French elections

McBobbin said:

Fiiish said:

So you can't be rich and left of UKIP?

Precisely

A-R-T-H-U-R said:

Good socialist credentials from Macron.
Earned $3.5 million whilst working for those lovely bunch of bankers, Rothschilds.

smudge7946 said:

Well done to Johnny Foreigner for not electing a 4ft tall, obviously mad, comically moustached one testicled dictator.

A-R-T-H-U-R said:

Good socialist credentials from Macron.
Earned $3.5 million whilst working for those lovely bunch of bankers, Rothschilds.

Algarveaddick said:

JoshrewCAFC said:

jimmymelrose said:

Firstly, I did not directly state that Brexit is racist. What I did say was that I do not see Le Pen as being any more racist than Farage, or Le Front National as being any more racist than Brexit. It all depends what one's definition of racist is. One mistake that British people might make is to equate Le Front National with The National Front. They are not the same thing. Looking at Le Front National's manifesto I do not see anything any more racist than the main arguments I heard for Brexit.

You don't need me to read and translate. If you are interested read the manifesto in English here: https://www.marine2017.fr/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/a4_144_engagements_eng_bd.pdf

If you choose not to read this then please don't assume that you know what Le Front National is proposing.

The question remains thereafter: 'Do you believe the manifesto and do you believe Le Pen?'

My answer to this question is no, in the same manner as I do not belive anything Farage, Johnson et al said during the referendum campaign. Much as Le Front National would be bad for France, so will Brexit be for the people of Britain. I do believe that Le Pen is inherently racist but I do also believe that this is true of Farage (hence my initial comment). This is of course my opinion. What is not opinion are the manifestos.

Lastly, some forecasts.
1. My forecast is that this Presendential race will finish closer than many predict. I have watched Macron speak on TV this evening just as I did Le Pen on Tuesday evening. Despite being a Macron supporter I fear that he will appear less convincing to some of those as yet undecided voters. Le Pen has a more convincing authoritarian manner. She has also learnt to smile and also to laugh politely when under criticism. She is a formidable politician and does deserve some grudging admiration.
2. A long term forecast: Do not underestimate the increasing force of Melenchon. He has gained huge support from the French youth. Whereas Le Front National's hard core support is the older generation, Melenchon's is the youth. The latter will only increase in number over time, and the former decrease. Melenchon may not continue much longer due to his age but this election will leave a legacy that the young electorate will continue.

Ah yes, but in many countries like our own the youth always support towards the left and the older generations more right wing. This trend has been going on for a long time, the youth don't carry on their liberal views forever, the world of work changes people's views to be more realistic as well as more hardline. I don't think we can say the FN will die with this older generation.

I changed, I used to be a Tory when I was young. As I got older I realised what an unpleasant bunch they were generally, and how out for themselves they were, and that most people are better off being given a leg up rather than being pushed down. I realised how the press manipulated people to suit their agenda, which pretty much reflected that of the Tories. That's my realism.