Facilitators, middlemen, discrete openings so that both sides could start to talk to – and not scream at – each other again and try to reach a compromise, are these now European dirty words?
It is time for the Spanish establishment to realise that their country, like any other democracy, can’t be maintained harmoniously only by threatening the use of force and prison sentences.
The French have used their democracy to give this young man in an old country a chance to experiment with a new type of politics. But have we tried everything?
So, this new situation which looked simple with a choice between two different types of societies, has to face once again a bitter resistance from entrenched political interests from all sides.
The Big Tent model has given way to a fight to the finish between ideologues and pragmatists, both further and further away from the “People” they are supposed to represent.
Referenda are a populist gimmick drafted to unite as many people as possible on a single issue. They work when leaders are popular and voters vote for the messenger.
After Sunday's regional elections, will the French be able to stop FN from finally breaking through the fragile glass ceiling? And what about the renewed political world that voters want?
