ckaihatsu
2nd April 2014, 19:51
Austerity, the Hard Right and the French Election: Two Views
Barely two years after assuming office François Hollande finds himself to be the most unpopular French president in history. This past Sunday his Parti socialiste suffered serious defeats in local and municipal elections as French voters either abstained or supported parties of the Right. Although the conservative UMP (Union for a Popular Movement) was the main beneficiary of the socialists’ electoral debacle, the far-right Front National led by Marine Le Pen made significant gains. Le Pen's party won thirteen mayoralties and managed to elect over 1400 councillors; this is up from zero and 60, respectively, from the previous elections. In a few cases the Front National even won over towns considered to be historic bastions of the French Left. The results are further proof that the traditional parties of the Left in Europe are willing to risk electoral defeat than to break with the policies of neoliberalism and austerity. At the same time, these latest elections have failed to result in a breakthrough for political forces positioned to the left of social democracy. Indeed, a closer look at France reveals that the Front National enjoys a momentum, which enables it to tilt the political spectrum dangerously in its favour, by focusing on questions of immigration and national identity.
Below we publish two analyses and commentaries by observers of the French elections published in the days between the first and second round of voting (March 21 and March 30). Rossana Rossanda excoriates European political elites, including Italy's new Prime Minister, for the harsh austerity they mercilessly impose without regard for the inevitable social and political consequences. Annamaria Rivera outlines how racism now plays a central role in political competition in France since the advent of the Sarkozy presidency.
http://www.socialistproject.ca/bullet/963.php
Barely two years after assuming office François Hollande finds himself to be the most unpopular French president in history. This past Sunday his Parti socialiste suffered serious defeats in local and municipal elections as French voters either abstained or supported parties of the Right. Although the conservative UMP (Union for a Popular Movement) was the main beneficiary of the socialists’ electoral debacle, the far-right Front National led by Marine Le Pen made significant gains. Le Pen's party won thirteen mayoralties and managed to elect over 1400 councillors; this is up from zero and 60, respectively, from the previous elections. In a few cases the Front National even won over towns considered to be historic bastions of the French Left. The results are further proof that the traditional parties of the Left in Europe are willing to risk electoral defeat than to break with the policies of neoliberalism and austerity. At the same time, these latest elections have failed to result in a breakthrough for political forces positioned to the left of social democracy. Indeed, a closer look at France reveals that the Front National enjoys a momentum, which enables it to tilt the political spectrum dangerously in its favour, by focusing on questions of immigration and national identity.
Below we publish two analyses and commentaries by observers of the French elections published in the days between the first and second round of voting (March 21 and March 30). Rossana Rossanda excoriates European political elites, including Italy's new Prime Minister, for the harsh austerity they mercilessly impose without regard for the inevitable social and political consequences. Annamaria Rivera outlines how racism now plays a central role in political competition in France since the advent of the Sarkozy presidency.
http://www.socialistproject.ca/bullet/963.php