* Reading the French media as best I can, I get the sense the vacuum on the Right is sucking the Sarkozy’s party over toward the Le Pen side, which will force a crisis down the road. If the Left does not follow, then the schism in the ruling coalition will become a serious problem down the line. In other words, by averting one crisis they setup the next crisis.
This is the reverse of what we have seen in the US for as long as any of us have been alive. The pattern in the US has been for the Progressive wing of the ruling coalition to drag the center over to the left, drawing what we call the Right with it. As I’m fond of pointing out, I worked for Democrats in the 80′s who held all the same positions as Ted Cruz, who is the outer edge of the official Right these days.
Speaking of which, the wireless brings word that Cruz is reconsidering his unlimited green-card program, now slapping a minimum wage on H1B visas of $110K.
* Every third Frenchman is chained to two others who have decided they’d prefer to commit cultural and national suicide to doing anything “extreme.”
The French will eventually realize their mistake. Look to the American South, where political loyalties have been along racial lines. That is how it will soon be in an ever increasing number of jurisdictions.
* Really depressing. As in 2002, FN barely increased its vote share after minor parties were eliminated.
The closest thing to win was in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté:
Socialists 34.68
Republicans 32.89
National Front 32.44
In Nord, Marine went from 40.64 in round 1 to 42.64 in round 2. The Republican went from 24.97 to 57.77.
Florian’s share was only 0.01 higher than in round 1.
Marion had the highest FN share and most impressive improvement, from 40.55 to 45.22.
* Some will say FN is locked in an electoral ghetto and point to these results (generally no rise in support first vs. second round), but you’ve just had nearly 30% of the population voting for a “far right” party. The FN remains one crisis away from power.
