French presidential elections - Who would you vote for ?

[kryszcztov]

Firstly, you have absolutely no evidence of this, but actually, even if it was true, it wouldn't change my vote. This is a matter of priority.

Exactly. In the other way. A job for my bombs !

I am, according to kryszcztov words, a loser.

What words ? Have you gone crazy ? Damn Sarkozy...

 

[Marla_Singer]

What words ? Have you gone crazy ? Damn Sarkozy...

He's speaking to a part of the population only, the winners. The losers can just go to hell.

What are the losers you were talking if not unemployed people ? Well, I'm unemployed, I'm certainly not a winner, and when I hear Sarkozy, I hear him talking to me.

 

[Yeeek]

Firstly, you have absolutely no evidence of this, but actually, even if it was true, it wouldn't change my vote.

Of course I have no evidence of it. I was asking if it would perhaps influence on your opinions about the man. Apparently it isn't the case. You can't however deny the fact that Sarkozy is a capitalist. His views on economies are very much based on the anglo-saxon system. Maybe its a good thing? What say you.

Simple thing, I'm currently unemployed, the only money I get comes from the class I'm giving to kids after school. I am, according to kryszcztov words, a loser. But frankly, what I need is not free public transportation, what I need is not getting money in doing nothing and staying at home alone with myself. What I need is a job, a real job, and the only way to get a job is to developp the economy so that our companies could hire more people. How can't this couldn't be obvious to all ? How imagining that the solution is to create subsidized jobs which would disappear as fast as they came ? Giving the opportunity for our companies to hire, that's the only way to put France back on track.

I can relate to your current situation. I've been unemployed for a year. Though, as you can read in my previous post. I am now financially less comfortable than before with my full time job. How's that possible?

I don't see how companies could hire more people in the current situation. The 35 hours work week didn't do it. What's next? What opportunities you have in mind?

Wealth isn't something steady, the way to enrich the poors isn't to enpoverish the riches.

I'm not sharing the same view. When you look at the benefits from the companies rated in the CAC40 which are in the milliards of €.. Don't you think this money could go else where? Not to mentions they are firing people at the same time.

 

[Mise]

Presumably, anyone who agrees with Sarkozy is a winner and anyone who disagrees with him is a loser...

 

[Winner]

But I share very different opinions, I think it's not useful to start a debate with you (no offense).

That's what freedom is about

 

[Winner]

Presumably, anyone who agrees with Sarkozy is a winner and anyone who disagrees with him is a loser...

Well, I do agree with him

 

[Marla_Singer]

I don't see how companies could hire more people in the current situation. The 35 hours work week didn't do it. What's next? What opportunities you have in mind?

Well, the economy is not a cake that is divided in shares. The economy is an eternal cycle of exchanges, and the more there are exchanges, the more everyone is rich. Of course the 35 hours week hasn't worked, how could it work ? How a business can be more developped in working less ?

Just check our direct European neighbours, none has the 35 hours week, and all have less unemployment than we do ! Maybe they aren't that different than us and maybe we should get more humble and see how did they succeed ?

I'm not sharing the same view. When you look at the benefits from the companies rated in the CAC40 which are in the milliards of €.. Don't you think this money could go else where? Not to mentions they are firing people at the same time.

That money isn't made in France, and the investors changing the rate of the CAC40 index are not even French. What matters are not large international companies, but smaller companies making all their business on the French territory. And that's exactly where lies the problem, they don't perform enough well to devellop their activities, and they don't make enough money to hire.

 

[scipian]

After reading the New York times article on Sarkozy, I wish I could change my vote to him. He sounds like an interesting mix of realism, moderation, and conservatism. I've looked some more into him and he sounds pretty cool. A far cry from the typical crazy in the polar, divisive French political spectrum.

BTW- I'm American.

 

[Marla_Singer]

After reading the New York times article on Sarkozy, I wish I could change my vote to him. He sounds like an interesting mix of realism, moderation, and conservatism. I've looked some more into him and he sounds pretty cool. A far cry from the typical crazy in the polar, divisive French political spectrum.

BTW- I'm American.

Don't worry, I think I will make a second poll in a week for the second round. So you'll be able to vote again.


As a general remark to all those who participated to this thread, I'm glad to see non-French people being interested in this election. Especially that this interest isn't specifically focused on international matters, but also on domestic matters. This shows a real interest for things happening outside people's own borders which is quite positive. I hope French people would be that open-minded.

 

[scipian]

I always try my best to follow foreign elections, especially after I started this AP Comparative Politics class. I followed the Mexican election, Brazilian, current French, German (just a little), Israeli (just a little), and am following the Nigerian election now. Interesting stuff.

