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[FDC1]

This. Le Pen just needs to play the Trump game of social conservatism / xenophobia + pandering to not professional workers and she may pull it off.

Wait and see, socialists will be voting Le Pen just to stop this fool.

Stop guys, you don't know what you're talking. People which will vote for socialists in the 1st round won't pick Le Pen over Fillon in the 2nd. You're talking like the situation never happenned before. Le Pen wasn't even able to win the regionals against Bertrand in one of the strongest regions for FN.

 

[azyless]

I know that but it's still false to simply say he wants to ban adoption for gay couples.

He might have not said it like that but yes that's exactly what it would do. Even if for a second what you said was true, I don't know how that's more acceptable.

 

[mo60]

White socialists won't vote for Fillon when the time for the second round comes. He is lthe worst option to stop Le Pen, imo. If anything, him being the "establishment" option against Le Pen will open a small glimpse of hope for the socialists if they choose wisely.

Even though some left wing voters won't vote for Fillion he will siphon voters from Le pen and some socialists will support the guy reluctantly to stop le Pen. Fillion will play games against Le Pen if he faces her. He's literally the worst candidate for le pen to face because he's also really strong on the major issues she likes to talk about a lot and he's not as fake as Sarkozy on these issues.

 

[FDC1]

He might have not said it like that but yes that's exactly what it would do. Even if for a second what you said was true, I don't know how that's more acceptable.

I didn't say it was acceptable, just that what you were saying was technically false.

 

[KingSnake]

I like how the -2 million votes "win" for Trump is still brought as an argument that Le Pen can win in an election where all the votes are equal and there is a second round between the first two candidates.

 

[KooopaKid]

What are the extreme right's solutions against globalization though?

If you want to slow down the free transit of persons, to have the power to print your own money again, detach your country's decisions from Brussels, favorize your national enterprises, stop the TTIP, take a backseat in NATO, what are your options as a voter?

 

[Magni]

I definitely won't be voting for him in the first round, but if it comes down to him vs Le Pen in the second, I will swallow my pride and vote for him in the second. Staying home would be just as bad as staying home (or voting third party) was in the US. Saying Fillon is no Hillary doesn't matter, the second round is about voting against Le Pen. You have the first round to vote for whoever you want to.

I'll probably vote Bayrou again if he somehow decides to run again, or Macron, based on who is more likely to have an impact (probably Macron).

Doubt I'll even bother voting for the 2nd round.

I would rather be ran over by a train than ever cast a vote for Fillon or Le Pen. They're both horrid candidates. Don't know anyone in my family who would go out in a Le Pen vs Fillon round either.

Sois pas stupide. Both sides aren't the same, they're never the same.

 

[You Are Viewtiful]

Frexit

It was Eurovoir.

 

[EmiPrime]

If only Macron stood a chance.

Oh well, at least that's the FN dead and buried for another few years. Too bad they will pass the time embarrassing the country in Brussels.

 

[KingSnake]

If you want to slow down the free transit of persons, to have the power to print your own money again, detach your country's decisions from Brussels, favorize your national enterprises, stop the TTIP, take a backseat in NATO, what are your options as a voter?

If you want all those together it means that you don't understand the world you're living in. Have you asked your "national" enterprises if they want to stop globalization? Like maybe ask Renault how they feel about it?
Did you even consider how EU managed to fight so many battles against monopoly of Google and Microsoft, battles that a country alone wouldn't have had the same power to carry on? Did you have a look at UK who promises everything and beyond to Nissan (funny how that works in the contexts of Renault) just to keep some tens of thousands of jobs in the dawn of Brexit? Do you have any idea how many jobs are provided in France by the evil international enterprises? Do you even realise that France is one of the main decision makers at Brussels and most probably nothing gets done without French agreement?

TTIP is as good as dead and you can be free to print money again. I'm sure you'll trust somebody like Le Pen to take the appropriate economic decisions that support a healthy currency.

NATO has really nothing to do with globalization.

