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 Jeff Steiner's Americans in France.Resource for people that would like to live or travel in France. |
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NewsletterApril 2002
It can happen here
Eight people were killed and thirty were wounded by a gunman in the town of Nanterre. It happened as the local town council was finishing up a meeting. I discussed this event with a co-worker of mine and he commented that France is becoming more and more like the United States: Coke Cola, Mc Donald's and shootings. Shootings that seem to be random and without cause. The day after the shooting the gunman, who suffered from mental illness, killed himself by jumping out a window at the police station where he was being held. After this event I saw one of the survivors of the shooting being interviewed on TV, he stated that the death of the gunman for him meant closure.Presidential election
Record 16 candidates have received the necessary 500 mayoral signatures to place their names on the presidential ballot. In the last election in 1995 there were nine names. With the first round of voting on April 21, I though that I would summarize who the main candidates are.Jacques Chirac- Incumbent president, Rassemblement pour la République(Rally for the Republic), 67, fourth presidential campaign, center right. This has not been the best of elections for Chirac. First he denied knowing Didier Scholer, who is accused of embezzlement of public housing funds, only to have a picture of the both of them smiling together published the next day in a daily newspaper. Chirac was then call the big liar for a few days. Then fellow candidate Jean-Marie Le Pen accused Chirac of using his influence to stop Le Pen from getting the required 500 mayoral signatures to qualify for the ballot. All this distracts Chirac from delivering his campaign message. He must spend time denying any wrongdoing.
Lionel Jospin- Current Prime Minister of France, Parti socialiste(Socialist Party), 64, second presidential campaign, center left. So far so good for the man most polls show the winner of the second round. In France there are two rounds of voting for president, the first is between all presidential candidates, the second between the top two vote getters of the first round. A few weeks ago in trying to appease some on the left, Jospin said that smoking pot at home was less dangerous than drinking and driving. The right grasping at anything to take the scandal spotlight off Chirac tried to make this into the scandal du jour, but it did not seem to work.
Jean-Marie Le Pen- Company President, Front national(National Front), 73, fourth presidential campaign, far right. In a close call Le Pen was able to get the necessary 500 mayoral signatures to get on the ballot. Some in France, mostly on the left, where hoping that he would not get the 500 signatures. Most leftist find his anti-emigrant, anti-gay, anti-anybody different, France for the true French only, politics deplorable.
Arlette Laguiller- Bank worker, Lutte ouvrière(Workers Struggle), 61, fourth presidential campaign, far left. Some on the left mostly the greens have accused this long time radical, of calling for a revolution.
Jean-Pierre Chevènement- Former Interior Minister, Mouvement des Citoyens(Citizens Movement), 62, first presidential campaign, center. Chevènement has been a minister in many left governments. But this election he is trying to place himself as nether left or right. This seemed to be working. For a while his poll numbers early in the campaign where around 15%. But as of late his poll numbers have been falling. I heard him being interviewed a month or so ago. He did not seem to answer any questions, as to what exactly his politics were in relation to left and right.
Robert Hue- Nurse, Parti communiste français(French Communist Party), 55, second presidential election, left. Rather low in the polls, this good natured and joyful ex-rock musician is still holding true to his communist ideals.
Noël Mamère- Journalist, Les Verts(Greens), first presidential election, left. This former ruby player looks less and less like a presidential candidate every time I see him on TV. He rarely wears a suit and tie. He likes to carry around food products and explain how they could be produced in a manner that respects the environment and supports the legalization of pot.
François Bayrou- Professor, Union pour la démocratie française(United for French Democracy), 50, first presidential election, center right. One of the earliest starters in this presidential election had a problem get his campaign going. He lingered at fewer than 5% throughout in most polls. Bayrou been accused by some on the right of not being a team player because he wants to run an independent campaign.
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