Demon Sarko is Ségo's last card

A beautiful May Day morning in Paris, with all the usual traditions. The city is closed except for tourists. French workers are resting from their labours. Actually they rested yesterday too, since many firms stayed shut on the intervening Monday. There are no newspapers. They are selling muguet (lily-of-the-valley) at street corners and Jean-Marie Le Pen is rallying his troops outside The Times office on the Place de L'Opéra.

Le Pen's annual féte has its usual few thousand supporters gathering with him at Joan of Arc's statue nearby. They are marching up the avenue de l'Opéra where a big sound-stage that has been built over the Metro entrance. But the celebration is the last hurrah of the far right bully boy who was sandbagged by Nicolas Sarkozy in the first round of the election campaign. By hijacking a couple of million Le Pen voters for himself, Sarko left the old man with his lowest score for over a decade. At 78, he is unlikely to recover politically and the knives are out for Marine, the daughter who managed his campaign and wants to inherit the National Front. (update: I have just heard Le Pen's booming voice call on his supporters to "abstain massively" from voting on Sunday.)

Sarkozy's success in poaching Le Pen's rightwing themes of immigration, law-and-order  and national identity has hurt him in the final sprint against Ségolene Royal, the Socialist.

It has given ammunition to the campaign to demonize the conservative favourite as a "fascist" who will turn France into a dictatorship in which the people will be oppressed by greedy capitalist bosses. This might sound like a joke, but these 1930s stereotypes still apply in France's archaic political mindscape.

In her desperation to catch up before Sunday's vote, Royal has been busy conjuring up the demon Sarko as she prepares for tomorrow's big debate with him on television. Blackening Sarko works because there is a whiff of Mephistopheles about the ambitious would-be saviour of France. I wrote about this in the newspaper today. Here's the story. 

But it will take a near miracle for Royal to break Sarko's momentum now. The signs of approaching rout are multiplying. Jacques Séguéla, the elder statesman of French advertising whose France Tranquille campaign took François Mitterrand to the presidency in 1981, has just reversed allegiance. Sarkozy is France's best hope for reform, said Séguéla, who had until now supported Royal.

And François Bayrou, the centrist in third place, is beginning to look like a general without an army after his week of flirting with Royal and the left. So far 20 of the 29 parliamentarians who belong to Bayrou's Union for French Democracy have defected to the Sarkozy camp.

The outcome could just be swung by tomorrow evening's debate if Sarkozy mishandles Royal. French presidential debates have been credited with turning the tide two or three times since they began in 1974. That year, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, a brilliant young centre-right politician, put down François Mitterrand, the veteran socialist, with a famous line: "Mr Mitterrand, you do not have a monopoly on the heart". The punchline, meaning that the left were not the only people with a social conscience, is credited with clinching Giscard's narrow victory four days later. Giscard recalled it in the only newspaper published today, le Petit Quotidien, a children's daily. "That little sentence won me the 300,000 votes that made the difference," Giscard told the Quotidien's young readers, who were probably born a quarter century after that election. 

Comments

[D.Strohl]

"... stereotypes still apply in France's archaic political mindscape".

This mindscape has been assiduously cultivated by our "Education Nationale" whose teachers are mostly leftists; they spend more time influencing politically their pupils and students than trying to have them learn basics such as orthography, grammar and arithmetics. The results have been duly quantified by the PISA studies - a less academic but impressive way to judge the results is to have a look at reader letters addressed to LIBERATION, the vulgate (with MARIANNE, as noted by Charles) of "la gauche bien pensante". Amen.

[Christine]

Funny ! I asked for you opinion but your article, which I take as a form of answer, shows a poor comprehension of french society and this electoral campaign.
Mr Sarkozy and his aides have spent their whole campaign on three main moves:
1. Ridiculizing Royal, attacking her unrepeatedly on her supposed lack of competence and supposed lack of programm.
2. Playing with right-extreme themes in order to capt the Le Pen electorate.
3. Demonizing (yes, the term applies correctly here) of the Left presented as "unmoral", "dishonest", "taking side with the scum", "taking side with the criminals", taking side with the rapers" (yes, he said that), "stalinian" (to name just a few of his words), and, finally, as he explained yesterday, morally responsible for everything that is wrong in France (including, amusingly enough, the Golden parachutes).

Funny you do not mention any of this. Funny also you do not mention the fact that the affirmation of "Royal demonizing Sarkozy" was issued by the UMP, the conservative Party supporting Sarkozy, and by Sarkozy himself.