Even destroying EU, leaving NATO and printing your own money won't suddenly make the global corporations disappear and to think that somebody like Le Pen will pick a fight against those is naive at best. Most of the extreme right people in charge have been very sensitive to the business side of things.

 

[Baki]

Still think that Brexit and Trump should teach us not to ignore the signs third time around.

Very very high chance of Le Pen winning imo. Fundamentally Fillon represents the political class and the status quo and the French, like most other populations of developed countries, are sick to death of the status quo that brought them the 2008 financial crisis et al. The centre is gone, it's just a case of waiting for the "educated liberals" and "responsible conservatives" amongst us to wake up and see that.

What really gets to me about France is that unlike the UK and US, they actually have a functioning left in the Front de Gauche. I think the failure of Melenchon to be a contender is an example of the ultimate issue facing the left that we can't ignore anymore: far right scapegoating of minorities is such a simple and appealing argument to the human psyche when it is miserable/scared/threatened, and the left's argument of nuanced and educated understanding of the machinery of capitalism is not so appealing at first glance. People are so much more amenable to blaming their neighbours that look or act slightly different than them, than they are blaming complex systems of economic exploitation and a banking elite that they will never be allowed to come into close contact with.

Anyway, if Le Pen wins then that will be the biggest set back to human progress in the modern era imo. It will make Trump and Brexit look like fucking childs play. That will be it for the European project and for any semblance of progressivism in Europe. The content will splinter up and descend into dangerous neo-fascism in the 5-10 years proceeding and all it would take it one financial crisis to set the entire fucking place alight.

Why is Le Pen worse than Trump? I'm pretty ignorant about her policies. Just know that she's anti Arab.

 

[DontBeThatGuy]

EC versus popular vote in the US notwithstanding, the liberal movements have taken huge Ls in recent years.

Crazy what fear and loathing of foreigners does to the civilized world, eh?

 

[Elchele]

Hollande was such a huge mistake for the socialists to back...
Sigh.

Do you think he would be in such a bad position if the terror attacks didn't happen?
I honestly have zero idea about France politic scenario aside from the name and political party name of the main candidates.

 

[KooopaKid]

If you want all those together it means that you don't understand the world you're living in. Have you asked your "national" enterprises if they want to stop globalization? Like maybe ask Renault how they feel about it?
Did you even consider how EU managed to fight so many battles against monopoly of Google and Microsoft, battles that a country alone wouldn't have had the same power to carry on? Did you have a look at UK who promises everything and beyond to Nissan (funny how that works in the contexts of Renault) just to keep some tens of thousands of jobs in the dawn of Brexit? Do you have any idea how many jobs are provided in France by the evil international enterprises? Do you even realise that France is one of the main decision makers at Brussels and most probably nothing gets done without French agreement?

TTIP is as good as dead and you can be free to print money again. I'm sure you'll trust somebody like Le Pen to take the appropriate economic decisions that support a healthy currency.

NATO has really nothing to do with globalization.

Even destroying EU, leaving NATO and printing your own money won't suddenly make the global corporations disappear and to think that somebody like Le Pen will pick a fight against those is naive at best. Most of the extreme right people in charge have been very sensitive to the business side of things.

First, who told you anything about far-right? Second, I was certain I was going to have a condescending answer.
That is your world view, people have others, it's not as clear-cut like your pretend. I could have counter-points to any of your arguments. Like Citroen being forced to stop selling cars in Iran because of international sanctions. Nice results about the Google and Microsoft "fight". But it could go on for hours. The vast majority of countries in the world don't need the EU to prosper, it still a very recent entity. Again based on the world view I described, what are my options between Fillon, Le Pen or not voting?

 

[Team Alucard]

Why is Le Pen worse than Trump? I'm pretty ignorant about her policies. Just know that she's anti Arab.

I would take Le Pen over Trump in a heartbeat.

Hell, I would take her over any modern day GOPer

 

[Slaythe]

Do you think he would be in such a bad position if the terror attacks didn't happen?
I honestly have zero idea about France politic scenario aside from the name and political party name of the main candidates.

