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by Jerome a Paris Mon Apr 23rd, 2007 at 03:04:10 AM EST
These seem to be the final official results:
Anectodal info suggests that a lot of people seem to dislike Royal more than they fear Sarkozy. Two weeks to change this perception...
a poll says only 39% of them will vote Sarko, 45% Sego and 16% undecided...
I doubt all of those 16% could be brought over to Royal. If those 16% stay home, this will reduce the presently 5.28percentage points Sarko-Ségo difference only to 4.17pp, and I'd expect the rest (10.62% vs. 13.90%, with more staying home or voting across of the latter) to bring a change of at most around 1pp. Altogether, that would give a second round result of 51.6% Sarko vs. 48.4% Royal...
The PS should attack on a wider front for new voters/resp. to scare voters away from Sarko. *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
The results of your 16th district show a Sarko landslide:
A poll apparently splits the Bayrou vote (nationally) as follows (CSA, no direct link, but a mention in afoe):
16% unsure 45% Royal 39% Sarkozy
Which is pretty good. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
The question is: how to attract enough Bayrou voters? A significant number of them are left leaning voters who are fed up with the incapacity of the Socialist Party to quit its old "Guesdiste" (or "Molletiste") culture (i.e. holding a hard-left quasi-Marxist line while in opposition and implementing pragmatic pro-market policies when in power) for a new social-democrat (not Blairite!) approach of well-regulated market economy including an important role for unions and social dialogue, the empowerment of stakeholders and the development of social economy.
Another part of Bayrou voters is the traditional Christian Democrats who do not agree with the authoritarian and liberal ideology of Sarkozy, but not enough to join a "non-modernised" Socialist Party.
Both groups are also looking forward to a modernisation of the French institutions.
For both these groups, an "Everything but Sarkozy" strategy is not enough and doomed to fail. Even if there are parts of her program with which they might agree, other parts are, in their view, contradictory and they do not trust Ségolène enough to adopt a really new approach.
Therefore, she needs to give a clear and strong sign of her commitment to a social-democrat orientation. The only way I see she could do it is by announcing who she would name Prime Minister in case of a left-wing victory in the parliamentary elections.
She has several possibilities. Jacques Delors and Michel Rocard can be effectively used in the campaign, but they are too old for being a PM. Dominique Strauss-Kahn would be the best, but I doubt Ségolène would chose him because of their rivalry. Bernard Kouchner is very popular, but his economical skills are not well established. I think Pascal Lamy (current Director General of WTO), an important Socialist Party member, but not an elephant, could make a good candidate for PM and convince Bayrou voters. "Dieu se rit des hommes qui se plaignent des conséquences alors qu'ils en chérissent les causes" Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet
Agreed, but she needs to make clear that this orientation begins and remains committed fundamentally to an impartial state based on transparent and vibrant democracy. That is where there is the most space between Bayrou's voter and Sarko. That can't be addressed just by naming a PM (although I agree thats a good strategy). Ithink it means
>rule of law; the rampant corruption of the RPR and UMP, especially in the Parisian region, is something that Sarkozy is deeply implicated in personally and this has been largely absent from the campaign. She could put Sarko on the defensive by calling for him to engage in the sort of "droit d'inventaire" that Jospin did for the PS -- she should demand Sarko agree now not to pardon Chirac or any other RPR/UMP figue for past crimes. Why as Interior Minister did he look the other way for nearly 5 years as these investigations into everything from RPR housing scandal to Clearstream ground down.
>likewise, a crackdown on white-collar crime, including illegally hidden executive compensation. Every appearance should call on Sarkozy to explain why as Finance Minister he did nothing about those golden parachutes that he now opposes.
>reform of institutions. Beginning with independence of the judiciary but also to enhance the voice of the people, one of her major early themes. Greater power for the Parliament, more direct consultation of the people at local level. A good example that she alluded to on Sunday night -- no major EU agreement without consent of the people, nothing ratified by Parlement "dans le dos du peuple". She should announce an impartial figure to serve as a "Ministre sans portefeuille pour s'occuper de la reforme institutionelle", or something more feliticous sounding. This should include campaign and party financing; challenge Sarkozy to reveal UMP financing now before the election.
>as President, more attention to effective diplomacy on the world stage. Promise to appoint a cabinet-level ambassador to the UN (akin to the minister for EU affairs); make clear this person's job will be to provide an effective international counterweight to Washington. In short, if the incumbent government had been more effective in 2003, France could have stopped the war. Villepin was poetic but ineffective; where was Sarkozy?
In short, reform vs corruption. Its at the heart of why everyone on the left hates Sarkozy; its at the heart of why Bayrou had such appeal; its at the heart of what the Republic is about.
She worked hard to give people a renewed PS candicacy; she'll work as just as hard to give them a new center-left party.
Make clear there will be opportunity for both a centrist wing and an "anti-liberal" wing of this new party; the new party will be a space for vibrant and honest debate just as the new Republic must be.
Not merely a reshuffling of names among the same old elephants like the UMP proved to be.
Plus naming a PM is the surest way to create more Eric Bressons, or at least bring out those who feel they've got a better chance for their own future by torpedoing her than by supporting her.
More generally, the left + the far left cannot make a majority in France, unless they attract centre-left voters. "Dieu se rit des hommes qui se plaignent des conséquences alors qu'ils en chérissent les causes" Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet
Incredible, but she's been making these noises since she was on 4 verites two months ago. I personally think she is overwhelmed and impressed at how far the political environment has come with respect to women's participation, that's how she sounds to me anyhow. After all, she was all alone in that wilderness for quite some time and she takes a little (rightful imho) pride in Royal's stature today.
