The Left of France is mobilizing outside our doorstep at the Stade Charléty for a massive concert/
presidential candidate address. Generally we follow the "avoid big gatherings of politically charged
people when in a foreign country" advice of Lonely Planet. Although we are tempted to go out and lend
our physical presence to a cause we wholeheartedly support, we are staying in our room instead.
Apparently they have a few hours of music scheduled before Ségo takes the stage at 6:30pm.
I've been somewhat following the election since our arrival. During the first round, there was Sarko
(nicknamed Facho by his opponents), Ségo, Bayrou (a centre candidate), Le Pen (extreme right oldtimer
to the scene) and a few of the standard Communist, Green Party, etc. one percenters. France has a first-round
sort of elimination vote that had an 80% voter turnout! Then a few weeks later (May 6th in this case), everyone
goes back to the polls to choose between the two candidates with the highest percent of support in
the first round: Sarko and Ségo.
My guess (backed up by the national media polls and my general feeling about the current French mentalité)
is that Sarko will get elected and France will swing just a little further to the right. It is perhaps a different right
than the inane junk food swallowing, oil-guzzling of American Republicanism. But no less depressing. It is
the right that has its roots in naziism, colonialism, Eurocentrism and white racism. It is this France that I will be
glad to leave behind when we go back to Toronto. In the meantime, the lefties dance with fingers crossed for
next weekend.
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