World News: European Elections Become a French Duel

Details
Category: Haute This Issue
Published on Tuesday, 26 March 2024 09:05
Written by Olivier Longhi

The European elections are creating a crowded field of contenders as four political fronts, French President Emmanuel Macron's Renaissance Party, the National Rally and to a lesser degree the Socialist Party and the Republicans, seek political office.

Let's review the contributing factors that allowed the two political parties to emerge. If some doubted it, it is now becoming obvious, almost a democratic drama, but it appears that the next European elections, in France at least, will turn into a dual Renaissance, the presidential party, against Rassemblement National, the extreme right party, officially qualified as such by the Council of State.

Beltway Insider: Biden/Big Pharma, ISIS/Russia Terror Attack, Menendez Bows, Royal Health Battles, Trump Court Drama

Beyond the confrontation, which seems inevitable, unless we see a reversal of the situation materialize in the coming days that would see the right and the left come back to life (by which I mean the Socialist Party and Les Républicains), it is not inappropriate to look at the reasons that pushed the right and the left to be siphoned off, the first by the Rassemblement National, the second by La France Insoumise and the presidential party. As far as Les Républicains is concerned, it is possible to identify at least two reasons.

Heir to Gaullism

The first is linked to the declared desire of the far-right party to precisely leave and get rid of this name by presenting itself as a hard-right party, partisan of order and rigor, sometimes even going to present itself as the heir of a forgotten Gaullism where France wanted to shine by its greatness and its aura.

World News: Europe and Tocqueville

This rather crude seduction operation nevertheless worked quite well with a right-wing electorate disappointed by an original party considered too close to Macronism, itself more adept at a centre-right policy than really liberal and right-wing. The second, more historical reason, which was recalled in 1997 by Lionel Jospin, then First Secretary of the Socialist Party and not yet Prime Minister, is the natural ideological porosity existing between the Republican right and the far right.

For if the republican right has always despised the xenophobic theses put forward by the National Front of the time and the National Rally of today, there is nevertheless a reactionary background which, in times of societal uncertainty, grows and attracts voters in need of authority.

World News: Putin "Re-Election" A Crude Display of Tyranny in Action

Social Democracy

As for the left, which has long been omnipotent and after having emptied the Communist Party of its militants and its most progressive ideas (because there were some), the Socialist Party was beaten by LFI and Emmanuel Macron in 2017, presenting itself as the natural son of social democracy, whose turn the classical left has never been able to negotiate, including when Michel Rocard, Prime Minister from 1988 to 1991, laid the foundations, which were then disowned by his peers and the party as a whole.

LFI, more brutally but effectively, has thus imposed itself as a form of popular new left when the PS has liquefied, even disintegrated, within Macron, which has not even thanked it. Ultimately, the bipolarization of French political life, now reduced to a duel of right-wing parties, also highlights the democratic crisis and poverty that is strangling the country while revealing the ideological weakness of historical political formations as well as their metabolic mediocrity.

World News: The Republic’s View of the 2024 Presidential Election

 

 

Bio: Olivier Longhi has extensive experience in European history. A seasoned journalist with fifteen years of experience, he is currently professor of history and geography in the Toulouse region of France. He has held a variety of publishing positions, including Head of Agency and Chief of Publishing. A journalist, recognized blogger, editor, and editorial project manager, he has trained and managed editorial teams, worked as a journalist for various local radio stations, a press and publishing consultant, and a communications consultant.

Haute News

Haute Tease

  • Flack Review – Series Offers Insiders View into World of Celeb PR Reps

    Flack, from Amazon Prime, begins its second season with a binge-worthy deep dive into the world of celebrity Public Relations, tackling the ongoing antics which lands their clients in jail, in rehab, while battling their own implosions.

     

  • Home, Décor: Easy Ways to Brighten up Any Room

    With a little creativity and a few simple tips, a dull room can go from dreary to cheery in no time at all, with a few color and lighting changes the entire aura of any room will brighten.

     

  • THE BIBLE, THE TELEVISION EVENT OF THE YEAR SHATTERS HOME ENTERTAINMENT RECORDS

    LOS ANGELES, CA, April 8, 2013 – The epic miniseries, THE BIBLE, continues its unprecedented success with its home entertainment launch and quickly became the biggest selling TV on DVD in the last 5 years and the biggest miniseries of all time on Blu-ray™, Digital HD™ and DVD in its first week of release.  THE BIBLE series is flying off store shelves around the country with 525,000 units sold.

     

  • San Francisco Arts: Maybaum Gallery Presents Remarks by Karen Smidth

    San Francisco's Maybaum Gallery is thrilled to present the oil on canvas works of Karen Smidth in a solo exhibition throughout the month of May and will be hosting an Artist Reception on May 4. RSVP required.

     

  • Burden Review – Powerful Engrossing Character Driven Performances

    Burden, from Unburdened Entertainment, presents the story of Mike Burden, a Grand Wizard in the Klu Klux Klan, who through love and the power of Jesus Christ, left his life of hate behind and began sowing a new crop.

     

  • Bentley Motors Introduces the Continental GT V8 S Coupe And Convertible

    (Crewe) The appeal of the world’s most stylish, luxury grand tourer is enhanced with the introduction of the new, sporting Continental GT V8 S. Available as both a coupe and convertible, the new GT V8 S models bring added excitement to the Continental range with lowered and retuned sports suspension, sharper steering, dramatic ‘S’ signature styling cues and a distinctive soundtrack from the uprated V8 engine.