The terrorists attacks helped him to some extent.

He was hated long before that, and after, for many other reasons.

Including a political suicide book that just got released where he trashes his electors and fellow team mates.

 

[Addi]

Here are some of the latest polls. I remember looking at polls a couple of weeks back before Fillon came out of nowhere, Le Pen was winning the first round with around 30%. Fillon is definitely stealing some FN votes.

 

[Ac30]

Here are some of the latest polls. I remember looking at polls a couple of weeks back before Fillon came out of nowhere, Le Pen was winning the first round with around 30%. Fillon is definitely stealing some FN votes.

Let's hope the polls are right for once. Then again, the silent whites in France are probably decidedly less quiet.

 

[mo60]

Here are some of the latest polls. I remember looking at polls a couple of weeks back before Fillon came out of nowhere, Le Pen was winning the first round with around 30%. Fillon is definitely stealing some FN votes.

Wow. If Le Pen loses the second round by over 40 points in May. From what I heard after her father's surprise entrance into the second round in the 2002 election pollsters are pretty good now about determining who mostly supports the FN now. The FN and Le Pen are a known quantity for french pollsters unlike trump for american pollsters.

 

[KingSnake]

Like Citroen being forced to stop selling cars in Iran because of international sanctions.

France has a veto in the Security Council, ffs.

Nice results about the Google and Microsoft "fight".

What does this even mean? Do you deny those fights existed or what?

But it could go on for hours.

Please go on for hours. You didn't want to talk about Renault, maybe you want to say how would Carrefour would benefit from less globalization. Or the French banks. Or Sodexo. I could go on for hours.

The vast majority of countries in the world don't need the EU to prosper, it still a very recent entity.

France has benefited tremendously from EU. It could have prospered even without EU? Sure! But that's a parallel reality that doesn't exist now. The reality in which we live is one where a huge number of things, from infrastructure, legislation, economies, trade to transport, tourism and so on is built based on the existence of EU. This doesn't mean that those will not exists without EU, but the process to get there, the transformations needed to revert back to isolation are of gargantuan proportions.

Again based on the world view I described, what are my options between Fillon, Le Pen or not voting?

None of those options tackle in any relevant way the globalisation. So you're asking the wrong questions about this election.

 

[Mass_Pincup]

Please go on for hours. You didn't want to talk about Renault, maybe you want to say how would Carrefour would benefit from less globalization. Or the French banks. Or Sodexo. I could go on for hours.

Funnily enough, the first time I discovered Sodexo was in my university in Canada. I never heard of them during 19 years of living in France.

 

[Hyperactivity]

What are the chances a divergent candidate from the left manages to gain popularity and Hollande decides not to run?

Is there any such candidate? What would be their chances of reaching the 2nd round?

 

[NYCmetsfan]

What are the chances a divergent candidate from the left manages to gain popularity and Hollande decides not to run?

Is there any such candidate? What would be their chances of reaching the 2nd round?

Macron or Melenchon could possibly beat le pen if hollande drops out. but I think they're both independent so they're likely to not all leave, splitting the vote.

 

[Magni]

Macron or Melenchon could possibly beat le pen if hollande drops out. but I think they're both independent so they're likely to not all leave, splitting the vote.

Having Fillon rather than Juppé helps the left for the first round (though of course it hurts leftwing voters in the second round if it Fillon-Le Pen rather than Juppé-Le Pen).

Of course, that's all assuming the left coalesces behind a competent candidate. That's not looking to be the case right now.

If Hollande wins the primary, then I'd say Macron has a chance (I'd guess Hollande gets less than 10% of the first round vote)
If Valls wins, then I can see him and Macron splitting votes.
If Montebourg wins, then I'd think he splits with Mélanchon, giving Macron a chance as well.

I wish Bayrou and Macron would get along, no need to split the centrist vote.

