This weekend is not your average weekend. Today, May 5th, is 'Bevrijdingsdag'; the 62nd 'birthday' of the liberation of Holland from German occupation. I wanted to write someting about war not being what it used to be, but I don't feel like it right now.Tomorrow, May 6th, is the 5th 'birthday' of the murder of Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn. This self-proclaimed political dandy captured the hearts (and votes) of many Dutch citizens five years ago with his philosophy of "zeggen wat je denkt; doen wat je zegt" (best translated as 'saying what's on your mind, and acting on it'). His formula's main ingredients were popular xenophobia, an aggressive stand towards muslims and the rejection of basically everything the Dutch governement had produced in the previous eight years. He collected a bunch of corrupt and incompetent men to form a party with, and seemed destined to become the next prime minister of Holland. But nine days before the elections, he was murdered in broad daylight. Unfortunately, his range of ideas was not buried with him, and ever since 'Pimmetje', xenophobia and anti-muslim behaviour seem to have become a new Dutch treat.
But I didn't want to write about this today. I want to write about something much more important: the second and final round of Presidential elections in France, tomorrow. Whatever the outcome, it will be a day to remember. For the first time in the history of the Fifth Republic, a woman, Ségolène Royal, has a shot at becoming Président de la République, although the polls predict that it will probably be her opponent Nicolas Sarkozy who will win. Unfortunately, I must add.
Royal, representing the left-wing Parti Socialiste, is a modern woman. She may not be the best speecher in the world, but she is a very good debater, and has a few very healthy opinions about France's future. Royal believes that first and foremost, France needs to win back some confidence. The French must find back their moral. Her focus is on social reformation, education, the closing of the gap between rich and poor. All topics that are soothing to the ear, but not to the purse.
Sarkozy, representing the right-wing UMP, is cut from a different cloth. He focuses on a strong state, with (liberal) reforms on economical levels, and a pretty harsh Immigration policy. What worries me most about 'Sarko' is the way he seems to divide France into 'right' and 'wrong'. This kind of polarization is dangerous for any country, and no less for France.
In 2005 riots broke out in Parisian banlieues (impoverished outskirts), after two boys where electrocuted while hiding from the police. For weeks, young kids, mostly of Algerian and Moroccan descent, clashed with the police, thrashed buildings and set fire to cars. Sarkozy, who was still Minister of Interior, spoke about the rioters as 'racaille' (scum) he would remove from the streets with his Kärcher. It was a line that would make him (in)famous, and demonstrated very well his attitude. 'Sarko' does not believe in a soft approach, not for anything.
*'It works really well, my new Kärcher!'
To be continued tomorrow, quand le jour J sera commencé!
1 comment:
You know, as much as I dislike the type of stigmatizing rhetoric Sarkozy employs, and would by no means want to detract from the sorry consequences such rhetoric may have (Dutch post-Pimmetje discourse on integration stands as an example), I don't think this is what matters most in politics in the end. I've only followed the French presidential elections from a distance, but to me it seemed like an ideological battle with little clear practical (or even just policy) consequences to speak for either side. As far as I know, French socialists' track record is not that great either, even compared to Sarkozy's recent feats in government. I might be wrong in this though, so correct me on this if so.
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