Monday, May 07, 2012

And the new President of France is...


That's it! The polls didn't leave much suspense to be honest, but at least now we're sure; the next French President for the 5 years to come is François Hollande, from the socialist party. He will officially start his new job on May 15 (which does not leave much time for the former President to move out!) and even possibly on May 11 with an unofficial encounter with Angela Merkel from Germany. If you want to know what this new election will change and what "French socialism" really means, I recommend this article. I wish him (or rather us!) good luck.

25 comments:

  1. Good luck for all of you...

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  2. Thanks for the link to that New Yorker article, Eric. Gopnik makes an excellent point (comme d'habitude). I probably shouldn't admit it, but right now I'm more interested to see who gets to be First Lady, Segolene or the journaliste—or maybe Carla will just stay there when her husband moves out. :~}

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  3. I walked over to the polling place in my 'hood and they let me in. No lines, which was a shock for this American. They would check people's ID, then the voter picked up one paper with Sarkozy's name on it, then the other with Holland's name on it, and brought all that and a blue envelope into the voting booth. They put one name in the envelope and brought it out to put into a large glass container. It was that simple. There was no other voting,not on other people nor on other issues.
    When it ended promptly at 8pm, I watched them count the votes. One person scratched NON on both names, and another drew a heart on Sarkozy's name. It was about 10 to 1 for Holland in this place in the 10th arrondissement. They have been honking horns for about an hr. Mr PHX said Carla is grabbing all the silver out of the Élysées palace while she can.

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  4. You know when Messieurs Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan come a calling you're going to need all the luck there is.

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  5. Interesting...I wonder how history will remember today.

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  6. As a globalist, I love France, but I am afraid France is going back to the Middle Ages again! But good luck to all! Whether we like it or not, we, the world citizens need each other more than we ever realize.

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  7. Sorry, Eric, but the quality of that article eluded me. It was all about politics with very little about policy. All sizzle, no sausage.

    National leaders are not more than mince, once the media and media advisors have their way. We the people get what we deserve.

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  8. In my city, the vote between Sarkozy and Hollande is: 67.2% v. 32.8%; so glad the overall result has spoken otherwise. I wish all mainland French citizens the best of luck!

    Last year, 1,500 of them has found job and new life here in Hong Kong.

    Yes! We have a small French community 'occupying' the financial district.

    Everyday, I would walk around my neighborhood serenaded by people speaking French, and drinking pastis.

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  9. Félicitations...... I think.....

    W

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  10. Hmm! interesting article...we watch this space with interest.

    Bon Chance!

    Love denisefrombolton

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  11. Congratulations, Eric? I am guessing you are pleased, along with the rest of Paree we see partying like it's 1999... er..

    The article was a little helpful, though it concentrated on the personal sides of the candidates. I was amused by this... 'People will forgive a short man with a beautiful wife if he seems sufficiently surprised; Sarkozy seemed merely showy,..'

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  12. There's an historic photo! I have looked this morning at online videos to get an idea of the man and the times he will usher in. Glad to have the link you recommend.

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  13. One can only agree.....

    I wish him (or rather us!) good luck.

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  14. Changes in the presidency always are historic. It will be fascinating to see it all evolve.

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  15. Eric, one thing I understood: the French president is a token politician/figurehead like the British queen? Mon dieu! Pretty expensive nominal king. Personally, in my old age, I lean toward anarchy. Based on history, I think we peasants could rule ourselves better than what they have done, which is mostly fleece us:)

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  16. Wishing good luck to the people of France!

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  17. May 15? It will take Carla that long to pack up to her closets.

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  18. Leaving the politics aside, it is reported that all the female world leaders and wives of world leaders have heaved a collective sigh of relief that no longer will they have to stand beside the elegant Carla looking like a frump!

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  19. @Maru "Good luck for all of you..." Thank you. Whoever runs the country will face huge problems.

    @Alexa. "now I'm more interested to see who gets to be First Lady, Segolene or the journaliste" It's going to be Valérie Trierweiler the journalist. Segolene has been out of the picture for quite some time now...

    @Phx2cdg. "I walked over to the polling place in my 'hood and they let me in." How brave of you, I'm impressed. Impressed, but not surprised, I really admire how you like to discover new things.

    @Lois. "WOW, that was a close election." Yes, but it's pretty usual in France. FYI 2 million people voted "blank", that is did not put any name in the envelop.

    @William "You know when Messieurs Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan come a calling you're going to need all the luck there is." Yes, we know... But we pretend not to!

    @Monica "Hope this change will come for the best." Thanks.

    @Christie "Interesting...I wonder how history will remember today." Well, the left has been waiting for 17 years to come back to power, so you can understand why it hit the news!

    @Taipan. "As a globalist, I love France, but I am afraid France is going back to the Middle Ages again!" Hard to tell. There is a real temptation to leave Europe, but I don't think it will happen.

    @Julie "It was all about politics with very little about policy." Yes you're right, but frankly we know very little about the policies the new President wants to put in place - an the New Yorker does not know any better.

    @Keats. "In my city, the vote between Sarkozy and Hollande is: 67.2% v. 32.8%" Well Hong Kong is known for being a big trade and finance place, which is normally not compatible with left ideas. So these results make sense ;-)

    @Winski "Félicitations...... I think....." Merci (I think!)

    @Denise "Bonne Chance!" Merci !

    @Lynn "Congratulations, Eric? I am guessing you are pleased, along with the rest of Paree we see partying like it's 1999... er." In fact I'm more worried than anything (I would have been if Sarkozy had remained in charge too). I don't see how our economy can possibly recover.

    @Lydia. "There's an historic photo!" I've seen much better ones that this one though ;-)

    @Kiki. ;-))

    @Jeff " It will be fascinating to see it all evolve." Yes, a,d HOW it will evolve...

    @Trishia "one thing I understood: the French president is a token politician/figurehead like the British queen?" No, I really would not say that. He makes all final decisions - but he has a "fuse", in case something goes wrong and he needs to blame it on someone: a prime minister!

    @Kris. Merci.

    @cjazzyj "May 15? It will take Carla that long to pack up to her closets." LOOOOOOL

    @Drummond "It is reported that all the female world leaders and wives of world leaders have heaved a collective sigh of relief that no longer will they have to stand beside the elegant Carla looking like a frump!"
    LOL! yeah yeah! I'm sure some of them can compete (there has to be a South American "bomba" that can!)

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  20. I enjoyed reading through your responses, Eric. Merci.

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  21. going back to the Middle Ages? Hmmm... a little bit extreme, no?

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  22. I think that you should be the new President of France Eric!

    Valorie

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  23. Oh, the drama of it all! So, you have a president that will be giving away property; at least France will survive this recession.

    Poor Carla will have to go back to work...

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  24. Excellent post for sharing. I will recommend it to all of my friends.

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