 

[Xe4]

Fucking insane it's probably going to come down to Fillon vs Le Pen. Jesus, and people thought they had it bad with Trump v. Clinton. Frances second round is going to be an election I am glad to not take part in, because it really would be me voting for the lesser of two evils.

I'm sorry France GAF. If it comes down to it, you're probably gonna have to bite the bullet to keep the EU together, but I don't envy you.

 

[Slaythe]

Fucking insane it's probably going to come down to Fillon vs Le Pen. Jesus, and people thought they had it bad with Trump v. Clinton. Frances second round is going to be an election I am glad to not take part in, because it really would be me voting for the lesser of two evils.

I'm sorry France GAF. If it comes down to it, you're probably gonna have to bite the bullet to keep the EU together, but I don't envy you.

In what dimension is François Fillion worse than Trump again ? On literally any front.

 

[Caipirinha]

What exactly are we calling a functioning left, though? I know that mainstream analysis has shifted away from the previously standard 'It's the economy stupid' pattern of explainging politics. But I strongly suspect that the true reason for e.g. Germany's relative stability (AfD still only as strong as either DieLinke (hard left) and the Greens) is that even though there is a general awareness of ever-growing rich-poor divide, that economically, Germany is fine due to somewhat competent enough economic policies.

Germany's economic policies are not only not "somewhat competent" but are probably one of the primary threats to global stability and will be remembered as a vast, arrogant and stupid mistake. It is the biggest proponent of neoliberalism in Europe, had a major hand in orchestrating the 2008 financial crisis through it's support of deregulation in the financial sector (which btw contributes far more to the German GDP miracle than people seem to want to admit), and their treatment of Greece will be remembered as financial terrorism.

Not trying to demonise Germany but being the most influential country in Europe right now means that it take a big share of the responsibility for the coming catastrophes. Merkel et al will go down in history the same way as Europe's pre-war leaders; short-sighted, arrogant and unwittingly plunging the continent into the abyss.

Thankfully there are many millions of German people who have not supported Merkel's neoliberal agenda and have seen for a long time the way it has been prompting financial instability in the banking sector and the knock on boosts to the far right that results in - so when shit hits the fan I doubt it will be Germany that falls hardest for the far right. That honour will go to Eastern Europe.

France, as usual, would be split down the middle.

I don't know where the progressive heart of Europe is anymore. Greece and Spain seem to emotionally crushed, Italy being Italy, Scandinavia seems to have decided that the welfare state shouldn't apply to non-natives anymore, Britain is typically ideologically disappointing.. Just seems like there's not much hope tbh, nobody is gonna stand in the way of the next financial crisis, then the current centre-left/right parties will watch helplessly as power is taken from them by the far right, then we will be old men with terrible stories to tell before we can all call each other brothers again...

 

[Caipirinha]

What are the chances a divergent candidate from the left manages to gain popularity and Hollande decides not to run?

Is there any such candidate? What would be their chances of reaching the 2nd round?

The right have successfully re-framed the current economic situation in France along nativist lines. Just like in the US, working class white people are not identifying themselves with working class blacks/arabs/asians but with wealthy whites promising them x y z populist policy. To be fair, the terrorist attacks played a huge role in supporting that, although imo that terrorism is a lot more of a domestic civil issue caused by internal French politics rather than "global Islamism" etc.

Meanwhile I don't get the feeling there is much political mobilisation amongst the middle and working class non-white populations.

That's a big problem to fix before a left wing candidate can gain any kind of critical mass of popularity. It can happen fairly rapidly but at this point I think it's far too late. Front de Gauche probably need to ditch Melenchon and find someone new that can appeal to lots of different demographics Obama style and when PS is finally obliterated next year they can be there to pick up the pieces.

If Le Pen wins though, it will be too late for the left to prevent the breakup of Europe and the spread of the far right across the continent. Make no mistake, a Le Pen victory will be the end of whatever you want to call this era of European history and there would be some ugly ugly shit to come.

