French Presidential Elections 2012

[King Gambrinus]

Can't believe there hasn't been a thread yet. I've put in a poll and describe very briefly the candidates. If someone would like to submit a more detailed analysis (particularly in the political standing), please do and I'll quote you in the OP.


Nicholas Sarkozy OUT



Party : UMP (Union pour le mouvement Populaire)

Political standing : centre right, economic liberal, Conservative, pro-EU.

In a nutshell : Will find it tough to remain President, but might get far-right votes to beat the socialists. Is extremely unpopular in the working class areas of France.







François Hollande WINNER



Party : PS (Parti Socialiste)

Political standing : Centre left, socialist, wishes to reform EU treaty.

In a nutshell : Favourite, but not by far. Should get Mélenchon votes too though. Not a great speaker though.



Jean-Luc Mélenchon OUT



Party : Front de Gauche (Left Alliance)

Political standing : Marxist, Trotskyist, with a twist. Protectionist. Wants to form the "6th Republic". Wants to radically reform the EU into a single state.

In a nutshell : Stormed the Bastille with 100,000 of his minions(). Engaged in a titanic battle for 3rd place with the far-right and the centrist candidates. Has already asked Socialist voters to tactically vote for him this week-end to beat Marine Le Pen and the far right. Is expected to formally endorse Hollande in exchange.




Marine Le Pen OUT



Party : Front National

Political standing : Far-right, anti-immigration, protectionist, Highly Conservative, anti-EU.

In a nutshell : Following in her father's footsteps, she's attempting to build on the mass immigration "problem" (depending on how you look at it) in France. She's making Sarkozy sweat, and not in the good way.






François Bayrou OUT



Party : MoDem (Mouvement Democratique)

Political standing : Social Democrat, centrist.

In a nutshell : the extremists appear to have the upper hand on Bayrou. Little chance of success.




Here are the minors. Worth checking out. ALL OUT

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Nicolas Dupont-Aignan

Party : none.

Political standing : Gaulliste Souverainist (the only way us foreigners can understand this is by asking a frenchman, it's apolitical (like de Gaulle).

In a nutshell : Wants to "unite all of France apolitically". Good luck with that.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Eva Joly

Party : Europe Ecologie des Verts.

Political Standing : Green. You know the drill. Wants Europe to be united in green-ness.

In a nutshell : Tumbled down in the polls. Rarely speaks about Green stuff. No chance.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Phillippe Poutou

Party : Nouveau Parti Anticapitaliste.

Political Standing : (Orthodox Marxist. Condemns current and previous Marxist-Leninist states.

In a nutshell : Works in a factory and has captured a few french hearts with his brutal honesty and nice views. Refuses to join Left Alliance as he doesn't want to endorse the Socialist Party.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Nathalie Arthaud

Party : Lutte Ouvrière (Workers' struggle).

Political Standing : Trotskyist. I can't understand why she went against the Left Alliance.

In a nutshell : 4 leftist parties...back of the queue.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Jacques Cheminade

Party ; Solidarité et progrès.

Political Standing : Leftist. LaRouchist.

In a nutshell : see above, there's actually over 17 Commie parties in France. Thank God Mélenchon managed to unite most of them.

EDIT :Here's a more in depth summary from the Beeb.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16730494

[Vanoi]

Is Sarkozy the one with like the super model wife? If so, I'd vote for him.

[Condottiere 40K]

Outside of Marine Le Pen, does it matter who makes the run off?

[King Gambrinus]

Outside of Marine Le Pen, does it matter who makes the run off?

If Mélenchon can pull off a shock result, then yes, as he could actually win against Sarkozy.


It actually doesn't matter if Le Pen wins, it'll just be a repeat of 2002. Everybody will vote for the centrist.



If you can speak French, then you should look at some of their speeches and interviews...especially Poutou, Mélenchon and Le Pen together...

[Jom]

If Mélenchon can pull off a shock result, then yes, as he could actually win against Sarkozy.


It actually doesn't matter if Le Pen wins, it'll just be a repeat of 2002. Everybody will vote for the centrist.



If you can speak French, then you should look at some of their speeches and interviews...especially Poutou, Mélenchon and Le Pen together...

So could Hollande. Opinion polls indicate that it will be a Hollande-Sarkozy second round on May 6th, and I think that either of them could win, and that my money would very cautiously go on Hollande.

[Exarch]

why do we care?
france is insignificant and is no longer a superpower; this aint the 19th century; get over yourselves frenchies, y'aint all powerful anymore. now suck it up and get back to work.

[Jom]

why do we care?
france is insignificant and is no longer a superpower; this aint the 19th century; get over yourselves frenchies, y'aint all powerful anymore. now suck it up and get back to work.

Who's "we"?

