Old Europe
Or At Least, Old France
By Pejman Yousefzadeh Posted in Featured Stories | Foreign Affairs — Comments (20) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
Alas, Nicolas Sarkozy did not take long to disappoint.
Read on . . .
Nicolas Sarkozy, the right-wing reformer who becomes French President on Wednesday, upset both the United States and his opponents yesterday by offering the job of Foreign Minister to a Socialist veteran with anti-American credentials.
Hubert Védrine, 59 -- a former senior aide to the late President Mitterrand -- who served as Foreign Minister from 1997 to 2002, was considering the proposal yesterday.
The prospect of Mr Védrine running foreign policy has infuriated the beleaguered Socialists and amazed the diplomatic world because he is the architect of a doctrine for containing what he called the abusive "steamroller" of American power. His views on "the hyperpower" -- the term that he coined in the 1990s -- would appear to conflict with Mr Sarkozy's pro-Atlantic views.
Mr Sarkozy approached Mr Védrine and other figures from the Left as part of his scheme to forge a slimmed-down government that will be politically inclusive and not limited to his Gaullist Union for a Popular Movement.
Mr Sarkozy had promised surprises in his line-up and the idea of Mr Védrine at the Quai d'Orsay, the Foreign Ministry, was regarded as a clever ploy. As a distinguished veteran he would ensure continuity in France's independent-minded stance while allowing the President, who traditionally runs foreign policy, to innovate.
François Hollande, the Socialist leader, told Mr Védrine, who enjoys a high reputation in the foreign policy world, that he and other possible recruits to the Sarkozy Government would be expelled from the party if they accepted. "You can't belong to one side then join the other," he said.
If Sarkozy is doing this to split the Socialists apart even further, I suppose that I can understand. At the same time, he has to know that the United States will be watching to see if Sarkozy lives up to his Atlanticist credentials. They are now getting an indication that he may not.
About the only hope is that Sarkozy will ensure that Védrine will be reined in by the new President's primacy on the issue of foreign affairs. We shall see. But I am not entirely optimistic.
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Old Europe 20 Comments (0 topical, 20 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
Goldwater, that is for sure. But maybe, just maybe he "has a plan" (said in the voice of William Shatner)
Let's face it, France is inherently anti American and anti-capitalist. Chirac came into office with pro capatalist/pro American credentials too. But as soon as Chirace tried to implement any changes, the unions went crazy (striked) and that was that.
Maybe, just maybe, Sarkozy has a long term plan to change France and actually turn it into a real ally, not a Britian, but at least like Italy. Maybe he just thinks he must move slowly and use a bit of misdirection. It would be odd for someone to run as pro American in France then turn against us after winning. He certainly did not gain votes being pro US.
Anyway, I have learned never to expect much from France, maybe Sarkozy is a jerk. But there is a bit of hope, the president is the president, Vedrine does not make policy. We still have a chance.
Molon Labe!
He won by 53%, not 90%. Sarkozy has an implicit duty to include people of other political leanings into his cabinet to make it develop plans that are in step with Frenchmen of all parties.
Although American conservatives see his traits similar to theirs, Sarkozy won't - and can't - be like the partisan Republicans (or Democrats for that matter). France is ruled by radicals from every side, with moderation arriving only after struggle.
As for the doomsday prophecies, France has been "leftist" and "crumbling" for centuries. If it hasn't disappeared yet, I figure the French will stick around for a little longer.
The world only goes round by misunderstanding - Charles Baudelaire
Centuries ? Well I suppose you consider the terror no big thing. Or perhaps 1870 was no big deal either or the occupation by the Nazi's.
Curiosity is best accompanied by an open mind.
______________________________
"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
-Thomas Paine: The American Crisis, No. 4, 1777
These events are crucially important to French history. The very EXISTENCE of France after these events serve as a testament to the country's strength and amazing ability to survive its own radical nature. Despite its split electorate, France continues to flourish.
The world only goes round by misunderstanding - Charles Baudelaire
The dictionary can do that. France's GDP is amongst the top ten in the world. They are also the most visited country in the world. They aren't perfect, but they do manage to remain an industrialized nation with a culture that 75 million foreigners each year deem worthy to visit.