The "enterprise of demonization" as you call it (or denounciation, depending the point of view) of Sarkozy by Eric Besson started LONG before Royal was even considered as a potential candidate (intervention at the Assemblée Nationale on 2004). Royal cannot be hold responsible for Besson's opinion.
You would also find out that Royal's comments on Sarkozy being "brutal" and "divisive" were posteriour, and
not prior to Sarkozy's violent attacks against the Left, that includes in his view the "RMIistes", the "assistés", the "fonctionnaires", the "voyous", and of course the "journal de merde soixante-huitard" that is the lefwing newspaper Libération etc., etc. etc.
You would finally find out that Sarkozy's repeated attacks triggered a quite soft response (denouncing brutal attacks is not demonization) from Royal, but an infuriated response from the french leftwing electorate. Many of them responded, it is true, with a pure demonization (Sarkozy=fasciste). But that was a response from the electorate, amplified and discussed by the press, not from Royal.

To resume:
On the one hand, Royal has pointed out the fact that Sarkozy scares many people in France. She has also pointed out the fact that Sarkozy has brutal and agressive positions towards several categories of the french population.

On the other hand, Sarkozy has accused the Left of moral failure etc., etc., etc... (see above). He has also posed as a victim of Royal's "stalinian methods" (I am still citing).

Just facts, Mr Bremner.

In other terms, Mr Bremner, you maybe should be doing your work (that includes investigation, criticism and objectivity) instead of adopting blindly Sarkozy's affirmation ("I am being demonized by Royal").

[Frank Schnittger]

The election is now Sarko's to lose but you are right to sound a cautionary note. The final TV debate could be a big factor.

Sarko can afford to be gracious, smile a lot, and just keep repeating his soundbites. A little humility, a willingness to listen to others, and a moderation of his rhetoric is probably all that he needs to cruse home.

Sego, on the other hand, has to produce an outstanding performance of clear demonstrated knowledge and competence to stand any chance. A faux pas or factual error would be disastrous.

Debating on TV is about creating a relationship of trust with the audience. You have to make eye contact, make people feel you are speaking to them personally, and speak in a language they can understand.

If Sarko can come across as even partly sympathetique he will undermine all the demonising as so much hysterical over-reaction.

Sego, on the other hand, has to come across as statesmanlike (male adjective intended) and in control of her brief. Any emotionalism or dissembling will not be enough. This time she has to do more than smile.

There is a thin line between tranquility and stagnation. Does France want to change?

[Ros]

I've just seen Le Pen's demonstration on France 2 - his followers seemed no more nor less than usual. Taken from his personal point of view (which is not mine)! I think he was right to tell them not to vote and above all to concentrate on the future legislatives. I should guess that a third will obey, a third vote for Sarko and a third for Segolène - anyhow, it won't make any difference.

[Daryl Bradford Smith]

Sarkozy is a clear Zionist as are you Mr.Charles Bremner. Funny how truth gets cast aside in the Zionist controled media.

[terry]

So much for a battle of ideas in France. It looks like its going to be the playground tactics more associated with U.S. politics.

Apparently, Christine thought your article was funny. She used the word three times. I hate to tell Christine, lack of competence and taking sides with the rioters are fair game. Those issues address her policies. Simply saying that Sarkozy is power hungry and is implying (or stating (that Sarko to start a dictatorship attack character, not issues.

If Socialism is so popular in France, why doesn't Sego run on those issues, Christine?

[rocket]

We no longer care about the French Presidential election nor the stupidities of the candidates since we have seen that cute little doggie of yours.

Thus in unisson we chant

Le chien... President...Le chien President!

[rocket]

"Sarkozy is a clear Zionist as are you Mr.Charles Bremner. Funny how truth gets cast aside in the Zionist controled media."

Mr. Bradford Smith

Did you get a hard on watching Lepen's speech today or what?

[christopher muir]

Well, here's a novel and probably easily disputed theory about a possible source of origin for a good part of France's aversion to free markets and the rest. Blame that old tramp, Charles Chaplin. Leading a chilly existence in Paris in the fifties, I was surprised how often fellow students would cough up their few coins to see "Modern Times" for a third or fourth time. Chaplin's words prefacing the movie were widely available: "Le chomage, voila la question essentielle. Les machines devrait faire le bien de l'humanite au lieu de provoquer tragedie et chomage." Those words may have stuck and been handed down through generations of thoughtful film goers. After all, with the best will in the world, I wonder if a computer chip hasn't already been implanted in Monsieur Sarlozy's head. I have read that Chaplin was awarded the Legion d'Honneur in March 1931. "Modern Times" was released in 1936.