Any European would care, considering France's weight in the EU and Eurozone, as France's (new) President would have a very important role in the future of the single currency. Any American should, but probably wouldn't, due to the reason that I just mentioned - if the Eurozone sneezes (i.e. collapses completely), America may not get a cold, but it would start more than a little poorly.

[King Gambrinus]

So could Hollande. Opinion polls indicate that it will be a Hollande-Sarkozy second round on May 6th, and I think that either of them could win, and that my money would very cautiously go on Hollande.

I never said he couldn't. I'm just saying Europe may have a proper Communist power in its ranks if there's a Mélenchon-Sarkozy match up. Most socialist voters would probably vote Mélenchon over Sarkozy any day.

why do we care?
france is insignificant and is no longer a superpower; this aint the 19th century; get over yourselves frenchies, y'aint all powerful anymore. now suck it up and get back to work.

You do realise unless Sarkozy wins, the President will demand EU reform and possibly a new treaty. I'm not French, but that's just one of the things that could affect anyone.


Meanwhile, the Republican Candidates are having discussions about abortion ...

[Jom]

I never said he couldn't. I'm just saying Europe may have a proper Communist power in its ranks if there's a Mélenchon-Sarkozy match up. Most socialist voters would probably vote Mélenchon over Sarkozy any day.

Mélenchon hasn't even bothered to explain how his budgetary plans would work, probably as they wouldn't stand up to scrutiny, and considering the budget is going to be the cornerstone of any manifesto, and the most closely examined part until the Eurozone crisis is resolved, I don't see him as being a very credible threat.

[King Gambrinus]

Mélenchon hasn't even bothered to explain how his budgetary plans would work, probably as they wouldn't stand up to scrutiny, and considering the budget is going to be the cornerstone of any manifesto, and the most closely examined part until the Eurozone crisis is resolved, I don't see him as being a very credible threat.

He's a philosopher, not a realist. But his oratory skills and the ability to play the game that is politics are unmatched in the field. I like him, mainly because the socialists infuriate me and Sarkozy is slime. I feel the french anti-establishment feeling is growing too...

[Babur]

why do we care?
france is insignificant and is no longer a superpower; this aint the 19th century; get over yourselves frenchies, y'aint all powerful anymore. now suck it up and get back to work.

"we"?, France is a founding member of the European Union and because of that it matters when it comes to the Eurozone which is a destination for exports from countries such as China.

[Exarch]

Marine Le Pen


.

i don't want to know where that finger's been...or do i?

You do realise unless Sarkozy wins, the President will demand EU reform and possibly a new treaty. I'm not French, but that's just one of the things that could affect anyone.
..

the eu does need reform, starting with greater integration and cohesion for a start, but definitely not under the leadership of France, good heavens no. Look at what they've done these past 20 yrs since Maastrict

[molonthegreat]

Marine Le Pen would be the best option seeing how she would screw it up for the despicable EU, However it doesn't look good for her right now and Sarkozy really is the only other good option. It's truly scart that Mélenchon is doing so well and I certainly hope that the French people doesn't elect him, since it would be disastrous for them and all of Europe.

[Lord Consul]

What? Marine Le Pen is actually leading the poll here. I always knew that most Pit-dwellers were slightly to the right, but seriously... Le Pen!?

[Admiral Piett]

What? Marine Le Pen is actually leading the poll here. I always knew that most Pit-dwellers were slightly to the right, but seriously... Le Pen!?

That extremely depends on what standard your basing that off of. If you're a socialist, yes, we are to the right. Most parties in France are too far to the left and no one really likes Sarkozy anymore, so it seems a more natural thing to go for an opposition candidate on the right.


I haven't seen anything from Le Pen as being really hard-right in her platform. She actually wants to revitalize the public sector employment, which is not by any means a right-wing platform. She opposes unregulated free trade and for this reason opposes the EU. She wants to adopt an immigration plan similar to what the UK and the Netherlands already have. She doesn't seem very hard to the right.

[justicar5]

That extremely depends on what standard your basing that off of. If you're a socialist, yes, we are to the right. Most parties in France are too far to the left and no one really likes Sarkozy anymore, so it seems a more natural thing to go for an opposition candidate on the right.


I haven't seen anything from Le Pen as being really hard-right in her platform. She actually wants to revitalize the public sector employment, which is not by any means a right-wing platform. She opposes unregulated free trade and for this reason opposes the EU. She wants to adopt an immigration plan similar to what the UK and the Netherlands already have. She doesn't seem very hard to the right.

Caveat Emptor. You a) need to stop thinking in american terms of what left-right is, right is ancien regime in europe, nationalism and xenophobia, privilege and power, you know, what the term originally meant. and far more importantly b) Look at what the Front Nationale actually stands for historically not what Le Pen says it does atm.

