French Presidential Election, part III

As I mentioned in my previous posts on the topic, this is one of the most interesting elections for what broad movement it is bringing into the french political and societal landscapes. Today a meeting took place between mrs Royal, socialist candidate, on in the second round, and mr Bayrou, centrist, founder of the new-to-come french democratic party (real name still to come). This meeting was mrs Royal’s invitation to mr Bayrou.

Mr Bayrou has gathered almost 19% voters, mrs Royal 26, and mr Sarkozy, conservative, almost far-right, 31. Both “finalists” still need to conquer mr Bayrou’s voters; therefore, today’s meeting was of higher importance for mrs Royal. The meeting encountered some difficulties in actually taking place; there has been in the past few days 2 attempts to make it happen, broadcasted on tv; each time it was cancelled at the last minute, because of the media, the press, facing pressures, some intimidation. There is no official version as of who originated those pressures but one doesn’t need to be a genius in rocket cience to understand that it comes from mr Sarkozy’s sphere of influence. ‘Sarko’, as he is nicknamed, uses repressive and intimidating methods to reach his goal: total power, à la Berlusconi. This however didn’t influence nor mrs Royal nor mr Bayrou nor some of the press, and the good thing about this ‘incident’ is that prople and professionals in France are re-affirming their independance, that the press is, or should be, free, and that freedom of expression is one the essential and precious foundations of any well-functioning modern democracy. Let’s make sure it remains so.

Sarko, obviously unhappy about this, said in public, in a very childish manner, that “the final of a world cup is only disputed between 2 teams, you never see team number 3 playing”. You gotta laugh. This comment precisely reveals his emotional intelligence and level of maturity. For this meeting – even if, indeed, a well-needed action for mrs Royal – in fact opens the door to a real debate, that sprawns way further than this election only, to the actual real question of the needed reform in french society, its political institutions, how to create a healthy democracy. Both mrs Royal and mr Bayrou agree on the need to move from the 5th to the 6th republic. Right now, the 5th republic is some kind of monarchic system. Created by de Gaulle in 1958, it gives huge powers to the president, over the parliament among other things, and provides him/her with judiciary immunity while in office (nb., mr Chirac, present president, is going to be facing trials when he steps out of office). Both Royal & Bayrou propose a re-founding of the institutions, independance of both parliamentary and justice organs, a political system in which plurality has a central place; this we really can call democracy. A society in which dialogue rules over battles. I strongly believe in this form of system for modern european democracies, and for the world at large. I’m simply mentioning Europe because this current seems to be gaining more and more ground across the continent: Italy, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, and now France… the birth of a European Social Democracy is what this is all about. This is the bottom line. The old 1990’s idea for the European Union was the Maastricht treaty. The project for European constitution was rejected through referendum by the french and the dutch, encouraging politicians to re-think the project. What do we call this? Once again, democracy.

So now, if you ask me, the future looks promising. Bayrou hasn’t openly said which of both candidates he’s going to vote for. He deeply disagrees with Royal’s economic plan. He has fought his whole campaign precisely against both conservative & socialist projects. If he were now to rally his cause to any of both sides, he would instantly destroy his vision and project in doing so. This isn’t about rallying to one cause. This is about re-creating and reforming the french political landscape, and with vision. Plurality and a healthy democracy are the real issue. (I’m sorry, for I’m repeating myself.) To me, a socialist-centrists coalition seems more than possible, it actually appears as something very realistic. The socialists need to let go of their old model. Since Mitterand, they’ve been lost and struggling to find their new identity. Mitterand was the one to gather the left together around his project, and into power in 1981. I think that since him, they’ve been suffering a hangover. In this confusion however, I must say that Royal appears to me to be doing a hell of a job in refreshing and re-sharpening the party anx its project. Needless to mention that she was Mitterand’s personal advisor for years while he was in office. She’s a progressist, a reformer. Bayrou, with his (emotional) intelligence, work and vision, has brought to the french landscape what it has been needing for a while now, a real alternative to the bi-polar regime; through his action he is gradually and surely releasing the powers and bottlenecks, paving the way to, as I mentioned before, plurality and openess. The future will be one that sees France as a nation that has stepped into modern democracy in the early 21st century. Royal was smart to be receptive to this vision and to want to engage dialogue. Because even if Sarko makes it to becoming president, once people start to really realize what sarkoland means (oppression, no freedom of expression, constant fear climate, one ruling party with always more power, à la Bush), they won’t accept it. The social democratic movement, at large – a broad spectrum from moderate liberals to socialists, and even, hopefully, further – is only going to carry on growing and gain even more meaning. The true winner of this election, for now, isn’t just a person, a candidate with a party, but a true reformist visionary and democratic movement. For France, for Europe, for the world.

P.S.: if by now you still don’t know who I voted for in the first round…