June 16, 2004
Voting European, standing up to America
I wasn't going to post anything about the European elections of last weekend in France, but since someone asked (yes, I know, I'm late, sorry ;), here is a little summary of what it was all about in France, or rather Paris.
France was divided into eight different regions, each one voting to elect a certain number of representatives at the EU parliament.
In the greater Paris area (Ile-de-France - 14 representatives to elect) alone, we had to choose between twenty-eight candidate-lists or parties (I heard something about more than 160 different parties in all of France - can't find a confirmation anywhere... have better things to do than to count them all).
So here's how we vote in France (remember the movie, Damian?): we're presented with little pieces of paper, one for each party or candidate. For secrecy reasons, we have to pick up everyone of them, not just the one we want to vote for, then go to a little polling booth (like this) and put the little piece of paper corresponding to the party or candidate we want to vote for in an enveloppe, go out and cast our vote (here). Some even sign autographs too.
Among those 28 lists in Paris:
- a Lyndon LaRouche list. Nothing new here. The French guy running the "Solidarity & Progress" - ahem - party, Cheminade, ran for President too. Their European program: Stop Bush, er, sorry, Bush is just a puppet, stop Cheney instead. Jugde by yourself: "Europe sleeping generates monsters. Against the Inquisition of neo-conservatives, let's support the true America of Lyndon LaRouche - No to the pact of austerity. Tomorrow's Europe is in Eurasia."
Interestingly enough, here's a not-so-surprising translation of their website.
- a Euro-Palestine list with "humorist" Dieudonné as #3 on this list. I'll let you guess and check by yourself how much anti-Israel and anti-America it is. Their European program was "peace" and "justice" for the Palestinians against mean Israelis: "Peace in Europe depends on peace in the Middle East".
- A lot of far-left little nothing parties, including an alliance of two notorious trotskyist ones, wishing for the "Socialist United States of Europe".
- One list was running to make Esperanto the official second European language as the only tool to European democracy. Yes, that was their program. Esperanto bringing democracy to Europe. Oh and yes, they're against the imperialism of the English language.
- And of course, there was this guy. Yes, indeed, this guy was reelected (6.08% of the votes).
I'll stop here the list of freaks running to represent us at the EU Parliament. I really don't want to waste anyone's time.
Some of the hateful freaks won little support (LaRouche/Cheminade: 0.11%, Euro-Palestine: 1.83%), a minimum of 5% of the votes being necessary to have a candidate elected (Phew).
What bothered me, without surprising me, was the number of references to the United States in the European programs. Many of the programs, at least in Paris, made it one of their priorities to either counterweight or oppose the US. Some capitalized on the anti-war French parody, insisting they "opposed the war" too and ask for an immediate "withdrawal of American troops". Not just far-left of far-right parties.
In advance of the elections, among the leaflets we received (and though we didn't receive one for every party, for example, no leaflet for the LaRouche list) the words 'United States', 'America', 'Americans' or 'Bush' popped up 17 times, on 10 different lists, including the list that "won" the election, the Socialist Party ("Europe, with a common foreign policy and defense, must contribute to a fairer world and promote our values of peace, solidarity and secularism against the policy of Bush").
That would be, of course, because Europe (not to mention France itself) has no other problems or priorities to face. So the US becomes one of the problems, if not the problem. Easy. The French have always been very good at the blame game.
The French weren't thrilled though. The abstention reached 54.92%. But, after all, what was really important that day, was that France won.
I feel very tired suddenly.
Posted by Carine at June 16, 2004 12:40 PM but since someone asked
Me! Guilty as charged, and after reading your summary, boy, I’m glad I did! (Nice touch using pictures of "The Jack".)
Your post is a “keeper”. It’s been printed and filed. (I feel sorry for my nieces and nephews having to go through all this stuff when I’m no longer fit for this world!)
Lyndon LaRouche list
These turds are always standing around outside the Metro stations in DC. It is a favorite pastime of mine to take on his little minions in a verbal sparring match. It is extremely easy to make them look like the fools they are. For some reason their favorite argument is always about “Metternich” and about the Commies/Nazis burning the Reichstag before WWII. So, you have them over there as well. They are easy targets Carine, if you do choose to engage.
Esperanto bringing democracy to Europe. Oh and yes, they're against the imperialism of the English language
Yup, that’s most likely why I can view their web site in English. Ever wonder how to say
“Never pee into the wind” in Esperanto?
Neniam pisu en la venton.
Now you have to wonder no more.
What bothered me, without surprising me, was the number of references to the United States
No surprise to me either, Carine. It’s easy pickings for these candidates. (See Spain.) Unemployment at 10%? Why worry, look what those Americans are doing! Immigration problems? Why worry, look what those Americans are doing! (insert any problem here). Why worry? Look what those Americans are doing!
It’s really ironic that Europeans like them want to get rid of or counter American power, yet, by making these types of issues matters of voting, they are making American policies determine the outcome of their elections.
the Socialist Party ("Europe, with a common foreign policy and defense, must contribute to a fairer world and promote our values of peace, solidarity and secularism against the policy of Bush").
Yeah, a European defense. By the Socialists, no less. Now, if they could only get America to pay for this European military...
Well, after reading about this election and the candidates in your WONDERFUL post I begin to realize why the coverage in our press was almost nonexistent. Most of these candidates belong in an asylum.
Posted by: andy at June 16, 2004 02:50 PMAndy,
"Printed and filed"? Wow... Now I feel sorry for your nieces and nephews!
So, you have them over there as well. They are easy targets Carine, if you do choose to engage.
They used to be everywhere I would go in Paris. They go around with big posters asking people to help them "destitute the Cheney government". Most are ignorant 20 year-olds. Easy target indeed. I can't wait to see them again to congratulate them for their big score ;)
It’s easy pickings for these candidates. (See Spain.)
In Spain, Aznar's Partido Popular didn't lose that big though, compared to France.
Yeah, a European defense. By the Socialists, no less. Now, if they could only get America to pay for this European military...
What... what... what do you mean? You're not going to pay for it?!?
Most of these candidates belong in an asylum.
Now you understand my reluctance to post, at first.
Posted by: Carine at June 16, 2004 04:20 PMThis is neither here nor there but this reminded me of a story that I tell about a job interview that I had a few years back, right at the start of the telecommunications industry downturn here.
I was in the director's office and he actually asked me 'So, what are the Americans going to do to get the economy going again?'
Without even thinking, I answered 'Don't you think it's time that Europe stopped always looking over the ocean for the answer and became a little more independent?'
Nonetheless, I got the job but only because having a native speaker teaching English at his school was a good marketing tool. ;)
Posted by: Valerie at June 16, 2004 04:23 PMJust wondering if it bothers the French people that their Prime Minister made lucrative oil deals with Saddam Heussein in exchange for a promise that France would veto any UN resolutions to go to war with Iraq? Doesn't this undermine the leftist government's whole anti-war philosophy? Or is it ok with the mainstream voters in France to make oil deals with genocidal dictators? It's kind of ironic to me that the leftists in the U.S. were screaming that Bush went to war over oil, when Chirac obviously chose NOT to go to war over oil (deals).
Posted by: Chuck at May 27, 2005 11:54 AMChuck,
The problem is the French people - many of them anyway - either won't ever know about the oil-for-food fraud (our media aren't really eager to share the news or are shaping the news in a way that would make the US responsible), or will easily believe any document proving their politicians' duplicity has been forged by the Bush administration.
Hopeless, I'm afraid.
Posted by: Carine at May 30, 2005 07:51 PM
