I mean depends on if they are mature or not, but the complaints in France are about the absolute amounts in euro, not the %s paid out(for example this year the complaints are about Total making a lot of money from oil and banks making a lot of money from higher interest rates, the proximal causes of both being completely outside their control).

>Dividends (can be) just writing cheques to yourself with your own money.

Well, yes, since as a shareholder you technically "are" the company.