[frisbest]

Sarkozy is a bully;

A person that tells a fellow colleague that he "will smash their face in" is a bully - Sarkozy;

The French media lie craven at the foot of a bully who threatens them -Sarkozy;

France is walking into its biggest mistake until it embraced "Petain";

What as a minister as Sarkozy achieved - nothing?

Even Mme Sarkozy has given up on "the bully".

[Dominique]

Problem in France is that both (now three) camps demonize the other one. DeGaule was demonized by Mitterand who used to say he was ruling through a "coup d'état permanent". CohnBendit used to call Degaule a dictator. Mitterand used to Call Giscard a "voleur de diamants". The right used to demonize Mitterand claiming that if elected, the red army would drive on the champs elysées, Mitterand demonized Chirac, claiming he would offer the republic to the RPR "faction", etc etc..

Sarko demonizes today May 68, claiming all our problems come from those values, forgetting about women rights and indidual freedom, and says we should "get rid of" these values. CohnBendit in return accuses him of being a "stalinist" (in Le Monde today) who denies the may68 followers their values, Bayrou demonized all of them last week, Le Pen today. Ségo will this afternoon.

It is sad, but in France, this is called "politics", M.Bremmer, just plain, regular and classical politics in a country with a culture of violent talk, civil war and revolution.

I don't know why, but it seams that even foreigners coming here participate to this and change while in France. CohnBendit is a good example : smooth and polite in German, agressive and rude in french. Even the very polite Denis MacShane become one of a sudden arrogant when he appears on our screens with his "a french EU constitution in the UK? never!"

Violence in words sometimes protects from real violence. Maybe it's for good then.

[Christine]

Terry,
The accusation of lack of competence against Royal is fair in the context of political competition. It does not mean it is true! I am just pointing out that it is a political strategy, not a fact.

Saying that she took sides with the rioters is... not true. Royal has questionned the results Sarkozy's political action based on sole repression, which is something quite different of "taking side".

And for your last comment: firstly, I do not think that socialism is popular in France. If it had been the case, the first round results would have been different! Secondly, if you payed any attention to her campaign, you would see that Sego has been constantly running on her (socialist) themes. Her main problem is that she has not found mediatic resonance in order to successfully impose her themes on the campaign. That mediatic space has been constantly occupied by Sarkozy's attacks and the responses to those attacks.

[John Gregory Flinn]

It seems you have aroused a few passions Mr Bremner.
I expect being called a 'Zionist' is new for you.
Then Christine has a go at your partiality against the left...
I note your description of Le Pen as a 'far right bully boy'.
So, perhaps you have the balance pretty well correct.

Mike Tarlton on a previous post said that Sarkosy, as 'super-flic' simply rolled over against the public sector in a (recent) dispute.
Implying he does'nt have the courage when push comes to shove.
Maybe. But with Chirac and De Villepin hesitating who does?

If he wins the Presidency he needs a solid victory to enable him to succeed against those who would oppose him. And he would need to pick which battles he fights (like Mrs T. did).

No doubt there will be a lot of name-calling as we get close to Sunday, but using taboo words to smear your opponents is far less effective these days. I don't think the stereotypes you refer to are as potent to the modern generation.
Also, its like crying "wolf", if it's used too often the impact dissapates rapidly, especially when (later) the truth is found wanting.

[JAP]

Daryl Bradford Smith - I wish you were right.
Christine - true, it is hard to read an article without applying an "intellectual grid" to it, and all the more as this "grille de lecture" is far from flexible. I for one find Mr. Bremner's journalistic work (and underlying ethics) compatible with the criteria you demand of him (plus my own demand for integrity). This is the main reason for which I find his papers often more illuminating than those written by his French-writing colleagues. Indeed, even when he dares not to conform with my own opinions ;-)

[rocket]

Christine

"Royal cannot be hold responsible for Besson's opinion."

DONC

Sarkozy can not be HELD responsible for the Socialist's opinions

[alan morgan]

Exactly what is Zionist controlled media? If Charles is a Zionist as someone has decided then I gladly join him! I think you Daryl Bradford Smith have lost the plot.

[KEN]

Ironic that Gordon Brown keeps getting a bashing while the majority of French seem to like his economic model. I would like this election to go on and on. It is better than a murder mystery. Perhaps a deed heat, then start again?