The world only goes round by misunderstanding - Charles Baudelaire
we do underestimate them at times. In reality, they do have one of the most effective military forces (way behind ours), they are great engineers (concorde, high speed trains, etc) and they are usually about the 5th or 6th largest economy. Also, France is second only to the USA in military exports and pharmeceutical exports.
HOWEVER, as you say, they are always influenced by radicals and they all love the government. In France, the government sector is MUCH larger than ours, and the "top jobs" are government jobs. There is high unemployment in France and economies such as Ireland and Spain are much more dynamic. You would be amazed at the percentage of French college graduates who buy one way tickets to London!
I agree France will likely survive, but they better wake up soon, people in the stock market right now are actually betting on France, but that does not mean they will not be dissapointed.
One other "pro French" thing, with all the Chirac vs. Bush, with the Cowboy culture vs. Freedom Fries, the French are very good at one other thing. They have one of the best intelligence agencies in the world and have have ALWAYS worked closely with the US on that, even during the Bush years.
I am not defending France, I am saying facts that are there to find. France better learn to get off the government dole or it will continue to be a declining power.
Molon Labe!
It does seem like most of the foreigners are staying, though...
As soon as you take your hand off the Bible, you stop thinking about the adversary until the next election or you pay the price. Whenever the minority asks you to "reach out," it is because your hand is still too far away to bite. Stupid notions of bipartisanship, collaboration, and comity are the reasons that GWB and the Republican Congress were and are bludgeoned by the Democrats, who don't indulge in such foolishness. If you have a majority, the only time you "reach out" is when it is necessary to slap the minority back into its proper place on the back benches. If your actions don't keep your majority in the next election, the other side gets to do the same thing to you for two, four, or six years, and you don't whine about it, you just plan revenge.
In Vino Veritas
softie neocon Bush & co squandered their chance to really reverse decades of communist policy with their bipartisan BS. of course, this is because they are not really conservative, but just typical govt for govt's sake
I agree with you when it comes to American politics. Compromise is only a farce. Majority rule means the majority rules. My point: France works differently because it is so politically passionate from a dizzying variety of sides.
The world only goes round by misunderstanding - Charles Baudelaire
Lefties are still lefties and they use the same playbook seemingly without regard to the language they speak. Don't know why one would deal with French lefties differently from German lefies, American lefties, or even Islamic radicals who use the same tactics. Seems they'd all think more clearly with a gun to their head.
In Vino Veritas
If all leftists are the same around the world, why on earth are college kids wassting time on comparitive politics courses?
The world only goes round by misunderstanding - Charles Baudelaire
and taking comparative politics classes is in itself a waste of time. The only comparison you get is of the variations in shades of Red - not the RedState variety of Red, either.
In Vino Veritas
Sorry, just couldn't resist...
"It's a book about a man who doesn't know he's about to die, and then dies...
...But if the man does know he's going to die and dies anyway. Dies, dies willing, knowing he can stop it, then...
Well, isn't that the type of man you want to keep alive?"
Karen Eiffel, Stranger Than Fiction
Cursed to be conquered over and over. this time it's the Muslims. no surprise that Sarkozy is a leftie. but he can't be worse than Chiraq... right?
Guess he learned nothing from the Bush experience (where every Clinton holdover either stabbed him in the back, or worked openly against him).
When was the last time a left-wing government anywhere included a conservative in an influential position?
Conservatives who win a popular mandate then squander it by pandering to the Left are fools, and betray the people who elected them.
France is in very deep trouble. They're a hairsbreadth away from completely leftist rule. Sarkozy won on a relatively wide popular mandate but it takes much fewer people than the ones who vote to paralyze that country, and he knows that. This is a sop to the Left and I expect that they'll take it as such and reject participation in the government, with more violence to follow.
That's the first approximation.
The second guess is that he'll take the offer and become a part of the Sarkozy government to "save the Republic" by preventing a complete leftist revolution in France.
Either way, I don't expect much from the Sarkozy government in the next few years. The French let the left get so powerful that now they're effectively paralyzed if they try to backtrack. Sarkozy is walking a very fine line. Even though he won the election, he can't do anything really "radical" because quite frankly the Reds will kill him.