Bye Bye Sarkozy - Live Coverage of Hollande's speech here

[malaise]

Last edited Sun May 6, 2012, 03:21 PM - Edit history (1)

all the polls say you're a goner

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/06/frnech-election-francois-hollande-polls
<snip>
All polls for months have shown the Socialist party candidate, François Hollande, beating the rightwing Nicolas Sarkozy, the most unpopular French president ever to run for re-election. The left is hoping for its first Socialist president since François Mitterrand's re-election in 1988, which would be a rare event in a Europe that has swung to the right in recent years and weakened the left.

If Sarkozy is defeated after one term in office, he would become the 11th European leader to be swept from power since the economic crisis. Hollande has promised to renegotiate Europe's fiscal pact on austerity and shift the focus to growth measures.

Sarkozy has remained defiant, claiming that the polls were mistaken, predicting a higher-than-expected turnout that would play in his favour. In the final days of campaigning, he suggested the poll could be so tight that there may need to be a recount, comparing it to George W Bush's win in 2000 after a Florida recount.

A Sarkozy victory would be a major political turnaround. Despite a narrowing in Hollande's lead in the final days of a vitriolic and brutal campaign, Sarkozy's aides have for days privately admitted that it would take a miracle to turn the odds in his favour.
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Good riddance!! No court is going to steal this one for you!!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17958367

[quaker bill]

1. Once one of the Euro zone countries

backs away from "austerity" and growth starts happening, the rest will quickly join in.

[Cooley Hurd]

2. I think the French see the writing on the wall...

...that right-wing Euros are the cause of the bigger economic issues (i.e. Austerity measures).

[malaise]

3. The French had a real revolution

They will fight for their rights

[TBF]

5. IKR, if any country should be able to throw

out right-wing nightmares this one has the history of doing it. Solidarity with the french workers.

[davidwparker]

10. +1

[Pachamama]

4. Did Sarkozy actually make a direct reference/comparison to Bush's 2000 election?

Whoa....thats a scary reference and not a good omen....

I just think if you wanted to avoid any question of legitimacy in election results, the last thing you would want to reference is the 2000 US elections.....or have any reference or comparison to George W. Bush on any level....

[sofa king]

7. One American's advice to France

When one of your guys compares an upcoming election to the election of the worst goddamned leader the free world has seen in 80 years, you had better be getting ready right now to go in and kick that miscreant out.

Because he's telling you this election is close enough to steal.

You know how a couple of times each century France and the United States come together to bail each other out, and then we spend the rest of the time making fun of each other? We're too fucked up to bail you out now, thanks to George Bush.

So please, for the sake of your awesome cooking and your fine appreciation of art, both of which make America and France better places, get rid of your own George Bush before it is too late!

[davidwparker]

12. +1

[malaise]

11. Unfuggingbelievable isn't it?

[Mass]

6. Let's hope you're right.

A lot of people are voting. Let's hope they are from the left and not the right.

Anyway, I voted and my 2 kids voted. Go Hollande!

[malaise]

13. We're on your side

[malaise]

20. We were all right

Look at people filling up the square

[Mass]

21. Yep. I am listening to our new president's speech

For me, it has a particular feeling as he is speaking from the twon I was born in, a very small town in the center of France. We know this guy, and, while some may not consider him as charismatic, he is solid and serious, and will be a good president,

[malaise]

22. Thanks for that info

I'm loving this speech.

[Gore1FL]

8. I'm waiting until the votes are counted.

I've been through similar rides before.

[GoneOffShore]

9. Am in Cassis right now.

It's hard to tell how it's going because this is a resort town.

The Calanque boats are going out on tours, lots of people strolling the port, eating Sunday lunch at the restaurants, and generally enjoying the day.

Heavy rain was predicted for the Marseille area, but it hasn't materialized.

The polls at the Mairie were quiet when we went by. One bored gendarme watching people shopping at the crafts fair.

We did meet a crazed Sarkozy supporter in a wine bar last night who swore that if Hollande won he would move to the US.

[malaise]

14. Tell him to start packing

[GoneOffShore]

15. He was repeating that "50% of the people pay no tax" Lie.

I asked him how he knew that and he used the "Everybody knows" line. Asked him to prove it and he came up dry.

We then had another glass of rosé and I moved away from him. Young (35ish) and said he was an "entrepreneur".

[bullwinkle428]

16. Wow! It's like the Fox News memes are now taking hold in the right-wing French media!

[coalition_unwilling]

18. That would truly illustrate jumping from the frying pan into the fire - n/t

[malaise]

19. IT is over

Congrats!!!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/06/francois-hollande-wins-french-election
Grat coverage on BBC International

[edhopper]

17. The funny thing is

the conservative and right leaders in Europe would fit in the middle of the Democratic Party here. The only people in Europe that would fit with the GOP are the nationalist Le Pen types.