May 31, 2007

...AND REDDER...:

Sarkozy heads for parliamentary landslide (John Lichfield, 01 June 2007, Independent)

President Nicolas Sarkozy, ever-present, hyperactive, and riding high in the polls, appears to be heading for an overwhelming victory in the French parliamentary elections this month.

According to the most recent poll, M. Sarkozy's centre-right party and its centrist allies could take as many as 430 of the 577 seats in the national assembly in the two-round election on 10 and 17 June.

Such a tidal wave is not unprecedented. The right did even better in 1993. But an electoral landslide would place President Sarkozy in a commanding position - politically and morally - to force through his programme of social and economic reforms.


Because 200 hundred years of losing ground to the Anglosphere is enough?

Posted by Orrin Judd at May 31, 2007 7:16 PM
Comments

But an electoral landslide would place President Sarkozy in a commanding position - politically and morally - to force through his programme of social and economic reforms.

Does he still need "force" to pass his reforms? One would think his reforms will easily slide thru with the landslide, no?

Posted by: ic at June 1, 2007 2:32 AM

He has to use "force" ic, because his reforms are against what the intellectuals in academe and the crusdaers of the press want. That makes the reforms unnatural and contrary to the flow of history. So they must be "forced" through and imposed on the people.

Posted by: Mikey [TypeKey Profile Page] at June 1, 2007 7:35 AM

The problem in France for reformers is that mass strikes and protests hit when they try to change things. Having the votes is not enough because people lose nerve and backdown.

I assume the article means that a landslide now will either cause the would be protesters to lose nerve and not stage strikes, or that Sarkozy's forces will have enough elan and self-confidence to outlast any strikes.

Posted by: Chris Durnell at June 1, 2007 11:13 AM

Strikes are a gift to great leaders. They made Thatcher and Reagan.

Posted by: oj at June 1, 2007 2:40 PM

OJ - very good. Don't forget Coolidge.

Posted by: jim hamlen at June 2, 2007 12:06 AM

As Governor, yes. It made him president (well, vp).

Posted by: oj at June 2, 2007 6:34 AM
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