reason for the low quality of the Russian elite – a lack of trust.

“One of the main Russian problems, which are both a cause and a consequence of the limited quality of elites, is a widespread lack of trust: the government does not trust citizens and businesses; citizens and businesses do not trust each other and the state.This increases the cost of doing business, pushes private business into the arms of the state for protection and rent extraction, reduces the efficiency of institutions, replacing them with personal decisions, and ultimately squeezes capital and brains out of the country, ”noted Andrei Sharonov and Ruben Enikolopov.

Heavenly Elite – Picture of the Day – Kommersant

At the 2017 SKYTRAX World Airline Awards, where prestigious awards are awarded to carriers based on an independent survey of nearly 20 million passengers, Aeroflot, the Russian market leader, has received well-deserved recognition and has established itself in the elite of the global aviation business.

Winners of the 2017 SKYTRAX World Airline Awards, a global airline quality competition, became the central event of the international air show, held at the end of June in the Paris suburb of Le Bourget. During the competition, which was held from August 2016 to May 2017, the work of 320 airlines was evaluated by 19.87 million passengers from 105 countries of the world. Aeroflot retained its status as the winner among the best airlines in Eastern Europe. The Russian carrier has been the undisputed leader in this category for five years in a row, and this is the sixth award in its history.In addition, it entered the TOP 10 of the best airlines in all of Europe, along with such world giants as Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, Swiss. He even managed to push the Virgin Atlantic, owned by the world famous British billionaire Richard Branson, for his ambitions.

In the SKYTRAX global standings, Aeroflot has significantly improved its results. In the rating of the TOP-100 world airlines in 2017, it was in 30th place, having risen by 10 positions at once from last year. At this rate (by six to ten positions annually), the domestic flagship of passenger aviation is moving to the top of the ranking for the fifth year in a row.It is worth recalling that in 2012 it was ranked only 85th in the world.

In fact, this is the largest independent sociological study in history, aimed at revealing the degree of satisfaction of air passengers with the quality of services in global civil aviation.

The SKYTRAX rating is not accidentally considered the main “table of ranks” in the global aviation industry. In fact, this is the largest independent sociological study in history, aimed at identifying the degree of satisfaction of air passengers with the quality of services in global civil aviation.Major airlines compulsorily conduct such surveys among customers for their own marketing purposes, but they simply cannot reach tens of millions of respondents with their resources.

Moreover, in such studies, the fundamental requirement for the quality of measurements is the interpretation of survey results without bias and embellishment of reality, which is not always possible to achieve from internal corporate marketing services. The organizers of the SKYTRAX project declare that all expenses for the study are covered independently, in principle, without receiving any sponsorship or any other remuneration from the airlines.As specified on the rating agency’s website, even for participation in the award ceremony, no fees are charged from the participants.

The openness and publicity of the rating methodology, in turn, reliably protects the authors of the study from suspicions of unfair vote counting or manipulation of passengers’ ratings. As a confirmation, the agency publishes real responses from respondents on its website. Each such “review” contains accurate information about a specific flight and the name of the airline the passenger was flying, and it is mandatory to check and verify the respondent, including the boarding pass from a particular flight. For airline employees and related organizations, participation in the survey as respondents is prohibited.

According to the rules of the study, each participant is invited, based on their own experience, to rate a number of aspects of air travel on a five-point scale. The survey questions fall into three broad categories: Ground and Airport Services, Onboard Product and Cabin Crew Service. In general, the questionnaire contains almost 50 questions, its electronic version on the SKYTRAX website allows the respondent to make a verbal description of what is happening in flight in English, Spanish or Chinese.

The Russian carrier was recognized as one of the ten best airlines in the Best Premium Economy Class category

SKYTRAX also compiles ratings of the best airlines in individual categories that measure the quality of services in various service classes – from the cheapest “low-cost service” and ending with the most premium “first class”. In this context, Aeroflot also found an achievement: the Russian carrier was recognized as one of the ten best airlines in the Best Premium Economy Class category – an intermediate fare segment between business and economy, which Aeroflot calls Comfort class.This tariff is applied by the airline for long-distance flights on Boeing 777 aircraft, where additional space is provided in the interior of the passenger cabin for the convenience of the holders of such tickets.

At the same time, the most prestigious SKYTRAX rating in the industry is the global star rating program for global carriers, similar to the Michelin star rating system for restaurants or hotels. Just like in these segments of the world economy, the availability of SKYTRAX five stars for the airline guarantees its customers full compliance with the quality of services to the highest world service standards in the world civil aviation.At the same time, passengers can count on excellent service in all service classes, both on board the aircraft and at the base airport or when buying a ticket on the website.

The history of the rating shows that it is almost impossible to obtain the highest five-star rating according to the SKYTRAX method: as of 2017, it was assigned to only nine world airlines, among which, by the way, there is not a single European or American one. Seven of them are from Southeast Asia (Singapore Airlines, Japan’s ANA All Nippon Airways, Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific, Taiwan’s EVA Air, China’s Hainan Airlines, South Korean Asiana Airlines and Garuda Indonesia) and two more are from the Middle East (the leader in the global ranking 2017 of the year – Qatari Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways from the UAE).

The list of air carriers with a four-star rating is wider, but also small – only 40 companies. Aeroflot received a four-star rank last year, which was one of the most important milestones in the company’s history. SKYTRAX does not rank airlines within the four-star segment, but taking into account the improvement in Aeroflot’s positions in the overall standings, we can safely assume that the Russian flagship is already in the top half of this prestigious list of world leaders in the quality of air services.

The company is seriously considering whether it is worth fighting for a five-star rating

As the airline’s general director Vitaly Savelyev said at this year’s meeting of Aeroflot shareholders, today the company is seriously considering whether it should fight for a five star rating. On the one hand, the transition to a new category may be associated with new costs and an increase in ticket prices for passengers, and on the other hand, obtaining a five-star SKYTRAX rank, according to the experience of airlines already having this status, increases the carrier’s market capitalization by about 1.5-2 times. he said.In July 2017, this figure for Aeroflot had already approached $ 4 billion, although at the end of 2016 the company’s capitalization was $ 2.8 billion.

There are 129 airlines in the remaining group of carriers with three stars or less.