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Re: Two Questions (France situation)
by SanzoGLu
24 April 2002 13:26 UTC
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The origin of the problem is related to the general crisis of the left. From 1981, left in France has lost votes. If we see results in the first round of legislative elections, left obtained 40-43% of census votes in 78-81 and only 32,3% in 1997 (with victory of the left). In the classical right parties, we can see the same tendency (from 30-35% to 20,4%).

The problem is basically with classical left - socialists and communists - (from 38% in 80’s to 24,1 in 1997). The last presidential elections were a next step to disaster. Census vote to PS/PC was 14,1% in 2002 (25% in 1995) but left vote was still the same (31,8 and 32,3%). RPR/UDF right parties lose even more, from 30,9% to 19,3%. Instead of left, in general right vote falls globally in the 2002 presidential elections, from 46,4 to 40,2%. Paradox of left disunion: right loses votes but obtain two alternatives for second round.

Extreme right grows only 2,3% Census points between 1995 and 2002 presidential elections (greens and extreme left grows in the same period 7 census points). But, from 1981, extreme right obtains around 10% of Census vote from traditional right parties.

Anyway, from 1981, winners are leftist parties (trotskysts, greens) and extreme right parties (Le Pen).

In fact the basic questions in France are:

1 A dramatic crisis of left traditional parties. Extreme left and green party grows at traditional party’s expenses (7 points), causing its defeat. PC is at the door of disappearing.

2. Dramatic crisis also in right traditional parties. 2002 Presidential abstention will be in fact related to the right parties and not to the left, probably related to votes in 1995 to Mr. Balladur (UDF).

3. Extreme right grows a bit in the period but not significantly. Her victory is due to the crisis of PS (basically).

Former growth of Le Pen is associated to the right party’s crisis from 1981 and, if we see the results, his vote is much more associated to former votes of these parties in – and this is important to understand the situation – traditional leftist zones. Crisis of PC is associated to initial growth of PS and, further, with leftist and green vote growth.

In my country, Spain, we see the same tendencies but with two differences:

1. PS maintains globally the vote because of the anti-franquist culture still existing but will have problems, as IU (PCE), because they have very little impact between young people and in urban areas (PS vote is now highly associated to little towns and rural areas, specially in the South, and to people 35-40 years old and more).

2. Right is linked in one political structure, using the Spain unity (against Basque or Catalan nationalism) as mode of social cohesion. Her hegemony is actually total.

So, the traditional left is in crisis, as the traditional working society is in crisis. This is the problem in France and Spain. A very bad situation to think in a good future for us.

The reason: left has no global programme of transformation for our societies at this time, different of the right, and the social cohesion of left traditional parties is over now (with some nuances in Spain). Simply that.

Luis Sanzo

Vitoria

Spain

-----Mensaje original-----
De: B. Y. [mailto:yeldiren0@hotmail.com]
Enviado el: miércoles 24 de abril de 2002 13:02
Para: wsn wsn
Asunto: Two Questions

 
Hi,
I would like to ask two questions:
 
1
------------------------------------------------------
Do you have a source or list for ongoing wars on the world?
 
2
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I am not yet clear about French presidential elections:
Before the elections I have read some articles saying voting rate would be
very low this time and so this situation would affect the
public opinion reflectivity of the results. Many leftist and oppressed people
would not vote.
 
This may be the  cause of the riseup of extreme right, but indeed I think in a
very small portion.
 
Also we see increasing tendency to the right. It is easy to explain it for USA.
But what kind of an explanation could be given for the Europe?
 
Simply can we say growing economic downturn led to the middle classes to go
right as always happened?
 
 
by
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 


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