boris84 on "French politics: where extremes meet"

boris84 — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 23:43:51 +0000

If I may, I would like to relativize an important aspect of your argument.

You are refering to S�gol�ne Royal's "social-democratic leanings". I'm not sure she could be characterized as a social-democrat figure or even someone with these leanings.

In the Socialist Party, one of her competitors during the party's race organised so as to appoint the party's candidate to the upcoming presidential election, Dominique Strauss-Kahn defined himself as a "social-democrat" and Royal have clearly defined her political line as very different from his. "S�go" does not only propose a change in the way politics is done in France but a change in the Socialist party's political positions as well.

Even though S�gol�ne Royal has adopted more "centrist" (even right-wing) ideas about several subjects, such as security or social policy for which she has chosen to put at the centre values such as Labour and the Nation (traditionnally associated to right-wing movements), she does not represent social-democracy at all. The fact that she is indeed a socialist may be the only element allowing the idea that she may have some social-democratic leanings.

And that is why several political commentators are underlying the fact that a lot of leftist social-democrats in France may turn to Fran�ois Bayrou, the centrist candidate who have recently turned away from the dominant right-wing party, the UMP and Nicolas Sarkozy, its candidate.

They are no fool : they know that Bayrou is more right-wing than left-wing as he has only participated in right-wing governments. Nevertheless, its recent position as a "challenger" to traditionnal parties (PS and UMP) and its declarations underlying "the need to make competent right-wing and left-wing personalities work together" are attracting a lot of people.

Finally, the very recent rally of Jean-Pierre Chev�nement (one of the candidates to the latest presidential elections ; accused of being one of the principal reasons for Lionel Jospin's failure in 2002 as he made more than 5% of the total vote) to S�gol�ne Royal is going in this direction as well. Chev�nement represents leftist nationalists. He is opposed to European construction and has been one of European Constitution's opponents. His rally is nourishing social-democrats' suspicion of Royal as the European issue appears to be very important to them. Her positions about the European Union were not clear at all.

These questions will be answered, as usual, after the results of the elections will be known. The results of Bayrou are going to confirm or undermine this analysis.

French politics: where extremes meet, Patrice de Beer

Mon, 04 Dec 2006 00:00:00 +0000

The potency of radical right and left movements in France's political kaleidoscope makes the dynamics of the presidential election hard to predict, says Patrice de Beer. Read the rest of this post...

open Democracy News Analysis - French politics: where extremes meet, Patrice de Beer - Comments

boris84 on "French politics: where extremes meet"

French politics: where extremes meet, Patrice de Beer