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Political Temperature Rises In France

  • March 24th, 2010
  • Posted by EUEditor

france-strike.jpegPresident Nicolas Sarkozy in France has doggedly negotiated a bitter political Winter, seeing his party take heavy losses in local elections, and facing down opposition to his belt-tightening budgets policy.

With historically weak opinion poll support for an incumbent President, Mr Sarkozy, since the regional elections on Sunday (21.3.10) must continue to deal with opposition-dominated councils  — in all but one of the metropolitan regions.

Voter participation in the regional and commune elections was in the high 50s percentage-range, in most places; and the Socialist Party took 54% across the board against 35% for Sarkozy’s conservative UMP.

This week strikes closed down many schools and generated long delays in public transport,  in the ongoing campaign against cut-backs in public service pensions and other entitlements.

A long electoral post mortem with heads of the UMP led to the President backing off from a much-criticised carbon tax, but refusing to budge on the pensions.

Government deputies are set to have another long internal meeting this Monday (29.3.10).

The presence of more elected representatives within the Socialist Party may intensify the already extreme elbowing for position in opposition ranks.

Political anticipation will intensify also as presidential elections are now just two years away.

 

 

Reference

 

Le Monde, Paris,“Pour la presse étrangère, ‘la magie Sarkozy se dissipe’”, (Foreign press sees “Sarkozy magic” on the wane), 24.3.10. www.lemonde.fr, (24.3.10).

Le Monde, Paris, Les syndciats entendent peser face au chef de l’Etat, (Unions intent on a test of strength with the head of state), 4.3.10. www.lemonde.fr, (24.3.10).

 

Le Monde, Paris, Special elections regionales: tous les resultants des elections regionales sur LeMonde.fr, (Regional elections special in Le Monde, all the results …), 21.3.10. http://emailing.lemonde.fr/ogm175b/resultat_secondtour_inscritsb.html, (24.3.10).

 

 

The Economist, London, “Not quite a wipeout …”, 24.3.10. http://www.economist.com/world/europe/ …, (24.3.10).