Mittérand, Strauss-Kahn, Sarkozy etc.
I don't comment much on politics. I find myself in the enviable position of not being able to vote for the government of the country in which I live, while being almost completely out of the touch with the country where I could conceivably have a postal vote. Lovely !
However I can comment a little on the Strauss-Kahn thing and the coincidences that probably make some people think it's all been a conspiracy. (Here's a BBC correspondent's article)
1) Strauss-Kahn is from the Parti Socialiste and was seen as the opponent most likely to beat Sarkozy in the 2012 presidential elections.
2) France's last socialist president, François Mittérand, was elected in 1981 and this election was widely commemorated a couple of weeks ago.
3) Remember that left-wing and right-wing in France are not like in the UK. France's socialists have always liked the good life. I live in a town with a left-wing town hall but they are seen as champagne socialists. It's all relative.
4) People were genuinely shocked to see Strauss-Kahn arrested and marched out in handcuffs. France takes personal privacy very seriously indeed and also the presumption of innocence. To handcuff someone and parade them around like that looks like prejudice to the French eye.
5) Some people here suspect strongly that the accusation against Strauss-Kahn is a conspiracy to get him out of the presidential race. The court-cases resulting from a suspected conspiracy to blacken Sarkozy's name before the last presidential elections are still going on.
6) However, when you talk to people about Strauss-Kahn they say, "Oh yes, but he's done it before..."
7) The French newspapers simply do not report on people's private lives - privacy law is that strongly enforced and respected.
So where does that leave us ? Well while Strauss-Kahn is under house-arrest in New York Sarkozy is climbing in the opinion polls.
However I can comment a little on the Strauss-Kahn thing and the coincidences that probably make some people think it's all been a conspiracy. (Here's a BBC correspondent's article)
1) Strauss-Kahn is from the Parti Socialiste and was seen as the opponent most likely to beat Sarkozy in the 2012 presidential elections.
2) France's last socialist president, François Mittérand, was elected in 1981 and this election was widely commemorated a couple of weeks ago.
3) Remember that left-wing and right-wing in France are not like in the UK. France's socialists have always liked the good life. I live in a town with a left-wing town hall but they are seen as champagne socialists. It's all relative.
4) People were genuinely shocked to see Strauss-Kahn arrested and marched out in handcuffs. France takes personal privacy very seriously indeed and also the presumption of innocence. To handcuff someone and parade them around like that looks like prejudice to the French eye.
5) Some people here suspect strongly that the accusation against Strauss-Kahn is a conspiracy to get him out of the presidential race. The court-cases resulting from a suspected conspiracy to blacken Sarkozy's name before the last presidential elections are still going on.
6) However, when you talk to people about Strauss-Kahn they say, "Oh yes, but he's done it before..."
7) The French newspapers simply do not report on people's private lives - privacy law is that strongly enforced and respected.
So where does that leave us ? Well while Strauss-Kahn is under house-arrest in New York Sarkozy is climbing in the opinion polls.
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