French Presidential Campaign has Ended: Now Let us all Wait
Rizwan Ghani
May 04, 2007
Unlike Sarkozy who is heading to replace what all is “humane” in French system with what he believes is “faster world”. At least outside world does not share this perspective. May be from where he is standing there is a different view.
Royal is trailing in opinion polls by 10 points (8 and 7 in some polls) with an error margin of 3 points.
Sarkozy “darling” of rich right France has led the race throughout the campaign and experts opine that he will win the election.
However, beneath this clear picture is the lurking election fog that historically springs surprises for any election and French election is no exception.
Le Pen’s far right agitated voters (11%) reportedly are going to abstain from voting for Sarkozy in response to their leaders May 1 call. They believe Sarkozy stole their five percent votes by introducing immigration ministry that secured his victory in the knock out round. The move weakened their brokering position in French cabinet.
Bayrou has publicly admitted that he will not vote for Sarkozy. But polls show that out of 7 million voters who voted for Bayrou only 35% will vote for Sarkozy while 30% are still undecided. There are however reports that Bayrou’s voters are also considering to abstain from voting in final round.
This thickens fog over certainty that media might tends to portray to give the impression that Sarkozy is winning or he is going to have a walk over in the final round. Results like past figures will be close, real close.
There are reports that if Royal is defeated, Socialist Party might split and those who stood with Royal as she moved towards center away from far may have to form another political front.
As an individual observer I have seen that Royal represents social working class and agri-sector while Sarkozy is “elites” darling but what intrigues me is the disparity in voting figures. Logically peasants and workers always outnumber holders and owners that in turn should have brought victory for Royal. That is not the case so far.
Royal’s message that these elections could trigger violence and brutality across the country is true to its core. Sarkozy’s promise of “faster world” will hasten economic and structural “vandalism” of France against Royal’s promise of “reliable world”.
French workers relations with their administration according to international reports stands at 121 out of 124 in list of nations. Sarkozy’s victory will strengthen corporate rules and bring stringent hire and fire policies that in turn will further deepen current estranged relations between two that has so far survived due to pro-worker state policies.
Similarly, there will be a review of 35-hour workweek and in all probability more hours will be added to existing duration.
French society prides itself of its family values. Family elders of average family unlike Americans stay with their children. French openly don’t support retirement setups for their elders.
French society is different from fast-paced American society. “Sluggish” French way of life can easily be defined as a “cultural lag” in America but the ground reality is it defines French and who they are.
Royal is appealing to the France that is “humane”, “easy going” and wants economic and social “change” at its own pace. Royal is promising to be part of the change not the one who will bring the change.
Sarkozy on the other hand is more harsh, or (may be) realistic when he promises economic “shake up” to bring French at par with rest of the world. This policy in addition to making him favorite of corporate world enhances his transatlantic appeal. And in all could bring him closer to be the president but will that benefit France, is debatable.
He has been working on this since long and his London speech, which earned him good reviews, just proves that. He talked of business friendly France. But the only European touch in his London speech was the venue. The content was for America business world not Europe.
Europe has already embarked on borderless economy. It does not need such messages. The rejection of message by two million strong French community settled in UK proves the assertion. They believe that business is not only better in UK (than France) and whatever Sarkozy is about to unfold will not serve their business.
This brings Sarkozy (and France under his presidency) at dangerous crossroads where unless he upholds Royal’s words literally he will never be able to “shake” the French economy to an extent that will measure up to the insatiable demands of inhumane dynamics of market economy that survives on figures and figures only.
Thus adding prophetic resonance to Royal’s words in which she said that elections could trigger violence and brutality across the country. Off course, she was referring to France under Sarkozy.
Observers have called French election debates intellectually stimulating. For me it is not an academic or intellectual discussion. French are going to make history in this election that could make or break their fate down to coming generations by making a choice.
Sarkozy is heading for change, America is living it and the outside world is watching all of them.