I wonder how things would have gone if we had got Aubry or Royal instead of Hollande.

Hollande is the most useless human being on the fucking planet, but the PS are like all social democrats: they are left in name only, not in belief or actions. They would have carried on supporting neoliberalism whilst paying lip service to some minor welfare projects here and there. The result would have been the same terror attacks, the same worsening of the economy as per the rest of the world, and the same swing to the far right.

Ultimately it is the PS, along with the Labour Party and the Democrats etc. etc. that are responsible for this shift to the far right around the world. It was their job to resist neoliberalism but they gave up, decades ago. They thought the neoliberal party was going to go on forever just like the conservatives they were supposed to oppose did, only now it's entering terminal decline, they are taking the name of the left down with it and leaving nothing but the far right as an alternative.

I wish Bayrou and Macron would get along, no need to split the centrist vote.

Let the US and UK be your lesson. There is no centrist vote anymore, it's over. Neoliberalism is dying, people are losing their houses and jobs, hospitals are overcrowding, roads are falling apart, there's no going back to the "good old days". You had your booms, now comes the final bust. Centrism was never anything more than an ideological void by people whose lives were comfortable enough for them to ignore 1) those less fortunate and 2) the future, but here comes the latter whether we like it or not.

 

[LUFTRAUSER]

Here are some of the latest polls. I remember looking at polls a couple of weeks back before Fillon came out of nowhere, Le Pen was winning the first round with around 30%. Fillon is definitely stealing some FN votes.

I hope French pollsters are better than American ones. If France falls to the far-right the only powerful country left to prevent the West slipping totally into this paradigm will be Germany.

 

[Wanchan]

I hope French pollsters are better than American ones. If France falls to the far-right the only powerful country left to prevent the West slipping totally into this paradigm will be Germany.

"sample of 998 people" useless polls are useless

 

[KingBroly]

Here are some of the latest polls. I remember looking at polls a couple of weeks back before Fillon came out of nowhere, Le Pen was winning the first round with around 30%. Fillon is definitely stealing some FN votes.

I've seen this story before. Twice. Let's see if it finishes the same way.

 

[mo60]

I've seen this story before. Twice. Let's see if it finishes the same way.

Neither remain or hilary clinton were ever polling above 70%. It's going to be ridiculously hard for le pen to reduce a 42% lead by May if that poll is anywere near accurate

 

[pa22word]

I hope French pollsters are better than American ones. If France falls to the far-right the only powerful country left to prevent the West slipping totally into this paradigm will be Germany.

But what about canada? I remember some canadians in one of the initial trump threads was calling for a new Pax Canadiana with Canada and south america leading the way to overthrow American power in the western hemisphere, bringing a new liberal age for Europe to gawk at?

Spoiler

lol

 

[Stumpokapow]

I've seen this story before. Twice. Let's see if it finishes the same way.

Sorry by twice are you referring to Brexit and Trump (neither of which ever had polling like 71-29) or are you referring to the 2012 and 2007 presidential elections, where Le Pens Sr. and Jr. lost badly?

 

[Simplet]

Let the US and UK be your lesson. There is no centrist vote anymore, it's over. Neoliberalism is dying, people are losing their houses and jobs, hospitals are overcrowding, roads are falling apart, there's no going back to the "good old days". You had your booms, now comes the final bust. Centrism was never anything more than an ideological void by people whose lives were comfortable enough for them to ignore 1) those less fortunate and 2) the future, but here comes the latter whether we like it or not.

Yes and the mahdi will come back and team up with jesus to fight international capitalism lead by Trump the Antichrist. Chtuhlu will rise from the sea with his armies of minions but rapture will take place right when humanity is on the brink of extinction.

Ridiculous hysteria in this thread, Fillon was Sarkozy's invisible prime minister for 5 years and no one even remembers him. He's a perfectly normal alternance candidate, a bit heavier on Christian values than is habitual for a French politician but a lot less keen than Sarkozy on nativist populism.

