| Topic: | Re:Re:Le Pen Concedes Defeat | |
| Posted by: | Paul Green | |
| Date/Time: | 08/05/17 13:38:00 |
| Tom, I very much doubt that even a rebranded NF will win the Presidency. Its remarkable how people will cling to their beliefs, even as teh facts continue to point otherwise. Le Pen registed only around one in five votes in the first round and was comprehensively beaten in the second round with ony a third of the vote. That is pretty clear in a two horse race. The Mail and Telegraph would have you believe otherwise, but France's economic and social problems are entirely of its own making, not the EUs. Social cohesion and terrorism linked to the high level of immigration from former colonies, and the lack of integration into braoder society a French challenge. Economically, on many measures France is quite successful. But it is a highly rigid and regulated economy that doesnt create jobs. Again, not the fault of the EU. Many French people would like to see more jobs but also enjoy both the in work protections (if they are in work) and want to preserve the more traditional aspects of French life. Its way any efforts to reform are met by strikes, which most people tolerate given their overall sympathy in the cause. It is this contradition that makes it hard to goven there and hard to solve. Unemployment rates are for eg not compareable to those in the UK, as generous benefits and a lack of sanctions mean many people choose to claim benefits even if little interest in work. This is not to ignore youth unemployemtn, which is especially high in the immigrant population. Anyway, no doubt would will ignore this and continue to wait for Frexit... I suspect you will be waiting a rather long time. |