Unlike Sarkozy who sees expansion and prosperity with market economy I see over hundred million struggling Americans for want of health insurance and inadequate insurance cover to brave market challenges.
Royal supports progress with caution, Sarkozy promises inundation of economy with funds, I see wealthy tycoons and prosperous corporate mimicking America models. A world that has frozen individual wages at $5.70 an hour for last ten years. It took an election, a Democrat congress to shove these bosses to share a fraction of what their workers earn for them in the first place.
Ironically average monthly (some cases single day) salary of corporate CEO is more than lifetime earnings of an average worker.
May be like Schwarzenegger it would take Sarkozy to take a fall to kick start universal health insurance to understand how difficult life could get without health cover.
By opting for economic “shakeup” Sarkozy would let the genie of modern economy out that like American will undo French labor securities, social health care and education system. The corporate world will initially make the workers pay for everything and then like Enron, Martha, Quest or BP ultimately abandon them clueless.
By the time French will understand wave of (house) foreclosures, Medicare or Katrina like frauds the student loan industry will befool them.
Wall Street Journal shows that since 2001 the average apartment price has jumped from $1000 to $5000. This will help America to understand why Putin not Yeltsin is popular in Russia. The average living cost in LA is around 32 dollars where as it is around 90 dollars in Paris and 170 dollars in Tokyo. It will help America understand what Royal meant by
It may be argued that this comparison is lopsided. Sarkozy is not going to replace milk and honey that is running in the French water channels. It is just an election. Change is the biggest constant.
Free economy is the future economic system and Sarkozy is doing what needs to be done in national interest. It is argued that Sarkozy’s victory shows that majority of voters wants him to bring changes to secure France’s tomorrow.
That is exactly what confuses the outside world. Because the reeking social system that Royal supports may be lack the glitz and glamour of corporate world but it is comforting, humane and can always be improved.
Unlike Sarkozy who is heading to replace what all is “humane” with what he believes is “faster world”. At least from my perspective it is not so. May be from where he is standing there is a different view.
Finally, few would dispute that past eternally been romantic while future is always scary. So let us wait for the election result to see if it is Royal or Sarkozy.
Royal is trailing in opinion polls by 10 points (8 and 7 in some polls) with an error margin of 3 points.
Sarkozy “darling” of rich right France has led the race throughout the campaign and experts opine that he will win the election.
However, beneath this clear picture is the lurking election fog that historically springs surprises for any election and French election is no exception.
Le Pen’s far right agitated voters (11%) reportedly are going to abstain from voting for Sarkozy in response to their leaders May 1 call. They believe Sarkozy stole their five percent votes by introducing immigration ministry that secured his victory in the knock out round. The move weakened their brokering position in French cabinet.
Bayrou has publicly admitted that he will not vote for Sarkozy. But polls show that out of 7 million voters who voted for Bayrou only 35% will vote for Sarkozy while 30% are still undecided. There are however reports that Bayrou’s voters are also considering to abstain from voting in final round.
This thickens fog over certainty that media might tends to portray to give the impression that Sarkozy is winning or he is going to have a walk over in the final round. Results like past figures will be close, real close.
There are reports that if Royal is defeated, Socialist Party might split and those who stood with Royal as she moved towards center away from far may have to form another political front.
As an individual observer I have seen that Royal represents social working class and agri-sector while Sarkozy is “elites” darling but what intrigues me is the disparity in voting figures. Logically peasants and workers always outnumber holders and owners that in turn should have brought victory for Royal. That is not the case so far.
Royal’s message that these elections could trigger violence and brutality across the country is true to its core. Sarkozy’s promise of “faster world” will hasten economic and structural “vandalism” of France against Royal’s promise of “reliable world”.
French workers relations with their administration according to international reports stands at 121 out of 124 in list of nations. Sarkozy’s victory will strengthen corporate rules and bring stringent hire and fire policies that in turn will further deepen current estranged relations between two that has so far survived due to pro-worker state policies.