A class move for a swan song. The Hun is always either at your throat or at your feet. Winston Churchill
How so? It would be supporting Sarkozy that would allow the UMP to swallow the UDF. "It's the statue, man, The Statue."
Say, Sego President, DSK PM, Bayrou Minister of Foreign Affairs (and European Affairs). "It's the statue, man, The Statue."
The main question is how the Socialist Party can facilitate the creation of the new party he would like to lead? That means negotiate constituencies... "Dieu se rit des hommes qui se plaignent des conséquences alors qu'ils en chérissent les causes" Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet
You just described the way European Socialist/Social Democratic parties everywhere have behaved in the past 15 years (if not longer). Good luck changing that. "It's the statue, man, The Statue."
Politically, Bayrou stand for EU, traditional (Catholic) values, and moderate economic politics. He tried to give a new twist as being third way- ni gauche, ni droite- and it will be interesting to see how it plays out: the country as a whole is more right than when the old UDF lost its importance, so a new one would have to be positionned differently.
He is congenially against an hegemonic UMP - Sarkozy, his decision not to accept allegiance to theChirac/Sarkozy electoral machine was his political certificate of birth as a leader.
That is just my interpretation, and I don't follow the mood in France so closely, being abroad.
I hope it helps. La répartie est dans l'escalier. Elle revient de suite.
French voters registered in Belgium: 48,875
Voters: 23,384 Participation: 47.84%.
Some observations:
Sarkozy has the anglosphere pretty much nailed down. Now, you may not think this is a problem but London is the seventh largest French city in the world. There are 300,000 thousand French citizens living in the UK and most of them live in London.
Not only has Sarkozy's have been working these ex-pat's hard the man himself came over for a visit. Our candidate is only just getting round to sending campaign staff over the Channel.
Sky news love Sarkozy. Now, I know this may be stating the obvious - but I cannot emphasise the intensity of this crush (think Tweety hearts Dubya). All Sky's bobbleheads de Francais were either Sarkozy campaign officials or declared supporters.
Sarkozy's supporters were all over the British media and Royal's were not. Something that has to approve in the next two weeks. Money is a sign of Poverty - Culture Saying
As for what someone yesterday correctly called the "English media which speaks only neo-lib," I watched (with my students) the broadcast of the returns on France24, which consisted entirely of neo-lib, pro-Sarkozy commentary, much of it repeating memes right out of the Economist (as was the BBC, which I presume your post refers to.) Although the France24 reported from DC (who looked a lot like he might have been doing a parody on Jon Stewart) did seem to me to help Royal's cause by stating, twice, that the Bush administration is hoping for a Sarkozy victory.
IF only more people read Jerome ...
Or if Jerome was speaking for the campaign. Somebody who speaks good English and understands the English speaking media. Money is a sign of Poverty - Culture Saying
I think TBG gave a pretty solid analysis yesterday. Royal may pull it off, and I do think it will be close (keeping in mind that I haven't dug into this race nearly as much as I did the midterms in the states or the '05 race in Britain), but Sarkozy seems to be playing with the stronger hand, at this point. Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.
I think she also lost a bit more of center-left, reform-minded voters in Paris (the famous "bobos") to Bayrou than elsewhere -- and she stands a good chance to win them back on May 6th.
But what do you mean "all but one district." I think you're looking at the departmental map, which shows that in the Parisian region she finished first only in Seine-St Denis. Keep in mind that the departments outside of Paris have left-wing strongholds as well as the wealthier, right-leaning outer ring of suburbs which is Sarkozy's home turf. Also, among white voters in the formerly Communist-controlled towns of the Parisian red belt, LePen had made gains in the last few elections and these might well have areas where Sarkozy won a lot of support. If so, thats a distrubing development because she won't be able to win them back.
Within the city, she definitely carried the XIth, XIIth, XIIIth, XVIIIth, XIXth and XXth and maybe the Xth and XVIIth (I didn't check on the last two). What I wonder, haven't seen any reporting on this yet, and it may be impossible to sort out given that demographic data can't be broken down by race, is how she did among voters "issue de l'immigration." This was where there was a big spoke in new voters and it was hoped they would turn out heavily anti-Sarkozy. Anyone have anecdotal or other reporting on this?
I expect the next two-weeks to feature the cosmopolitan, Parisian Segolene Royal.
Paris: Sarko 35,07% / Royal 31,75% / Bayrou 20,73% / Le Pen 4,58% Marseille: Sarko 34,25% / Royal 27,11% / Bayrou 14,10% / Le Pen 13,43% Lyon: Sarko 34,46% / Royal 27,29% / Bayrou 22,09% / Le Pen 6,47% Toulouse: Royal 36,15% / Sarko 26,75% / Bayrou 19,21% / Le Pen 6,35% Nice: Sarko 41,83% / Royal 20,42% / Bayrou 14,57% / Le Pen 13,74%
I'm glad to live where it matters!
(hi to all, just passing through, very busy as you know) (stay optimistic for Royal, there is an excel spreadsheet moving around the internet that enables computations of all types ... participation rates, splitting of votes for this or that candidate ... and it seems from it that Royal still has a good chance! i encourage anyone feeling gloomy to try writing their own!)
Why is nobody talking about the machisme of the left? Seems to me it's the elephant in the living room. "It's the statue, man, The Statue."
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