French far-right receives 1 in 5 votes in French presidential election

The first round of the French presidential election is today with a run-off in two weeks. Current exit polls coalesce around similar figures:

1902: Those first results are in: Francois Hollande 28%; Nicolas Sarkozy 26%; Marine Le Pen 20%; Jean-Luc Melenchon 12%; Francois Bayrou 9% (taken from BBC live thread on election)

This would be the highest proportion (as far as I can see) that the far-right have taken in their history in France. They were not as successful as in 2002 however, while they had a lower proportion of the votes to today, they achieved second place before losing badly to Chirac in the run off.

Still, it is rather stomach churning to see such a major country openly back the far-right. That said, it has been more about Marine Le Pen rather than her party (which do not do as well in comparison), but even so. Ugh.

Hollande is expected to win the run off on the 6th May and oust Sarkozy. This will be the first socialist French President since Mitterand in 1995. Certainly will make for an interesting dynamic in Eurozone politics.

The Greek elections are also on the 6th May. Difficult to really say who is going to win, but looks like the current two parties will cling on in their uneasy coalition. The extremes may end up getting some in the region of 30%-35% of the vote, however (counting both far left and far right). It is going to be close, though. One to look out for. If the ND, PASOK and DISY fail to get enough seats to govern as a majority, the bailout conditions could end up being revoked. They are the only pro-bailout parties.

May also be some changes in the Netherlands and possibly even the Czech Republic as well. The latter has had protests about their continued governance and over austerity. The Dutch government looks ready to fall as the far-right pulled out of the coalition leading to early elections, probably in September if not earlier. The Dutch may also lose their AAA rating pretty soon as their economy is in recession and going nowhere. The pool of strong Eurozone countries is shrinking.

This is of course alongside the background of bond yields for Italy and Spain rising back above the 'danger level' of 6% again recently.

Just for something a little different than US politics.

I don't understand why the French are bucking against the socialism they have lived under for decades. Their economy has been just booming along. /sarcasm

I told Irish Raven months ago that much of Europe is leaving socialism and free health care while THE CHOSE ONE leads us to it. The Soviet Union left it and Russia is now the #1 oil producing country in the world,

http://www.google.com/search?client=...UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

Communist China left it and is pressuring us for the top economy in the world and Greece just said the well fare state is over and more. Portugal just kicked out their
socialists like the French. Those are all the really poor economies including Communist China and the Soviet Union.


There was a yo yo in here back in 08 arguing with me that it's not socialism. He even said
his definition came from a Harvard prof. ILMAO.

So did OBY.

But Trap, it's only not worked because it's never been implemented effectively :p

Greg and AirFlacco - more the opposite. Disregarding the move to the far-right, the country will still be electing Hollande, a lefty. Sarkozy and his predecessor, Chirac, were righties (in European terms. American political spectrum is of course different). So, they'll be embracing 'socialism' more.

Whether that's the best thing for France, can of course, be debated...

Much of the votes for the far-right may be a protest against the mainstream parties as well as concerns over immigration.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AirFlacco

The Soviet Union left it and Russia is now the #1 oil producing country in the world,

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And the assets in the hands of rich oligarchs

Meanwhile millions of Russians live in poverty while a few new billionaires were created

It's like the USA over a century ago when copper, coal, beef and other resources were owned by robber barons with monopolies and price fixing

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AirFlacco

There was a yo yo in here back in 08 arguing with me that it's not socialism. He even said
his definition came from a Harvard prof. ILMAO.

So did OBY.

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To be honest, I don't know enough to start giving technical definitions of socialism.
But the USA and Europe are different here

And if the Democratic party were in Europe they would be considered hard right
What you say is socialism would definitely not be called socialism here

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tyrian

Much of the votes for the far-right may be a protest against the mainstream parties as well as concerns over immigration.

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Pretty much, it goes on all the time

The EU brings in treaties, the people are unhappy with their governments and so reject them even though the two have nothing to do with each other.
Politicians need a fright and a kicking every now and again

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Irish Raven

And the assets in the hands of rich oligarchs

Meanwhile millions of Russians live in poverty while a few new billionaires were created

Of course. It's been that way since the Czars. Their people have always starved but
things are better than before.


It's like the USA over a century ago when copper, coal, beef and other resources were owned by robber barons with monopolies and price fixing

Um, my grandfathers did pretty well a century ago as young adults starting their
families. My grandpop was making $25 pr week in his plumbing business. That got
him a brand new home he built himself, a Model T Ford and they had a baby and one
everyone other year til 1930. He kept adding on to the house as the kids came along
then rented out the rooms when he retired. Same with my other grand dad who had
an electrical business. Both were in the ground floors of new industry.

The average salary in 1916 was $700 pr yr. Those dudes made over $1200 pr yr. I
just read where the stars of the old Chicago Black Sox scandal that bitched over their
salaries made $6,000 pr yr.

To be honest, I don't know enough to start giving technical definitions of socialism.
But the USA and Europe are different here

I'm sure you right. While involved like with GM Obamaville hasn't taken over all
the industries like the European gov'ts. they've been doing it for what, 80 yrs, OBY
is just getting started. Even OBUMMER CARE will have private carriers to begin with
but many of us believe the gov't will be the sole carrier by the end of OBYs second
term. That's my definition of socialism - when the gov't tells businesses what to do
like when they can hire and layoff and expand and all that. OBY took over GM and
promptly fired the CEO and he became the first US President to become president
of a company. He also ordered a cutting of plants while increasing the federal
deficit by $5T in his first 3 years - just like the Greeks. I just read that food stamps
are up in this economy by a large percent. FDR increased the size of the fed govt
more than ever before and OBY increased it more than that strangling it with even
more gov't controls and even destroying the oil industry. Over 1/2 dozen power
plants have closed but his hit list has 106 plants on them. Other industries will
follow. That's socialism.




And if the Democratic party were in Europe they would be considered hard right
What you say is socialism would definitely not be called socialism here



Pretty much, it goes on all the time

The EU brings in treaties, the people are unhappy with their governments and so reject them even though the two have nothing to do with each other.
Politicians need a fright and a kicking every now and again

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Good post Irish.