Similarly, there will be a review of 35-hour workweek and in all probability more hours will be added to existing duration.
French society prides itself of its family values. Family elders of average family unlike Americans stay with their children. French openly don’t support retirement setups for their elders.
French society is different from fast-paced American society. “Sluggish” French way of life can easily be defined as a “cultural lag” in America but the ground reality is it defines French and who they are.
Royal is appealing to the France that is “humane”, “easy going” and wants economic and social “change” at its own pace. Royal is promising to be part of the change not the one who will bring the change.
Sarkozy on the other hand is more harsh, or (may be) realistic when he promises economic “shake up” to bring French at par with rest of the world. This policy in addition to making him favorite of corporate world enhances his transatlantic appeal. And in all could bring him closer to be the president but will that benefit France, is debatable.
He has been working on this since long and his London speech, which earned him good reviews, just proves that. He talked of business friendly France. But the only European touch in his London speech was the venue. The content was for America business world not Europe.
Europe has already embarked on borderless economy. It does not need such messages. The rejection of message by two million strong French community settled in UK proves the assertion. They believe that business is not only better in UK (than France) and whatever Sarkozy is about to unfold will not serve their business.
This brings Sarkozy (and France under his presidency) at dangerous crossroads where unless he upholds Royal’s words literally he will never be able to “shake” the French economy to an extent that will measure up to the insatiable demands of inhumane dynamics of market economy that survives on figures and figures only.
Thus adding prophetic resonance to Royal’s words in which she said that elections could trigger violence and brutality across the country. Off course, she was referring to France under Sarkozy.
Observers have called French election debates intellectually stimulating. For me it is not an academic or intellectual discussion. French are going to make history in this election that could make or break their fate down to coming generations by making a choice.
Sarkozy is heading for change, America is living it and the outside world is watching all of them.
Unlike Sarkozy who sees expansion and prosperity with market economy I see over hundred million struggling Americans for want of health insurance and inadequate insurance cover to brave market challenges.
Royal supports progress with caution, Sarkozy promises inundation of economy with funds, I see wealthy tycoons and prosperous corporate mimicking America models. A world that has frozen individual wages at $5.70 an hour for last ten years. It took an election, a Democrat congress to shove these bosses to share a fraction of what their workers earn for them in the first place.
Ironically average monthly (some cases single day) salary of corporate CEO is more than lifetime earnings of an average worker.
May be like Schwarzenegger it would take Sarkozy to take a fall to kick start universal health insurance to understand how difficult life could get without health cover.
By opting for economic “shakeup” Sarkozy would let the genie of modern economy out that like American will undo French labor securities, social health care and education system. The corporate world will initially make the workers pay for everything and then like Enron, Martha, Quest or BP ultimately abandon them clueless.
By the time French will understand wave of (house) foreclosures, Medicare or Katrina like frauds the student loan industry will befool them.
Wall Street Journal shows that since 2001 the average apartment price has jumped from $1000 to $5000. This will help America to understand why Putin not Yeltsin is popular in Russia. The average living cost in LA is around 32 dollars where as it is around 90 dollars in Paris and 170 dollars in Tokyo. It will help America understand what Royal meant by
It may be argued that this comparison is lopsided. Sarkozy is not going to replace milk and honey that is running in the French water channels. It is just an election. Change is the biggest constant.
Free economy is the future economic system and Sarkozy is doing what needs to be done in national interest. It is argued that Sarkozy’s victory shows that majority of voters wants him to bring changes to secure France’s tomorrow.
That is exactly what confuses the outside world. Because the reeking social system that Royal supports may be lack the glitz and glamour of corporate world but it is comforting, humane and can always be improved.
Unlike Sarkozy who is heading to replace what all is “humane” with what he believes is “faster world”. At least from my perspective it is not so. May be from where he is standing there is a different view.
Finally, few would dispute that past eternally been romantic while future is always scary. So let us wait for the election result to see if it is Royal or Sarkozy.
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