In 2016 I'll happily vote for him against le pen in the second round if Macron doesn't go through.Obviously I would have rather had Juppe but I don't see what right I have to choose the candidate for a party that is not mine.

 

[Dalibor68]

As usual in these kinds of threads here, there's a huge amount of hyperbole. At least this time the thread title isn't something like "Facist candidate wins Right-Wing Primary".

Fillon will be fine. He already was prime minister for a long time. And frankly, I don't understand how anyone can be surprised that things are moving to the right after a) 3 major terror attacks in 2 years, b) several minor terrorist incidents throughout c) Calais constantly in the news, d) the Paris suburbs still existing in their current form, e) Hollande being the most disliked president ever and all the worker protests/riots there were before/during the EC this summer. Many people here still seem to think people just turn racist overnight for no reason and expect them to still vote left.

 

[oti]

As usual in these kinds of threads here, there's a huge amount of hyperbole. At least this time the thread title isn't something like "Facist candidate wins Right-Wing Primary".

Fillon will be fine. He already was prime minister for a long time. And frankly, I don't understand how anyone can be surprised that things are moving to the right after a) 3 major terror attacks in 2 years, b) several minor terrorist incidents throughout c) Calais constantly in the news, d) the Paris suburbs still existing in their current form, e) Hollande being the most disliked president ever and all the worker protests/riots there were before/during the EC this summer. Many people here still seem to think people just turn racist overnight for no reason and expect them to still vote left.

Pretty much. Sucks the dude seems to be advocating for "traditional family values" but that's something to work on. Le Pen is a disaster through and through.

 

[SporeCrawler]

Why is everyone saying that le pen will win. You do know that in france you vote twice right? There will be a No. 1 vs. 2 election and lenpen may get No. 1 in the first round but will not win against
UMP and PS combined

 

[Dalibor68]

Why is everyone saying that le pen will win. You do know that in france you vote twice right? There will be a No. 1 vs. 2 election and lenpen may get No. 1 in the first round but will not win against
UMP and PS combined

That would require having to actually inform yourself about the french voting system instead of just fearmongering.

 

[Magni]

Why is everyone saying that le pen will win. You do know that in france you vote twice right? There will be a No. 1 vs. 2 election and lenpen may get No. 1 in the first round but will not win against
UMP and PS combined

To nitpick, Le Pen could win 50+% in the first round, which would make it the only round. (of course, no one has ever won in the first round).

 

[Mistouze]

Fillon will be fine.

Let me guess, you are a white heterosexual dude from the middle class.

With sens commun behind him, gay rights are at the very least not going to progress under a Fillon presidency, we're at the very least going to get a stupid debate about abortion rights. If you're poor you can kiss that healthcare goodbye. Muslims are going to get another round of fuckery going their way.

Fillon is the poster child for the "fuck you got mine" motto. Not the shit I want for my country really.

EDIT: Funny shit I just saw this morning

 

[1.21Gigawatts]

Pro

And I believe he wants more controll for EU even

Thank god.

 

[Dalibor68]

Let me guess, you are a white heterosexual dude from the middle class.

With sens commun behind him, gay rights are at the very least not going to progress under a Fillon presidency, we're at the very least going to get a stupid debate about abortion rights. If you're poor you can kiss that healthcare goodbye. Muslims are going to get another round of fuckery going their way.

Fillon is the poster child for the "fuck you got mine" motto. Not the shit I want for my country really.

Yes truely, who doesn't remember the hellhole France was under center-right presidents from 1995-2012. Thankfully Hollande and his Socialists fixed all that, made the country safer and didn't incite riots by trying to pass legislature without parlamentary agreement.

And frankly you can keep this "Oh look a white male, lets disregard his/her opinion based on his/her race" crap to yourself. If you think in unsure times like these most peoples' primary voting concern is somehow gay rights then I got some bad news for you. Even if it sucks.

 

[KingSnake]

Let me guess, you are a white heterosexual dude from the middle class.