[Valentin]

I’ve just read the comments at Charles‘ article quoted in his post above. Amazing how much these Anglo-Saxons hate the Left ! :)

I think the only important point is the vision, the program and the competence. The man obviously has them all three. What‘s on the other side ? la Gauche Bécassine, as Laurent Joffrin says.

[james hazan]

So,Sarkozy and Bremner are Zionists!!! (who control the world media) very interesting.As a Zionist I do not control the media and would be honoured to have both these gentlemen beleive in our cause,rather than Mr Daryl Bradford Smith's B.N.P delusions Sarkozy will make a great president I wish I was a frenchman to take part and live through the magnificent French renaissance to come. A vote for Mme Royal is a vote for l'Eminence Grise (Francois Hollande)through the back door of l'Elisee.

[Valentin]

don't know why, but it seams that even foreigners coming here participate to this and change while in France. CohnBendit is a good example : smooth and polite in German, agressive and rude in french.

Posted by: Dominique | 1 May 2007 13:30:06

Vade retro, devil ! Rocket, get out of Dominique’s body !

[The 3rd column]

Mr Bremner,

I agree with you that Ms Royal's campaign stumps have so far been to demonize Sarkozy. If you notice, not only Royal has been hell bent on using words in her speeches that evoke fear, division, danger, etc. At one point she even mentioned civil war, in an interview.

Socialist 'elephants' have adopted the same tactic in a last ditch effort to demonize Sarkozy through and through while highlighting Royal's approach: that of appeasement or appeasing.

I'm afraid that if Royal wins, it will be back to the archaic Socialist-Mitterand policy of nivellement par le bas.

[The 3rd column]

By the way, can someone here confirm that Cohn-Bendit is a French citizen?

He's been engaged in political rabbles IN France, having been one of the prime instigators of the violent May 68 student uprising but I once read that he isn't even a French citizen.

[Christine]

"Then Christine has a go at your partiality against the left..."

So wrong. I merely pointed out that Mr Bremner is making a confusion between an electoral strategy (Sarkozy posing as the victim of Royal's demonization) and reality (It is not Royal, but parts of the leftwing electorate that have been demonizing Sarkozy. It does not mean Royal does not count on it, but she certainly was not behind it).
It has nothing to do with partiality. I don't care about Mr Bremner's political opinion. But I think that he should be more careful when he presents Mr Sarkozy's strategy as a fact.

[JAP]

Charles and those wondering about the weired Zionist connection in here, I recommend reading Nick Cohen's account on what happens to a Liberal (c'est-à-dire de gauche) journalist challenging his camp's dogmatism:
http://www.newstatesman.com/200510100023

[pouet]

Cohn-Bendit is german. He was born in France but he took german nationality at 18 to avoid military service. But as he stands against nationalism, I don't know how he would define is identity.
He made a funny reply to MG Buffet, once. She was upset with him, because he kept defending the EU constitutional treaty, and she argued that he should'nt be so involved on this matter in France, as he is not french.
He told her (quoting from memory): "I know, I'm only a german jewish"

[Robert Marchenoir]

At least, if Sarkozy does get elected, he will not have to thank Le Pen for it.

This will be even better for France, and will prove once again Sarkozy's political skills. Reforms will be easier to explain to the country, and especially to the Left.

Remember that Mitterrand had to share power with the Communists for a while, before he managed to box them into a corner.

Sarkozy will have succeded in doing that to the National Front even before being elected. And he has already a sizable number of politicians from the centre and even the left on his side.

Obviously, when you look beyond petty and violent political insults by leftists angry to see their moral legitimacy go down the drain, this is already a remarkable feat, which will help unite the French in order to face the challenges of the future.

[The 3rd column]

Thank you Pouet for the info on Cohn-Bendit. That's what I thought.

In other words, Cohn-Bendit was a foreign citizen (and I presume he still is) when he advocated, instigated violence for the overthrow of the French Republic in 1968 - he did it IN FRANCE, ON FRENCH soil, he should have been arrested as a foreign terrorist.

If I'm not mistaken he was allowed to return to France by Socialist François Mitterand under whose wings, Ségolène Royal honed her 'nivellement par le bas' dogma.

France has been very tolerant of Cohn-Bendit; welcoming him back with open arms, allowing him to go on TV, intervieing him for his views, etc.

Media should completely ignore him and his often hostile and verging on the extreme propaganda against the French Republic; if he should ever get it in his head to have a repeat of May 68, he should do it in Germany, his own country, and not on French soil.

