What did you think of Sarkosy yesterday evening? Has he been waiting for the PS to finish their primaires for his counter attack - if so, do you think he did a good job? My OH wanted ségolène to win last time round and like me she can't stand Sarkosy BUT she turned to me last night and said... "He does talk a lot of sense and if Hollande gets in he'll bleed the country dry just when we need to make savings"... i thought I heard myself talking for once (she used to be so socialist but has slowly come round to a more realistic way of looking atthe world). Will she vote UMP, I don't know. If you can/could vote, which might you go? I'm not looking to start a politics group, just interested what people think ;-)
with you on your comments Jane, I didn't go sqelf employed until the AE scheme was introduced as it was just too expensive and I haven't launched myself into various things for the same reason - social charges. I could add to your comments on taking on people and the 35 hr week but won't go on! as for selling ourselves to the chinese - they'll soon be pulling the strings right around the world! Sarko seems the best choice but i don't like his bling-bling image either and i can't stand listening to him!
yes no real info on the various programmes just promises but isn't that typical of french politics! and quite agree that the time isn't right for socialist policies even if they are well meaning it's no good if we can't afford them!
Pernaud should stick to his 13h format which works brilliantly for him but I agree he isn't a hard hitting political journalist... Calvi is but seemed to be phased by the situation - not at all his hard hitting self. So yes in a way Sarko got off lightly !
Centre... bayrou...?
I think whoever wins will not have such a free hand as they had before, now that Germany is pulling the strings and China is insisting on structural reforms as the price for their backing of the euro.
The 35 hour week needs looking at, perhaps an option to be able to work paid overtime. Also the social charges kill any enterprise in small business, which is the usual driver of economic recovery. A small menuiserie business near us wants to take on an apprentice, but it is too expensive. Also if each family run restaurant could offer another job, instead of monsieur and madame running round like headless chickens, that would help enormously.
Together with demographic changes whoever wins the election will have to make tough decisions and the public will have to take the medicine. No country can go on living with a budget defecit for ever and the ostrich-like approach which has been prevalent in many countries of the EU will have to change.
Personally I think Sarko will be the most able to deliver, not that I like him, he is far too flashy for my taste and giving himself a huge rise in salary as soon as he became President, was not the most clever thing to do to enjoy street cred!
For me he succeeded reasonably, but failed to provide the details that count on both the EU-deal and the new "austerity"-program.
What would really be helpful in these important matters is a well-organised and equally well led debate between Sarkozy, Hollande and LePen.
I'll vote for Sarkozy and vote "blanco" (the second way to go) when given the choice between Hollande and LePen. There is a time and place for everything; in times of economic crises there is no place for full blown socialist politics. A reality that Hollande will face also when eventually elected.