With sens commun behind him, gay rights are at the very least not going to progress under a Fillon presidency, we're at the very least going to get a stupid debate about abortion rights. If you're poor you can kiss that healthcare goodbye. Muslims are going to get another round of fuckery going their way.

Fillon is the poster child for the "fuck you got mine" motto. Not the shit I want for my country really.

Wasn't Fillon already prime-minister for 5 years? Did he do any outrageous things back then?

 

[Mass_Pincup]

Yes truely, who doesn't remember the hellhole France was under center-right presidents from 1995-2012. Thankfully Hollande and his Socialists fixed all that, made the country safer and didn't incite riots by trying to pass legislature without parlamentary agreement.

Are we gonna forget the riots in 2005 now? The CPE law?

 

[shinra-bansho]

Against a Federal UE and wants less power in the European Commission.

Wants a UE military force and to put all UE debts in common.

He also wants more common budgetary, fiscal and social politics across the UE members.

Does not compute.
Aside from wanting to decentralise power from Brussels it sounds like he wants a Federal EU.

 

[Mistouze]

Yes truely, who doesn't remember the hellhole France was under center-right presidents from 1995-2012. Thankfully Hollande and his Socialists fixed all that, made the country safer and didn't incite riots by trying to pass legislature without parlamentary agreement.

Saying Fillon will be shit is different than saying Chirac/Sarkozy/Hollande were the greatest.

And frankly you can keep this "Oh look a white male, lets disregard his/her opinion based on his/her race" crap to yourself. If you think in unsure times like these most peoples' primary voting concern is somehow gay rights then I got some bad news for you. Even if it sucks.

As a white heterosexual male too, it's always a pleasure to see I'm surrounded by "it's not our primary concern right now" dudes.

Wasn't Fillon already prime-minister for 5 years? Did he do any outrageous things back then?

Did he do anything but being Sarkozy's lap dog?

 

[Alx]

Ridiculous hysteria in this thread, Fillon was Sarkozy's invisible prime minister for 5 years and no one even remembers him. He's a perfectly normal alternance candidate, a bit heavier on Christian values than is habitual for a French politician but a lot less keen than Sarkozy on nativist populism.

Exactly. It's funny how US politics seen from France may be more rose-tinted than the reality (with the huge positive image of Hillary Clinton), while French politics in the US seem to be seen as much darker than they are.
Fillon is a known value indeed, and for people unaware of French politics, the Prime Minister is the one in charge of the government and all the law making. And Fillon has been in charge for 5 years already without anything terrible happening. I don't especially like him and dislike a lot in his program, but let's not exaggerate him to Le Pen level.

As a white heterosexual male too, it's always a pleasure to see I'm surrounded by "it's not our primary concern right now" dudes.

I don't agree with that "white heterosexual male" thing, this is not the US. Our society isn't separated in "white community vs black/arab/asian community". As a matter of fact, for all their shortcomings and issues, our cities and "cités" are especially diverse in ethnicities. Sure we have racism and tolerance issues and they're on the rise, but trying to draw a line between communities is the last thing we want to do.

 

[El-Suave]

If you want to slow down the free transit of persons, to have the power to print your own money again, detach your country's decisions from Brussels, favorize your national enterprises, stop the TTIP, take a backseat in NATO, what are your options as a voter?

Your best option would be time travel.
Getting out some of these institutions with huge negative consequences is nuts especially if you're one of the countries who actually have a lot influence in them.

 

[Mistouze]

I don't agree with that "white heterosexual male" thing, this is not the US. Our society isn't separated in "white community vs black/arab/asian community". As a matter of fact, for all their shortcomings and issues, our cities and "cités" are especially diverse in ethnicities. Sure we have racism and tolerance issues and they're on the rise, but trying to draw a line between communities is the last thing we want to do.

I agree with you in the principle but what's the fucking message sent by french society in recent years towards muslim? What's the takeaway from this primary's winner coddling Sens Commun and having people explain to you that those rights aren't that important since the economic situation isn't what it should be?