Can Bayrou govern and make a difference?
By Yann Le Tallec
20/04/2007 15:58 GMT
I heard Jean-Pierre Raffarin (our ex-prime Minister) in Brussels 2 weeks ago. I would like to quote him to illustrate the dilemma with Bayrou. Raffarin was explaining that the trouble with Bayrou is that on very important dossiers such as energy, Bayrou would not be able to make any move. He would promote wind turbins to please the socialists/left but would power them with nuclear to get the support of the right.
I guess the same has been said in Germany about the coalition running the country. Fact is: it works there. Why not in France? Pretty much all politicians (right or left) have been saying for years as an electoral argument that we should get rid of the clivage right/left. Now that the opportunity actually arises, they all get scared and all pretend that this clivage is a condition sine qua non to democracy. Coalitions are so normal in so many of our neighbouring countries that there is really nothing to be afraid of… and no reason to get scared because they are.
Arnaud
Friday, April 20th, 2007, 10:28 pm