Comments on: The French Presidential Election: In Search of Time Past

By: cleamounette

cleamounette — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 10:40:00 +0000

the great illusion of the French presidential elections
http://t.co/YHfeWV6H

By: John Krinsky

John Krinsky — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 22:03:00 +0000

I’m not certain about characterizing the FdG’s campaign as being that of a protest for those who couldn’t organize themselves into the indigados or Occupy. It may be telling that where the indignados/Occupy movements were strongest–in Spain and in the US–they have come in the midst of center-left governments that largely capitulate to the neoliberal politics of TINA. They have so far achieved a shift in political debate but perhaps not a lot else (which doesn’t mean that they won’t achieve more in the future). But fundamental parts of both movements seem to be a refusal of existing left politics, which is not surprising given the state of the PSOE and the Democrats. At the same time, it’s likely that if Hollande doesn’t win without a runoff, the FdG will support him against a right wing candidate. The indignados did no such thing, as they “officially” abjure politics. What this meant, of course, was that the spirit of rejection led to the triumph of the Spanish right. Whether this is “worth it” in the long run will be an important test of the movements. The role of Occupy in the US elections is also not clear. But the very fact that the French system allows the FdG to be polling around 16 percent and to be a force in French politics differentiates it from the Spanish and US systems, and thus makes the FdG quite different for structural, as well as political, reasons.

By: Felipe Pait

Felipe Pait — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 20:30:00 +0000

I don’t know much about French politics. Here’s what it looks like. Melanchon I thought was a Star Trek villain. Hollande seems to be running for president of the 2nd or 3rd French Republic. Sarkozy might be a little more with it, but the French will be better off with someone who doesn’t know what he is doing than with Merkel’s voodoo economics.

It used to be that Brazilians looked at our politicians and cried. We still do. But now at least we can look at European politics and laugh. Desgraça de todos é console de pobre. The poor are consoled by the tragedies of the rich.