Sarko president
Lots of separatists here in Quebec are disappointed Ms Royal didn't get elected president. Ironically, her mildly supportive statements in favour of Quebec helped torpedo her campaign.
If there's anyone looking at this through a smart gender/politics prism, I'd like to hear about it. My gut feel is that Sarko looked presidential while Royal didn't, and that it's next to impossible for a woman to remain in her gender role and act presidential. If sexes had been reversed, it would have been a slam-dunk for Royal.
There are some interesting news I wish I had more time to dig through. It was Le Pen's last dance, and I've no idea what will happen to France's now splintered extreme right-wing parties.
Since I like predicting the obvious: French politics are going to get weirder. The Socialist Party (Social Democrats) will slowly slide into irrelevance unless it really groks both the environment and civil liberties, aligning itself onto the 'bright green' school. The center party and the greens will duke it out for disenchanted voters, helped by openings to proportional representation.
If there's anyone looking at this through a smart gender/politics prism, I'd like to hear about it. My gut feel is that Sarko looked presidential while Royal didn't, and that it's next to impossible for a woman to remain in her gender role and act presidential. If sexes had been reversed, it would have been a slam-dunk for Royal.
There are some interesting news I wish I had more time to dig through. It was Le Pen's last dance, and I've no idea what will happen to France's now splintered extreme right-wing parties.
Since I like predicting the obvious: French politics are going to get weirder. The Socialist Party (Social Democrats) will slowly slide into irrelevance unless it really groks both the environment and civil liberties, aligning itself onto the 'bright green' school. The center party and the greens will duke it out for disenchanted voters, helped by openings to proportional representation.