[Robert Marchenoir]

As an afterthought to my previous comment: one has to contrast Sarkozy's outspoken opposition to Le Pen, and Le Pen's call not to vote for him, with the relationship between Ségolène Royal and the far-left.

Not only the assorted marxists support Royal on the second round, but her complacency to them has been stunning.

In one meeting, she asked her audience an ovation for the far-left leaders. She went so far as saying she had a friendly thought for Arlette Laguiller, the hardened Trotskyite, who got -- I think -- only 1% of ballots. She deserved that mention nonetheless, because she supports the Socialist party in the second round, for the first time in her political life.

In another obvious vote-grabbing move, Ségolène Royal asked a report on globalization from another one-percenter of the first round, José Bové, the activist without a party who earned his media fame by dismantling a McDonald's and fighting against globalization.

Which makes as much sense as asking a report on Christianity from Oussama Ben Laden, if you ask me.

[anglosaxonne]

If Le Pen's voters abstain like he told them too (and if the folk who turned out to today's rally are anything to go by, many of the working class folk who didn't desert to the Sarko camp claim to be willing to follow orders) then it narroows the odds. If you take his 10 percent out of the equation, and consider that Bayrou's voters won't necessarily swing with their MPS, then the race could be tighter than you think.

[John Hornsby]

From all I have read, nearly all personal attacks have come from Royal, which is not much of an accomplishment since Sarkozy held a very difficult and exposed post. If he did not have complete success against suburban riots it is because the roots of the evil are deep-lying. I would like to remind readers of a vital success, initiated by Chirac but put into practice by Sarkozy: the fight against delinquency on the roads. This has been a considerable success and no other government had ever had the courage to initiate it. Finally, I have no problem whatever with Sarkozy's personality: I like his frankness and his clarity of speech. Unlike Royal, he does not, in my view, talk down to people. Also, without wishing to appear a creep, I don't know how anyone can accuse Mr Bremner of not doing his job correctly or of being unduly partial. What is more, this is just about one of the most interesting forums on the net.

[frisbest]

Where is Madame Sarkozy?

[Barrie]

As an American, retired and living in the south of France, some thoughts:
Re: Le Pen
This is the first time I have ever heard a political candidate, in a democracy, even in defeat, asking his electorate to abstain in the voting right and to wait until the local elections to exercise them again.
He really does hate.

Sarko and Sego -
Sounds like Giuliani versus Hillary - with probably the same result across the pond.

Sarko moves a little further right, makes better deals with the States and allows Americans the right to work here.

Sego moves further to the left, embraces all immigrants and somehow has to pay for it all.

Sounds exactly like the US and Mexico.

I love it here.

[Sam Young]

Why all the banter and opinions?

The current betting rate is:

NS = 1.22
SR = 4.50

A 22% return for 5 days. Nice.
Money talks, bulls**t walks.
Thank you Madame Ségolène for being so predictably stupid.

[christopher muir]

3rd Column - You mention 1968. Were I a French voter. those momentous May days would be floating through my mind while watching the Sego-Sarko TV debate. History has a knack of repeating itself. A new, excitable street leader could emerge, sparked to action by frustration. The debate needs to be disciplined and courteous; hopefully it can be.

[Terry]

Daryl Bradford Smith:

You have taught me something new about the subtlety of Europeans with your comments about a "Zionist" controlled media. In America, our bigots drop such veiled pretenses. The Ku Klux Klan and the Neo Nazi's come right out and say it. "Jewish" controlled media. I highly recommend a site called Jewwatch.com. There you will find a nice home for your sentiments.

[Ros]

FRISBEST, just give one reason (only one) why we should be interested in where she is?

[Ros]

Yes, Barrie, Le Pen does hate & it's a terrible kind of hate too - but all the same it's quite a clever idea?

[Marc de Berner]

COME ON SARKO COME ON SARKO COME ON SARKO COME ON SARKO LETS? Lets drown the last socialists, in france

[Barrie Garfinkel]

Yes, ROS, it is very clever - Hitler was very clever, too. It doesn't mean they have to be admired.

[rocket]

Terry

Daryl Bradford Smith is an American living around Lyon France

http://www.myspace.com/darylbradfordsmith

check out lower right hand side profile.

He's got a reputation for being anti-semitic but hides it under the cloak of Anti-Zionism. Apparently if you don't agree with him he brands you a Zionist. You saw how he hit and run on this site without engaging any type of debate.