Comments on: To hell with the tittle-tattle: give me substance! http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/blog/franceprofonde/getting-down-to-the-nitty-gritty/ Tim King on French politics Mon, 13 Oct 2008 22:46:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.5 by: Stephane http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/blog/franceprofonde/getting-down-to-the-nitty-gritty/#comment-62 Sun, 04 Feb 2007 17:04:28 +0000 http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/blog/franceprofonde/getting-down-to-the-nitty-gritty/#comment-62 Mr Bayrou has always shown a strong opposition to RPR or UMP the year before every key elections (presidential or MPs). It's only fair: if he didn't, why maintain another party? But every time he has been in the position, in parliament for example, to actually prevent a law to be voted by the current majority — even though he had clearly expressed his opposition to that law — guess what he did… He want's to be the third man. Sarkozy's or Segolene's Prime Minister? His positioning on being a Républicain defying the power of the media controlled by N. Sarkozy's friends, and many of his propositions — either on the social or economical level — are clearly what many french were expecting from a rebirth of the PS after 2002's earthquake. It would be wrong to believe that the "Peuple inattendu" that gathered spontaneously in committees everywhere in France to actually discuss the EU treaty and decided to reject it where mostly communists (or even FN). Though they call themselves antilibéraux, they are far from a revival of trotskysm/communism. The historical far left parties keep trying to lure these voters but they keep failing. If so, they would have joined these parties long ago. They are also strongly critical to PS that seems to be autistic on the reasons why it failed in 2002. This "fourth column" of grown up and educated citizens is simply tired of the nonsense and ill minded speeches blurbed by ultra-libéraux/communists/conservatives and other ultra-narrow-minded all but human beings concerned parties and politicians. Parties like PC, PS, UMP and UDF have all had a chance to change things in this country and didn't. A lot of french voters are ready to bet (and work for) a new deal that would put citizens and environment at the heart of society. The majority of discontented voters in France is roughly split into two main streams (and we're talking about millions of voters, not just a bunch of cranks): • The first is those who want to change things the hard way whatever the cost is, with FN. You find in it the "traditional" roots of FN with uneducated and/or racist people driven and managed by a strong network of very educated and traditionalists idealists wanting to set some kind of a national-socialist system. You also find in this group an important and heavily growing number of traditionally strong RPR/UMP supporters that are disgusted by UMP's positions and decisions perceived as exclusively in favor of CAC40 and big capitalistic families alike. Small "artisants" and "commerçants", "professions libérales" (lawyers, medical practices etc.) and most of the farmers have always been on the hard wing of the RPR/UMP, yearning for a complete demolition of the public sector that they describe as a cancer. Now that this is happening, they realize they've been betrayed by a poujadist speech. Unable to cope with their very own contradictions (they spit on "fonctionnaires" and "state spendings" all day long but keep asking for collective help and support as soon as a cloud crosses their sky) they tend to say "tous pourris" and say Jean Marie Lepen could clean the place. This last group is as stubborn (sorry for the opinion) and short term sighted than the few hundreds of thousands ultra-left partisans whose ideal is just to crucify "patrons"… • The second group of discontented voters is all those on the left and center side of the political board who just want their work to be accounted in the balance (and not only capital means as the system tends to go), who want a reborn public sector to protect their collective fundamental needs, and who want long term sighted politics: environment, education, fair economy with the underlying idea of having time to do something else in their life than just work to pay the rent. You find in this group centered républicains, socialists at heart (nothing to do with "sociaux-démocrates") rejecting PS autism, farmers who reject the PAC (mostly members of the confédération paysane), open minded ecologists, former PC supporters who don't accept the traditional PC system, and altermondialistes… This "group" (not a group of course) has massively rejected the EU Treaty because it felt it would leave no other way than a deadly ultra competition in Europe. They are very critical regarding the medias in France and reject the neo-communist qualification that these medias tend to put on them. This crowd of unorganized citizen gathered to discuss the EU treaty and a big part of it wanted to renew the experience for 2007 elections; hence the advertising to lure them in of the "démocracie participative" of S. Royal, the "ils ont tout cassé" of JM LePen or even the "j'ai changé" of N. Sarkozy… Bayrou is also building his position on this second group that could actually make the difference. However, If Bayrou succeeds I don't believe a second he'll change anything, but that's just a feeling (sorry again). Mr Bayrou has always shown a strong opposition to RPR or UMP the year before every key elections (presidential or MPs). It’s only fair: if he didn’t, why maintain another party?
But every time he has been in the position, in parliament for example, to actually prevent a law to be voted by the current majority — even though he had clearly expressed his opposition to that law — guess what he did…

He want’s to be the third man. Sarkozy’s or Segolene’s Prime Minister?

His positioning on being a Républicain defying the power of the media controlled by N. Sarkozy’s friends, and many of his propositions — either on the social or economical level — are clearly what many french were expecting from a rebirth of the PS after 2002’s earthquake.

It would be wrong to believe that the “Peuple inattendu” that gathered spontaneously in committees everywhere in France to actually discuss the EU treaty and decided to reject it where mostly communists (or even FN). Though they call themselves antilibéraux, they are far from a revival of trotskysm/communism. The historical far left parties keep trying to lure these voters but they keep failing. If so, they would have joined these parties long ago. They are also strongly critical to PS that seems to be autistic on the reasons why it failed in 2002.

