Tough Decision for France

When a country arrives at a crossroad, it's always interesting to observe which path its people takes. In the case of France, we see a clear-cut decision placed before her citizens, and it is truly fascinating to watch.

First....to be redundant and repeat what I always do...I don't get involved in politics. I don't feel that any official can truly make things better for people. Only God can do that. But, I do like to observe cultures and the way that people react to situations. That's why I'm writing about France's elections today.

For years under Mitterand, France had been careening down a Socialist path. High taxes paid for increasing social programs that served no real benefit for the economy. Then, along comes Chirac, who was supposed to be a fiscal conservative. The problem was that his p.m. was a Socialist, so that nothing could really get done. One thing that DID get done, and horribly so, was a change to a 35 hour work week. That slowed the economy farther. In addition, due to restrictions put on companies, youth unemployment sits at over 25% because companies won't hire a young person who is untested and cannot be fired. When a proposal was made that would allow a company to fire a newly hired person if they didn't work out, riots ensued. In fact, it seems as though France has been one riot after another.

So, we come to the election. There cannot be a more striking gap between the two candidates. On one side is Sarkozy, who is pro-America, pro-business, and fiscally conservative. He wants to get rid of the 35 hour work week, eliminate some of the mass of social welfare programs, and make it more difficult for public employees to strike. Sounds good, right? The problem is that for years the French people have violently opposed any proposal that might take away some of their "God-given" rights, such as the right to strike for a damaged toenail. Still, Sarkozy has the lead in the polls right now.

On the other side is Royal. She is a relative newbie to politics. She is a Socialist who wants to increase the social programs so that the youth of France will be taken care of better. Of course, that will mean increasing taxes, but what the hey? Her downfall, however, has been her self-contradictions and gaffes. People see her as too inexperienced. She is also anti-Bush, but who isn't these days?

Now the fun begins. Will France elect the conservative Sarkozy? If they do, will they allow him to implement his programs? Will they elect Royal? If they do, will France ever be relevant again? Who will the centrist voters of Bayrou turn to? So many questions. But this may turn out to be one of the most meaningful elections in France in years. It may, in fact, determine if France ever becomes a major player on the world stage again. Both candidates are from the younger, post-World War 2 era. In the end, however, the candidates will not be the ones who decide on France's path. The people of France will need to decide once and for all if they are willing to make drastic changes to fix what is holding them back. That may include giving up some of the freebies that they think they are entitled to have.

Interesting...