Vive La France!
By Mitch Berg
Freedom advances in that craziest of places:
Conservative Nicolas Sarkozy won France’s presidential election on Sunday, beating his Socialist rival Segolene Royal by a comfortable margin and extending the right’s 12-year grip on power.
Last week – in between bleating that Sarkozy was a hatemonger – Royal noted that her supporters were getting ready to hit the streets and smash things.
So far so good.
Now there’s the little matter of governing his virtually-ungovernable country.
But Sarkozy’s victory is a sign that maybe France isn’t dead yet.
Perhaps we should be so lucky in ’08.
May 6th, 2007 at 3:11 pm
Royal noted that her supporters were getting ready to hit the streets and smash things.
Reminiscent of the 2004 elections here. A woman in Pennsylvania told John Edwards’s wife, Elizabeth, that she was fearful of riots in the streets after the election. Mrs Edwards replied, “Well…not if we win.”
May 6th, 2007 at 6:11 pm
Hm,
“extending the right’s 12-year grip on power”
“beating his Socialist rival Segolene Royal by a comfortable margin”
Doesn’t sound like the conservatives have been having much trouble controlling the government.
May 6th, 2007 at 7:56 pm
I think American newspapers hear “conservative” when they should hear “Degaulist”.
May 6th, 2007 at 8:57 pm
Here’s an interesting comment I gleaned from a slashdot post on the French election:
Sarkozy is considered very pro-american (by French standards). I think he may turn out to be an ally along the lines of Australia’s Howard.
May 6th, 2007 at 10:19 pm
European far right parties would generally be considered extremely xenophobic by the American right. European far right parties almost always revolve around anti-immigration positions.
I’m sure the European “right” is cursing the Germans of the 50’s and 60’s for their immigration wave of Turks, starting this whole islamization of Europe.
May 7th, 2007 at 8:43 pm
Chirac stated – in 2006 – France would nuke any country that atttacked it. He is and was on the right, but he saw clearly what is clear to the 90% of the US military leadership now and 67% of the US population: invading Iraq like Cheney-Rumsfeld did it was a mistake. The chest thumpers are still in apoplexy over all things French, so have no rational basis for judging French politics. Sakorzy is just as right as Chirac, and is starting out pro-American, but that does not mean he can make France do whatever he wants. French voters alternate choice was an avowed socialist – in a time of immigrant unrest and weak economic growth (and she still got a lot of votes) – so his contest was made easy. France can become like the US – totally polarized, but Sakorzy has 40 IQ points on Bush (easy) and had a normal childhood, so he is not likely to work to divide the country.
May 7th, 2007 at 8:59 pm
France is not close to “dead” and Mitch must not spend any time there.
Chirac stated in 2006 that France would nuke any country that attacked it. He came into power as a right winger and left as one (compare to Bush – now being bashed by more and more as not righty enough). Chirac did not give up logic though, so he saw what 90% of the US military brass and 65% of the career miltary now see, invading Iraq the way Cheney-Rumsfeld did was a mistake. That did not nake him either a coward or a lefty, although the chest thumpers are still in apoplexy about all things French, so still say ignorant things about him and France.
Sakorzy is in because his opponent was an avowed socialist in a time of high-alert immigrant problems and lackluster economic growth – of course he won. That does not mean he can do anything he wants to with France. But he also has 40 IQ points on Bush (easy) and had a normal childhood, so will not work to polarize the country needlessly and will not be an MAerican toady.
May 7th, 2007 at 10:17 pm
France is not close to “dead” and Mitch must not spend any time there.
Chirac stated in 2006 that France would nuke any country that attacked it, and he came into power as a right-winger and leaves power as one (compare him to Bush -now being bashed by increasing numbers as not righty enough). Chirac did not give up logic once he was in power though, so he saw what 80% of the US military brass and 60% of the career miltary now see; invading Iraq the way Cheney-Rumsfeld did was a mistake. That did not make him either a coward or a lefty (although the chest thumpers are still in apoplexy about all things Fench, so still say ignorant things about him and France).
Sakorzy’s final opponent was an avowed socialist in a time of high alert immigrant problems and lackluster economic growth – of course he won. That does not mean he can do anything he wants to with France. But he has 40 IQ points on Bush and had a normal childhood, so he will not actively work to polarize France and will not be a toady for the US or any other country.
May 7th, 2007 at 10:30 pm
France is not close to “dead” and Mitch must not spend any time there, or doing business with the French.
Chirac stated in 2006 that France would nuke any country that attacked it, and he came into power as a right-winger and is leaving as one (compare him to Bush – now being bashed by more and more as not right enough). Chirac did not give up logic once he was in power though, so he saw what 80% of the US military brass and 60% of the career US miltary now see; invading Iraq the way Cheney-Rumsfeld did was a mistake. That did not make him either a coward or a lefty (although the chest thumpers are still in apoplexy about all things Fench, so still say ignorant things about him and France).
Sakorzy’s final opponent was an avowed socialist in a time of high alert immigrant problems and lackluster economic growth – of course he won. That does not mean he can do anything he wants to with France. But, he has 40 IQ points on Bush and had a normal childhood, so he will not actively work to polarize France and will not be a toady for the US or any other country
May 8th, 2007 at 8:08 am
France is not close to “dead” and Mitch must not spend any time there, or doing business with the French.
Chirac stated in 2006 that France would nuke any country that attacked it, and he came into power as a right-winger and is leaving as one (compare him to Bush – now being bashed by more and more as not right enough). Chirac did not give up logic once he was in power though, so he saw what 80% of the US military brass and 60% of the career US military now see; invading Iraq the way Cheney-Rumsfeld did was a mistake. That did not make him either a coward or a lefty (although the chest thumpers are still in apoplexy about all things Fench, so still say ignorant things about him and France).
Sakorzy’s final opponent was an avowed socialist in a time of high-alert immigrant problems and a lackluster economy – of course he won. That does not mean he can do anything he wants to with France. But, he has 40 IQ points on Bush and had a normal childhood, so he will not actively work to polarize France. Also doubtful he will not be a toady for the US or any other country