French Politics on the Cusp of Change

We are glued to coverage of the French presidential elections and each morning French-Australian husband Olivier takes himself into the lounge to watch the French news on SBS at 10:20am.

He is a Sarkozy man and cannot fathom why the French people would want to change such an outstanding president. He believes France is in better shape because ofNicvolas Sarkozy’s right-wing policies which, over the past five years, triggered rounds of strikes by French workers furious at industrial reforms. They were incensed, particularly, at raising the retirement age to 62. Many unrealistic social benefits have been wound back in Sarkozy’s bid to drag France into the 21^st century.

On the eve of the crucial second round of the elections, forecasters believe a French Revolution is under way and it looks likely that France will swing to the Left, reject their dynamic president of the past five years and elect a socialist president, Francois Hollande.

The masses in France did not appreciate how Sarkozy initially wallowed in his public image of a wealthy president – despite his aristocratic Hungarian immigrant parentage. And despite French culture’s love affair with luxury labels, Mr Sarkozy did not endear himself to the people with his Rolex watch, Aviator sunglasses and affluent jet-setting lifestyle. Then he married a former supermodel turned singer, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, after a whirlpool romance, but she is still not liked by the French people despite having produced a daughter, Guilia, into the Elysses Palace. Poor Carla has been an exceptional First Lady, not having put a foot wrong, but has failed to win the French people’s hearts.

However, if the pundits are correct this weekend, the people want and will vote for socialist Hollande, who wears rimless glasses and presents himself as “Monsieur Normal,’’ a quiet unassuming fellow, who has never held a portfolio.

This is unfolding against the backdrop of a worsening European situation and a France where the Islamic population numbers about 15 per cent. The big unknown is how the French Muslims will vote, given that voting is not compulsory. The anti-immigration, anti-Islam policy of candidate Marine Le Pen gained her 18 per cent of the first round of elections, as French people feel threatened by the impact of Islamic culture on the French way of life. Commentators and political analysts reckon Sarkozy will need to garner the vast majority of Le Pen’s voters in the second round to retain office.

Much is at stake because Hollande wants to lower the retirement age and create thousands of public sector jobs for French people and for his part Sarkozy is pointing to the Greek tragedy as the result of such drastic moves in these times.

So, here in Australia, tomorrow Olivier will travel to Alliance Francaise (health permitting) along with other South Australian French citizens to vote for the candidate they think France needs to continue the groundwork Sarkozy. Whatever ctiticism is levelled at him, Sarkozy has forged strong ties with Germany and the UK and presented France as a senior player in keeping Europe’s economy from collapse.

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