France Becomes Respectable Again
Sources are reporting that center-right French Presidential candidate Nicolas Sarkozy has won the election by about ten points in France. The results mark the latest European government to make a rightward lurch in political orientation in the last several years.
Despite waging a dirty campaign that included a spam campaign suggesting riots and damnation should Sarkozy win, the voters came out in droves to elect Sarkozy. The attacks were reminiscent of campaigns in America, particularly dirty and deceptive campaigns against Barry Goldwater. Many people went to the airwaves to diagnose Sarkozy with mental illness, much like leftists in this country do against George W. Bush. Voters in France have rejected the fear-mongering campaign of the socialists, much like voters rejected similar attempts by Democrats to do the same in this country. Once again we see demonstrated that in the battle of ideas, socialists fight unarmed.
Sarkozy is most known for his previous post as interior minister by holding a tough law and order stand. The Paris riots by Muslim immigrants were considered stoked by Sarkozy who took a tough stand against such behavior. The fact that such a large turnout fell strongly behind Sarkozy indicates that France will not go silently into the night.
It is likely that France-U.S. relations will see a marked improvement with this election. Socialist candidate Royal not only ran a smear campaign, but was the latest socialist to run against George W. Bush and lose (a peculiar choice considering Bush wasn't on the French ballot). France for the past few years has been antagonistic towards the United States under Chirac including undermining the Iraq sanctions in the Oil-for-Food scandal which led to the ultimate renewal of conflict with Iraq. Sarkozy will likely end such antagonism and return to being a helpful international partner again.
The most telling part of the election results is that what is considered a bellwether bastion of socialism in Europe has overwhelmingly voted to reject socialist politics. Royal clearly made her platform of strong welfare policies and social platforms known and Sarkozy clearly indicated that he wanted to cut down on high unemployment by getting people to work. France follows Germany in moving to more conservative policies and governments.
This is little less than a revolution in France against an ideology that has become stagnant and a demonstrable failure. France's economy and society have been dragging behind the rest of the world and the French citizenry has decided they had enough. Likely pundits will shake their heads at voters deciding against "their own economic self-interest."
The lesson in France is that whenever conservatism is on the ballot (unhindered by corruption, bad implementation of policies, or personal problems) conservatism wins. Today France joins the world in adopting more sane economic and governmental policies.
John Bambenek is the Assistant Politics Editor for BC Magazine and is an academic professional for the University of Illinois. He is a syndicated columnist who blogs at Part-Time Pundit and the executive director of The Tumaini Foundation which helps AIDS orphans and other children in Tanzania to get an education.
He is the current owner of BlogSoldiers, a blog-only traffic exchange.
John Bambenek is the Assistant Politics Editor for Blogcritics and is an academic professional for the University of Illinois. He is a freelance columnist who blogs at Part-Time Pundit and the executive director of The Tumaini Foundation which helps AIDS orphans and other children in Tanzania to get an education. He is the current owner of BlogSoldiers, a blog-only traffic exchange. | More from John Bambenek
Stumble It!
May 6th, 2007 at 2:06 pm
“The most telling part of the election results is that what is considered a bellwether bastion of socialism in Europe has overwhelmingly voted to reject socialist politics.”
The rejection of Mzzzz. Royal by the French electorate surely gives us reason for optimism. But it may may a bit premature to suppose that electing a right of center candidate offers evidence of a wholesale embrace of conservative politics. Time will tell the real story, of course.
In the meantime, it is more likely that this has little to do with changing the French cradle to grave system of State welfare. I’d bet two horsehides and a broke down saddle that this was the Gallic reflex to the (very realistic) sense of desperation and fear of Islamic encroachment in their society. What with all those maniacal French speaking imams enflaming their hoardes against the ethnic Frenchies at the local mosque and all. And Sarkozy would be just the guy to make things right (with any luck at all).
There have been some pretty sobering predictions by serious cultural observers and politicos that France will quite possibly fall to Islamic imperialism within 25 or so years. Not a very attractive prospect when one considers that this ‘ally’ is already possessed of nuclear military capabilities.
Would that this guy Sarkozy really does herald some kind of conservation shift in the landscape there. Better for us all.
May 6th, 2007 at 3:11 pm
According to a report by the BBC’s website, Sarkozy actually received 25% of the vote in the Muslim banlieus. Elderly pensioners and young women, while Muslim, want the young male hoodlums brought under control.
Apparently carbecues are not universally popular with those who happen to own the cars!
May 7th, 2007 at 1:12 am
France has not done anything politically useful or reasonable for at least 200 years. Prior to that they were almost wholly destructive, even of themselves. A change of direction by a country as pathetic as France, which simply runs around in circles yapping at its tail like a poodle, is not likely to take it anywhere useful.
In 1946 the French Prime Minister approached Great Britain with a proposal that France joined the British Commonwealth via a merger with Britain. That is, he wanted France to cease being altogether. He wanted The British Monarch to be head of state in France. The proposal was rejected and kept secret until last December, at the end of the 50 year embargo on Cabinet documents.
Frankly, it would have been better for Europe as a whole and possibly the world, if Great Britain had taken over both France and Germany in 1946 and created a much better version of the EU. Of course, the Americans would never have allowed that, busy as they were undermining any vestige of British Empire. History is quite peculiar isn’t it.
Mind you, in fairness, the British have made a right Royale cock up of their own beds in the meantime with a fractured concept of what Britain and britishness is. The Union of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales has only a few more years to run before that too crumbles into the dust, leaving three impoverished minor countries and one fairly wealthy one full of foreigners, and not having a clue what to do next. I blame it on James the First, myself (the 6th of Scotland) and his reverse takeover of the family firm. (not many realize that it was Scotland that took over England all those years ago!). Guy Fawkes was right.
So we still have the French arguing amongst themselves and screwing up Europe. Whoever is in charge there, don’t expect any sence other than fashion sense. French lingerie is still the prettiest.
May 7th, 2007 at 1:16 am
PS. While everyone will have to get used to a new name for the French Government, think about what happens when Tony Blair steps down later this year. The UK will have the Brown-Balls Government! Sammy Davis Jr, eat your heart out.