Category: French Election

Hollande's ongoing fight

07/05/2012

The political face of Europe is about to change. France's election of Socialist Francois Hollande could be just the start of sweeping changes. Extreme right French politician Marine Le Pen in failing to support centre right Sarkozy has shown that she is prepared to wait. Parliamentary elections are on the way for France and she is biding her time.

In a speech following Hollande's victory she attacked Sarkozy and insisted that Hollande would be no different. In almost wanting Hollande to fail surely the French will see her for what she is. Right now that appears to be a self serving politician who does not have the interests of France at heart.

Le Pen may be a more electable face of the extreme right, by comparison to her hard line father, but she is no different. A wolf in sheep's clothing could be a good assessment of her. She has gathered support from those who see migration as an issue in France. When economies struggle and jobs are lost such issues come to the fore. However it is not immigration carte blanch which she opposes. It is those who now live and work in France but who are non white also.

Francois Hollande will have to work with many political leaders in the coming months though and will not have an easy road ahead. There is no doubting that he is a genuine man who for once has his morals and heart in the proper place but will he be able or allowed to carry out his plans. For some he will be an idealist and nothing more. However there is nothing wrong with idealism if it fuels change for the better. It has to be better than more of the old jaded, self serving, cynicism. Perhaps what France and Europe need right now is a man of vision. Can Francois Hollande fulfil such a role?

UK PM David Cameron telephoned Hollande shortly after his election victory to congratulate him. This is common practice. Angela Merkel for Germany may or may not have done the same through gritted teeth no doubt. After all as successive governments across Europe fall to the unknown she will have to forge new political allegiances. Yes Europe is in for a testing time, one way or another

Tags: French Election, Francois Hollande, Nicholas Sarkozy, Europe

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French Election

05/05/2012

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Election fever seems to have hit the World in 2012. Countries such as Canada, The USA, Greece and France all have important national elections up and coming. This week the UK held local elections and the voters who bothered to turn out sent a resounding message to the Government that the people are not happy.

Those countries who are experiencing economic doom and gloom are tending to move away from the old leaders, blaming them for their country's economic woes. This is hardly surprising. However in some countries those in power inherited a shambles and have done little to resolve the core issues.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy cannot blame his predecessors though. France has not elected a Socialist President for 30 years. Now it could be on the brink of doing so.

The first round of the election left Nicolas Sarkozy, for the right, battling it out with Francois Hollande, for the left. Tomorrow, Sunday May 6, 2012, the French people will end this election campaign. People who preferred one of the other political parties will have choose between more of the same from Sarkozy or a new approach from Francois Hollande.

Already some multi millionaires are saying that Hollande as President would result in them leaving France. This is because it is widely expected that Hollande will increase taxes for the uber wealthy to fund a planned period of growth. How they must love France. The talk is only of hitting the upper echelons of their wealth but already they are in panic mode. So often such people preach low taxes and the like to encourage jobs but they have no stomach for improvement when it may hit their bank balances.

Across Europe other leaders are waiting on the result of the French election. Greece too may opt for change this weekend, but that could be to leave the EU. Leaders such as Merkel in Germany and Cameron plus Osborne in the UK know that hard fought financial agreements could become worthless as quick as flash.

One way or another Europe is once more in for a very testing time.

Tags: European elections, French election, Greek election, Hollande, Sarkozy

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French election, Can Sarkozy survive

21/04/2012

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It seems that many Western countries are in election mode. 2012 will see the US, Canada, France and more go to the polls. For France, who go to the polls Sunday, April 22, 2012, it could be a hard election to predict.
Current Premier Nicolas Sarkozy is not the most popular politician right now. Seen so often hand in glove with German leader Angela Merkel, Sarkozy's popularity has nose dived. That does not mean he will not win the election though. It will depend on the opposition, just how good they are and if the people believe that they can offer better than Sarkozy. As we all know change is not necessarily for the best. It could so easily be out of the frying pan and into the fire.

Currently there appear to be two front runners in the race for election victory. These two come from extreme opposites of the political spectrum. For the Left Francois Hollande proves frequently that he is a man of and for the people. His election campaign has meant that he is often seen in local markets and shops chatting to would be voters. Currently he is seen as the main contender to topple Sarkozy. His team claim to be quietly confident.

On the extreme Right there is the daughter of a French fascist. Marine Le Pen may have a more pleasing visible exterior than her father but there is no mistaking that she stands for the same policies. A backward thinking politician yearning for a French supremacy without multiculturalism.

Political pundits though are generally calling the French election a backward looking event. Embroiled in the Eurozone crisis France like so many of its allies is sailing close to the wind as far as its economy goes. The precarious position is leading French politicians and the people to hark back to better days. For the far right this means viewing immigrants as the cause of all their woes. It would be ironic if France were to elect Le Pen when you consider the Second World War. However stranger things have happened.

It is more likely however to be a race between Sarkozy for the Right and Hollande for the Left. It is 30 years since a Socialist won the French presidential election. Perhaps French people will decide it is time for change. Such a change would put a whole new spin on the Eurozone and current alliances. It could lead to an interesting period in EU politics.

Tags: French election, US election, Nicholas Sarkozy, Marie Le Pen far Right, Francois Hollande socialist, Socialism

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Only in the UK

Yorkshire woman Eileen Kersey is the creator, editor and writer of TEK staff blogs. Creator of both TEKJournalismUK and WhereButTheUK she has finally come out of the 'writing closet'. Under the pen name of Ethel Smith she has written online, in varying degrees, for around six years.