[Admiral Piett]

Caveat Emptor. You a) need to stop thinking in american terms of what left-right is, right is ancien regime in europe, nationalism and xenophobia, privilege and power, you know, what the term originally meant. and far more importantly b) Look at what the Front Nationale actually stands for historically not what Le Pen says it does atm.

I was responding to a post which stated that this forum is generally right-wing. If you read the first post, you'll understand that most of the parties are socialistic. These are not my definitions. I am plainly stating a fact, not ZOMG all Frenchies are socialists!!!11. Second of all, the right is not an ancient regime in Europe obviously, since liberal conservatism is the dominant power among the three most powerful EU states. Third of all, being against the lenient EU immigration policy does not necessarily lead one to be xenophobic. There are valid criticisms of the current immigration issue. Lastly, the National Front hasn't supported neoliberalism since the 80s and has drifted far more towards protectionism and support of the welfare state. Criticism of globalist capitalism is a common point of rhetoric from it. You have a valid point about its strong nationalism though. France is already to some degree quite nationalistic with many of its cultural policies, this is regardless of the left or right wing. Plus, nationalism coupled with populism is the wrong kind of nationalism.

Tbh, I'd rather support the UMP, but Sarkozy is an asshat. I am curious about what kind of reforms that Hollande would push for in the EU.

[justicar5]

I was responding to a post which stated that this forum is generally right-wing, which isn't valid. I am not approaching this topic from a typical American one. If I was, then I would have said every French party is left-wing. If you read the first post, you'll understand that most of the parties are socialistic. These are not my definitions. I am plainly stating the facts there.

1)Second of all, the right is not an ancient regime in Europe obviously, since liberal conservatism is the dominant power among the three most powerful EU states.

2)Third of all, being against the lenient EU immigration policy does not necessarily lead one to be xenophobic. There are valid criticisms of the current immigration issue.

France is already to some degree quite nationalistic with many of its cultural policies, this is regardless of the left or right wing.

3)Lastly, the National Front hasn't supported neoliberalism since the 80s and has drifted far more towards protectionism and support of the welfare state. Criticism of globalist capitalism is a common point of rhetoric from it.

Tbh, I'd rather support the UMP, but Sarkozy is an asshat. The one thing I hate most about fringe parties is that they are highly populistic.

1) and that is why they are centre right, they want old social values back but are centrist (libera/neo-liberal on economic matters) (unless they are flat-out Third Way conservatives)

2)yes their are, and they can be found in the centrist parties, immigration 'points systems' for instance, not forced repatriation or the denial of rights to immigrants.

3) Neo-Liberalism is a modern ideology, support for which can be found of the right, but as a modern idea it is hardly conservative.

[Paedric]

That extremely depends on what standard your basing that off of. If you're a socialist, yes, we are to the right. Most parties in France are too far to the left and no one really likes Sarkozy anymore, so it seems a more natural thing to go for an opposition candidate on the right.


I haven't seen anything from Le Pen as being really hard-right in her platform. She actually wants to revitalize the public sector employment, which is not by any means a right-wing platform. She opposes unregulated free trade and for this reason opposes the EU. She wants to adopt an immigration plan similar to what the UK and the Netherlands already have. She doesn't seem very hard to the right.

Jean-Marie Le Pen, the father of the candidate, is the "Président d'honneur du Front national" (honorary president) .
He is a convicted racist, anti-semitist, and was found to have tortured people during the Algerian war, though he wasn't prosecuted because of the amnesty.
I don't care if her ideas are sound or not, I can't support that.


I think it's sad that François Bayrou is so overlooked. He has good ideas, especially on the institutions.
Things like reducing the number of MPs, forcing them to be present (basically forcing them to do their job, because the assembly is more often than not half empty, or even more), or banning people from having several offices at the same time. (Hollande for instance is a deputy, head of the Corrèze departement, and head of the socialist party.)

[Admiral Piett]

Jean-Marie Le Pen, the father of the candidate, is the "Président d'honneur du Front national" (honorary president) .
He is a convicted racist, anti-semitist, and was found to have tortured people during the Algerian war, though he wasn't prosecuted because of the amnesty.
I don't care if her ideas are sound or not, I can't support that.


I think it's sad that François Bayrou is so overlooked. He has good ideas, especially on the institutions.
Things like reducing the number of MPs, forcing them to be present (basically forcing them to do their job, because the assembly is more often than not half empty, or even more), or banning people from having several offices at the same time. (Hollande for instance is a deputy, head of the Corrèze departement, and head of the socialist party.)

Fair enough points, mate. Though we shouldn't hold her responsible for her father's lack of morality.

I like what you say about this Bayrou though, I'll look into it.