Well put! I also imagine that his elitist routes make him think of Bratislava as a “third-world” capital. An outdated term, but one that he probably thinks of.

And I think you’re correct in your analysis of French exceptionalism, in line with US exceptionalism and superiority over others. This conflated sense is visible in how they do politics and what pundits are popular domestically.

Thank you for reading and for the thoughtful comment, once more!