 

[Marla_Singer]

Interesting. After a lead of Bayrou in the first days, the advantage is now getting to Sarkozy. Will this last ? It's up to you to decide !

 

[Steph]

Apparently, we don't have that much hunters on this forum. Or they don't read your threads

 

[MamboJoel]

Apparently, we don't have that much hunters on this forum. Or they don't read your threads

But a few posters fishing apparently...

I pretty much agree with Marla and Steph and the priority to reform (like a lot of other countries did, often the left wing btw). But I'm pretty sure he wont be able to do so : there is too much hatred against him; so we'll only get blockages etc...
Look at his stance on the CPE : he very soon stopped to support the mesure when he saw the amount of protestors in the street. Sure, he was at that time in competition against Villepin (the prime minister), but would we want somebody for president who puts political/strategic matters before reforms ?

 

[Marla_Singer]

If not him, who else ?

After Mitterrand and Chirac, I have not trust in either Royal or Bayrou. I back my mistrust on the fact that none of them has expressed a single time, during the whole campaign, their opinion about how we should solve our retirement system problem.

So as you can see, there are the pros and there are the cons. Overall, we can at least both agree the strategy consisting in saying we will do painful reforms during the political campaign, before getting elected, is rather new. Now, is it efficient or not ? We'll see.

 

[Winner]

Look at his stance on the CPE : he very soon stopped to support the mesure when he saw the amount of protestors in the street. Sure, he was at that time in competition against Villepin (the prime minister), but would we want somebody for president who puts political/strategic matters before reforms ?

Politicians usually behave differently before and after elections

 

[Yeeek]

Well, the economy is not a cake that is divided in shares. The economy is an eternal cycle of exchanges, and the more there are exchanges, the more everyone is rich. Of course the 35 hours week hasn't worked, how could it work ? How a business can be more developped in working less ?

Just check our direct European neighbours, none has the 35 hours week, and all have less unemployment than we do ! Maybe they aren't that different than us and maybe we should get more humble and see how did they succeed ?

On paper the 35H work week looks great and flawless. Much like leftist ideologies. Though we both know the world has changed and so did its economy. Still, you didn't answered my questions. What is the Sarkozy's way of giving people a job? Why "he" can succeed where all others have failed before. To be frank, I don't hold much hope if any in politicians anymore. Listening to him or Royal, or Bayrou, they are but following their own/party agenda. However, others like Besancenot aren't to my opinion.

That money isn't made in France, and the investors changing the rate of the CAC40 index are not even French. What matters are not large international companies, but smaller companies making all their business on the French territory. And that's exactly where lies the problem, they don't perform enough well to devellop their activities, and they don't make enough money to hire.

Airbus benefices aren't from sales in France that's true but the money is going to them owners of Airbus. Why are companies like Airbus, making ungodly amount of money are firing people?

 

[Masquerouge]

Why are companies like Airbus, making ungodly amount of money are firing people?

Airbus? Ungodly amount of money? I believe that they completely screwed up the A380 and will pay very dearly for that, so I can understand if they want to trim down a bit in order to withstand the cold winter that's in for them/

A better example of a company posting high profits and laying off people was Michelin.

 

[Steph]

On paper the 35H work week looks great and flawless.

They don't. Because you make it mandatory for every company with little compensation, and they will just ask more productivity.
They are not good for employers either, as a company can say, "hey, you get a 10% virtual raise when you went from 39 hours to 35 hours, so don't expect a raise for the next few years".

What is the Sarkozy's way of giving people a job? Why "he" can succeed where all others have failed before. To be frank, I don't hold much hope if any in politicians anymore. Listening to him or Royal, or Bayrou, they are but following their own/party agenda. However, others like Besancenot aren't to my opinion.

Sarkozy will not give people a job. The companies would. He wants to give the mean to the companies to perform better, so they can grow and recruit.

 

[Yeeek]

They don't. Because you make it mandatory for every company with little compensation, and they will just ask more productivity.
They are not good for employers either, as a company can say, "hey, you get a 10% virtual raise when you went from 39 hours to 35 hours, so don't expect a raise for the next few years".


Sarkozy will not give people a job. The companies would. He wants to give the mean to the companies to perform better, so they can grow and recruit.

Why did we let it happen then?

 

[HannibalBarka]

I'll vote Bayrou, France does need reforms, Royal don't want to do them, Sarkozy cannot do them because he is hated by too many people, looks too agitated to me and will make France a second US puppit (;-)). I sahre Bayrou's European views and do agree with him that France is rather devided between normal and extremists than between right and left.