French politics | Macron calls shock GE

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

Well, deals have been done in several hundred constituencies where there were three-cornered situations after the first round (i.e. three candidates that got through). Either left-wing candidates have stood down to leave it a straight fight between the centre/centre right and the Rassemblement National, or centre/centre right candidates have stood down to leave a straight fight between the left and the RN. I've heard people interviewed on national radio who have said they will abstain because they cannot stand the thought of Mélanchon being prime minister. Since there is no chance of the Front Populaire getting an overall majority I'd say the chances of Mélanchon being appointed pm by Macron are slim to none.
I myself cannot vote this weekend since in my « circonscription » the far-right candidate got in with 50.4% of the vote at first time of asking.
Macron will not resign, I'm certain of that.
I'm not quite sure that those planning to abstain have quite grasped what it will mean if the RN get an overall majority, Bardella is Prime Minister, and all his ministers are from his far-right party. Among many other things I could mention, Le Pen said on an interview I listened to the other day that those women insisting on wearing a headscarf (hijab) in public spaces — and that would obviously include the street, in front of their houses or apartment blocks, etc. — could (or would, she wasn't absolutely clear about that) be subject to a fine. There is absolutely no way that that could be enforced, and I'm utterly certain that the police are not in favour of it.
These are the people who would govern us. The country is holding its breath…

 

[TinFoilHat]

Did they shit in the River like they were planning to in protest against the Olympics?

Yes.

It was called dimanche. They do it every Sunday.

:)

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

By the way, people on here may be interested to know that when you vote at the local polling station (set up in similar kinds of locales as in the U.K., i.e. primary schools and suchlike), you have to present your official polling card along with your identity card (or, failing that, passport), you then go into the private area with the curtain (forget what it's called in English, it's a long, long time since I voted in the U.K.), you then go to a second table where they ask you for your name, you then sign where your name appears on the electoral register they have with them, and only then do you drop your envelope containing your chosen candidate in the box. Which — here's a nice detail — has a little lever operated by one of the assessors present, that opens the slot and then closes it after you've dropped your envelope into the (transparent) box. The assessor then says, quite clearly « a voté » i.e. “has voted”. They have to announce that for every person voting. It's all pretty ceremonial by comparison with my memories of voting in the U.K. Certainly, in the seventies, when I last voted (Labour) it seemed like a fairly casual affair. Last time I voted at all in the U.K. was in Gwynedd, in north-west Wales.

 

[crooky]

By the way, people on here may be interested to know that when you vote at the local polling station (set up in similar kinds of locales as in the U.K., i.e. primary schools and suchlike), you have to present your official polling card along with your identity card (or, failing that, passport), you then go into the private area with the curtain (forget what it's called in English, it's a long, long time since I voted in the U.K.), you then go to a second table where they ask you for your name, you then sign where your name appears on the electoral register they have with them, and only then do you drop your envelope containing your chosen candidate in the box. Which — here's a nice detail — has a little lever operated by one of the assessors present, that opens the slot and then closes it after you've dropped your envelope into the (transparent) box. The assessor then says, quite clearly « a voté » i.e. “has voted”. They have to announce that for every person voting. It's all pretty ceremonial by comparison with my memories of voting in the U.K. Certainly, in the seventies, when I last voted (Labour) it seemed like a fairly casual affair. Last time I voted at all in the U.K. was in Gwynedd, in north-west Wales.

Blimey that almost sounds like a parody.

Minimal fuss here thankfully.

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

Blimey that almost sounds like a parody.

Minimal fuss here thankfully.

The history of the two countries is so very, very different (and I've taught both) that it would take a long time to explain why the French do that in so many areas of civic life. I do understand, though, why they do. I quite like it, to be honest, now I've adjusted to it. Makes you feel that what you're doing when you're voting is important (even when it isn't…).

 

[Gorton_Tubster]

Well, deals have been done in several hundred constituencies where there were three-cornered situations after the first round (i.e. three candidates that got through). Either left-wing candidates have stood down to leave it a straight fight between the centre/centre right and the Rassemblement National, or centre/centre right candidates have stood down to leave a straight fight between the left and the RN. I've heard people interviewed on national radio who have said they will abstain because they cannot stand the thought of Mélanchon being prime minister. Since there is no chance of the Front Populaire getting an overall majority I'd say the chances of Mélanchon being appointed pm by Macron are slim to none.
I myself cannot vote this weekend since in my « circonscription » the far-right candidate got in with 50.4% of the vote at first time of asking.
Macron will not resign, I'm certain of that.
I'm not quite sure that those planning to abstain have quite grasped what it will mean if the RN get an overall majority, Bardella is Prime Minister, and all his ministers are from his far-right party. Among many other things I could mention, Le Pen said on an interview I listened to the other day that those women insisting on wearing a headscarf (hijab) in public spaces — and that would obviously include the street, in front of their houses or apartment blocks, etc. — could (or would, she wasn't absolutely clear about that) be subject to a fine. There is absolutely no way that that could be enforced, and I'm utterly certain that the police are not in favour of it.
These are the people who would govern us. The country is holding its breath…

I think they are missing the real nub of the problem. Whilst they do these deals to exclude the far right they need to concentrat on the fact that half the country are voting for them. Whats the reason for that... The other parties need to listen to those voters, or we end up in this situation - They vote in extremists.