This “fourth column” of grown up and educated citizens is simply tired of the nonsense and ill minded speeches blurbed by ultra-libéraux/communists/conservatives and other ultra-narrow-minded all but human beings concerned parties and politicians. Parties like PC, PS, UMP and UDF have all had a chance to change things in this country and didn’t. A lot of french voters are ready to bet (and work for) a new deal that would put citizens and environment at the heart of society.

The majority of discontented voters in France is roughly split into two main streams (and we’re talking about millions of voters, not just a bunch of cranks):

• The first is those who want to change things the hard way whatever the cost is, with FN. You find in it the “traditional” roots of FN with uneducated and/or racist people driven and managed by a strong network of very educated and traditionalists idealists wanting to set some kind of a national-socialist system.
You also find in this group an important and heavily growing number of traditionally strong RPR/UMP supporters that are disgusted by UMP’s positions and decisions perceived as exclusively in favor of CAC40 and big capitalistic families alike. Small “artisants” and “commerçants”, “professions libérales” (lawyers, medical practices etc.) and most of the farmers have always been on the hard wing of the RPR/UMP, yearning for a complete demolition of the public sector that they describe as a cancer. Now that this is happening, they realize they’ve been betrayed by a poujadist speech. Unable to cope with their very own contradictions (they spit on “fonctionnaires” and “state spendings” all day long but keep asking for collective help and support as soon as a cloud crosses their sky) they tend to say “tous pourris” and say Jean Marie Lepen could clean the place. This last group is as stubborn (sorry for the opinion) and short term sighted than the few hundreds of thousands ultra-left partisans whose ideal is just to crucify “patrons”…

• The second group of discontented voters is all those on the left and center side of the political board who just want their work to be accounted in the balance (and not only capital means as the system tends to go), who want a reborn public sector to protect their collective fundamental needs, and who want long term sighted politics: environment, education, fair economy with the underlying idea of having time to do something else in their life than just work to pay the rent. You find in this group centered républicains, socialists at heart (nothing to do with “sociaux-démocrates”) rejecting PS autism, farmers who reject the PAC (mostly members of the confédération paysane), open minded ecologists, former PC supporters who don’t accept the traditional PC system, and altermondialistes… This “group” (not a group of course) has massively rejected the EU Treaty because it felt it would leave no other way than a deadly ultra competition in Europe. They are very critical regarding the medias in France and reject the neo-communist qualification that these medias tend to put on them. This crowd of unorganized citizen gathered to discuss the EU treaty and a big part of it wanted to renew the experience for 2007 elections; hence the advertising to lure them in of the “démocracie participative” of S. Royal, the “ils ont tout cassé” of JM LePen or even the “j’ai changé” of N. Sarkozy…

Bayrou is also building his position on this second group that could actually make the difference.

However, If Bayrou succeeds I don’t believe a second he’ll change anything, but that’s just a feeling (sorry again).

]]> by: Tim http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/blog/franceprofonde/getting-down-to-the-nitty-gritty/#comment-57 Sat, 03 Feb 2007 14:06:11 +0000 http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/blog/franceprofonde/getting-down-to-the-nitty-gritty/#comment-57 I agree with everything you say, but would like just to point out that there is M. Bayrou. I have yet to meet him, and I hope to soon, but from what I understand he has in the last couple of years developed a genuine anger at the way France is governed. That anger may give him the strength to make those radical changes you describe.....but then, faced with "la rue", does anyone in this motley crew really have that courage? I agree with everything you say, but would like just to point out that there is M. Bayrou. I have yet to meet him, and I hope to soon, but from what I understand he has in the last couple of years developed a genuine anger at the way France is governed. That anger may give him the strength to make those radical changes you describe…..but then, faced with “la rue”, does anyone in this motley crew really have that courage?

]]> by: Ruth http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/blog/franceprofonde/getting-down-to-the-nitty-gritty/#comment-55 Sat, 03 Feb 2007 10:30:18 +0000 http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/blog/franceprofonde/getting-down-to-the-nitty-gritty/#comment-55 I so agree! The Code du Travail is the single most important factor in the stagnation of France - I have never voted for the Right, and hate the idea of giving a ticket to rule to all the pompous suits at the UMP party, but it's crucial that something be done to give young people opportunities here in France. (My children on the brink of leaving the nest, so I feel this very strongly). This will be the hardest thing of all for France to face in the next 10 years. And Ségolène shows no sign at all of wanting to grapple with any hard issues.. I so agree! The Code du Travail is the single most important factor in the stagnation of France - I have never voted for the Right, and hate the idea of giving a ticket to rule to all the pompous suits at the UMP party, but it’s crucial that something be done to give young people opportunities here in France. (My children on the brink of leaving the nest, so I feel this very strongly). This will be the hardest thing of all for France to face in the next 10 years. And Ségolène shows no sign at all of wanting to grapple with any hard issues..

]]> by: Stephane http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/blog/franceprofonde/getting-down-to-the-nitty-gritty/#comment-52 Fri, 02 Feb 2007 12:28:25 +0000 http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/blog/franceprofonde/getting-down-to-the-nitty-gritty/#comment-52 “They felt the country of their birth had not enough to offer their talents” Please allow me to propose a different view on the very reasons that prevent them to execise their talents in France. http://silva-rerum.net/?p=302 “They felt the country of their birth had not enough to offer their talents”

Please allow me to propose a different view on the very reasons that prevent them to execise their talents in France.
http://silva-rerum.net/?p=302

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