French election: François Hollande favourite as voters go to the polls

[suffragette]

Source: Guardian

Voting has begun in the French presidential election, a ballot which could transform the political colours of France and spark a change in Europe's approach to its debt crisis and austerity measures.

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.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/06/frnech-election-francois-hollande-polls

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1. I think he is spewing a lot of bull shit....running scared...

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5. Agrre - here's a nice pic of supporters of Hollande gathering for results

http://www.lfpress.com/news/world/2012/05/06/19723206.html





Supporters of Francois Hollande, Socialist party presidential candidate for the 2012 French presidential election, gather at rue de Solferino Socialist Party headquarters in Paris May 6, 2012. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

[frazzled]

2. It's almost over

We should know in about an hour and a half.

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4. Live updates from Guardian and interesting contrast in quote from Hollande and no quote from Sarkozy

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/french-election-blog-2012/2012/may/06/french-election-results-sarkozy-hollande

Final comments form the candidates today. Hollande, casting his vote cast his vote this morning in his political heartland, the town of Tulle in central France, reportedly slept little last night.

"It's going to be a long day," he told reporters at the Tulle polling station. "It's up to the French people to decide if it's going to be a good day."

Sarkozy, along with his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy , voted in the chic 16th district but declined to speak to reporters.




Yes, we will know soon.

Let's hope it is "a good day."

[onehandle]

3. Vive la France! nt

[sabrina 1]

6. And he lost. Sorry I missed this earlier. Also in Greece the people voted against the

'Austerityites'. From what I'm reading, while this is a beginning of a challenge to Neo-Liberalism, it may not translate into huge changes immediately.

Many analysts are saying though, that the Greek results are far more important than the French results. Still, it is two messages to the Austerity gang that when the people get a chance to speak, they do not like what they have done to their countries economies, and most of all, I think, their sovereignty.

I hope Hollande has the guts to be a real agent of change, not just a talker or a symbol of the rejection of the Sarkozy government, with not much change at all.

Anyhow, for now, so glad to see the Merkel/Sarkozy partnership broken up. And hoping against hope that Hollande doesn't just take Sarkozy's place in that disastrous relationship. Also hope she is getting nervous along with all the other 'technocrats' who have been so loyal to the banksters.

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7. A poster noted in kpete's thread that Hollande has read Krugman

It was one of Hollande's economic advisors who was quoted as saying that.

That's heartening to me.

Also, it looks like some of the Austerians already began to shift tone in anticipation of the Hollande win:
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/world-politics/eu-hints-at-easing-austerity-misery-after-french-election/story-fn9hkofv-1226348134240
THE European Union has prepared for the expected election this morning of France's first left-wing president in 17 years by signalling that the painful austerity drive across the continent could, after all, be watered down.

Olli Rehn, the top economic official of the 27-nation grouping, made a major concession on the eve of Francois Hollande's likely victory in the French election by saying there could be more efforts to stimulate growth.

Mr Hollande has appeared to be on a collision course with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and EU officials by demanding a softening of the cost-cutting fiscal pact that was signed last year.

Ms Merkel had insisted that the fiscal austerity pact "is not open for renegotiation" but the change of direction flagged by Mr Rehn seemed to set up Mr Hollande as the catalyst for a new economic strategy across Europe, not just in France.


I think citizens in France and Greece sent a strong message today. I too hope the shift is coming.

[sabrina 1]

8. Merkel is so dogmatic. Many people are turned off by her arrogant insistence on 'my way or the

highway' tactics, especially since, for every country so far, those policies have been so disastrous.

I am glad Hollande is 'pro-growth'. It boggles the mind that after so many bailouts, basically enslaving countries for decades, that they persist with these failed policies.

Maybe this is the beginning of a tsunami of rejection of those who caved to these Austerity programs. Austerity for the people, but not, apparently, for those responsible for the meltdown.

I keep remembering Merkel's strange words after Greece's Papandreau proposed a referendum from the people on whether Greece should accept the next bailout. She said that if Greece persisted in allowing the people to make the decision 'we cannot guarantee another 50 years of peace in Europe'. No one asked her what she meant by that, but I guess Papandreau got the message and quickly retracted his proposal AND was removed from office, not be an election, but by the EU and replaced by a Goldman Sachs guy.

Hopefully she is getting the message, 'you are not the ruler of all 27 EU countries'. I can't believe it has taken this long to put an end to the takeover of that continent.

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9. Looks like they will meet soon

Merkel's having her own problems in Germany with her party's coalition not doing well:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/06/germany-state-elections-merkel-test

German state election leaves Merkel's party looking for new partners
Kate Connolly in Berlin
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 6 May 2012 13.27 EDT

Voters in northern Germany appeared to have turned their backs on a governing centre-right coalition in a state election, which was viewed as a test of the durability of Angela Merkel's government and a measure of its chances of re-election next year.

~~~
The demise of the centre-right government which has run the state since 2009 is significant not least because the federal coalition is made up of the same parties.

Voters' rejection of the alliance is seen as sending an important signal to the central government and will increase pressure on Merkel to end her collaboration with the FDP.



I agree with you and hope she gets the message.

And now no Sarko to stand beside her and endorse ever more Austerian policy.



People are tired of being forced to give up basic necessities while the robber barons at places like Goldman Sachs rake in record profits:

http://www.france24.com/en/20120417-goldman-sachs-doubles-profits

17 APRIL 2012

Goldman Sachs doubles profits

AFP - Wall Street titan Goldman Sachs on Tuesday booked a $2.1 billion profit for the first quarter, more than doubling the amount made at the same time last year and smashing market expectations.

Lower revenues in the company's all important investment banking unit -- as well as fixed income, commodities, currency and underwriting -- were offset by higher revenues from financial advisory and stock investments.