France held local elections. The center-right and far-right parties came out on top. The Socialist Party of French President Francois Hollande suffered a severe set-back.The center-right UMP got 48% of the vote and the far-right FN got 7%, for a total rightist vote of 55%. The Socialists got only 43%. Why did this happen? France has near-zero economic growth and high unemployment, costing Hollande his popularity. See http://news.yahoo.com/far-expects-surge-french-local-elections-172631351.html;_ylt=AwrSyCOIaC9TSzkAFX_QtDMD Does anyone else notice the similarity between France and the US? Here in the US, polls now predict major Republican gains in this year's election, including a good chance of taking control of the Senate. We have low economic growth (2.4% in 4Q13. See BEA), high unemployment (labor force participation rate 63% and trending lower. See BLS), and a President whose lies in the face of a deteriorating reality have at last alienated a majority of the people (Average approval 43.1%, disapproval 52.6%. See RCP). Is France copying the US, or is it the other way? In either case, socialism does not work. That may be why the only long-lasting socialist regimes have not been truly democratic. Socialists can win elections. They did so here and in France. But when a free people sees what socialism means, they opt out every time.
Not a good comparison because the "right" party in France (Sarkozy) is still more liberal than the "left" party here (Obama). USA is a center country, France is left.
Hardly. Sarkozy was pro-business. He sought to lesson government control. Obama is the opposite. USA is a center country. Obama is not a center politician. The country is just starting to notice because of Obamacare. Most of what Obama has done, or tried to do and been blocked, was invisible to the general public. The liberal press covered for him, and most people weren't directly affected that they knew of. Clever of you to hide Obama behind the country, but the two aren't the same. Obama got elected by lying, not by representing the country.
