2017 is election year across Europe. Voters in France, Germany, Bulgaria, and the Czech Republic will all be heading to the ballot box later in the year.
The first round of the French presidential election will take place on 23 April, and there is everything to play for. The centre-right candidate, François Fillon, was widely expected to be all but guaranteed victory until a scandal involving allegedly employing his wife for “fake work” erupted.
There is now the real possibility that the former economic minister and centrist candidate, Emmanuel Macron, could pull off a shock victory. And, of course, the possibility still exists that France could have its “Trump” or “Brexit” moment, with the far-right Marine Le Pen emerging triumphant.
We had a comment from Byron, who thinks the Front National could take 25% of the vote in the first round of the French presidential elections. Is he right? Opinion polls certainly seem to back him up (though Macron has recently snatched pole position). If so, why are so many voters backing the Front National?
To get a response, we put Bryon’s comment to Paul Taylor, Contributing Editor at Politico and former European affairs editor for Reuters. What would he say?
Well, Byron, 25% is roughly where she is now in the polls. People are backing her partly because they’re fed up. They feel that the country has been stagnant for a decade; high unemployment, low economic growth, concerns about immigration, and the middle class feel that they’re losing their footing in society, that their future is not secure. So, there’s a temptation among a lot of people to go for a stronger brand, also because of a sense that the existing political class is self-serving and has been involved in corruption.
That also explains what you see also in America and in Britain; nationalism in the form of Donald Trump, protectionism in the form of Brexit with a sort of British isolationism, and in France too there are people who want to try a nationalistic experiment. However, I’m not convinced that she has the power to get from 25%, if that’s what she gets in the first ballot, to 50% plus one vote. Because her economic policies scare a lot of people; people who have something to lose, people who have savings or property, people who are understandably scared of the experiment of leaving the euro, leaving the European Union, and converting back to Francs. So, I think, in the end their pocket book will get the better of their gut feelings.
We also had a comment from Carmela, suggesting that people were voting for nationalist, populist parties like the Front National as a protest vote against the establishment. Is she right?
To get a response, we put her comment to Shahin Vallée, former advisor to Emmanuel Macron, and former advisor to then-European Council President Herman Van Rompuy. What would he say?
I think it runs deeper than a protest vote, and I think we have to pay some respect to the fact that economic globalisation, European integration, and technological progress – that are all good things in principle – have actually had quite profound redistributional effects in our economy. And it tends to be the same people that have benefited from these three very powerful forces, and the same people who have suffered from these very powerful forces. And I think there’s been, I think we can say, a failure both at the European and national level to compensate the losers of globalisation, European integration, and technological progress properly.
So, it’s no surprise that those people who feel they have lost from these events are turning against the EU now. And I think in some sense we have to take heed of the Le Pen vote, not marginalise and castigate these voters as just a simple bunch of xenophobes who have not understood the great merits and benefits of progress, globalisation, and European integration. We have to understand that actually it’s a fact that the progress brought by these forces hasn’t been uniformly shared. So, those who argue against Le Pen and in favour of openness, European integration and technological progress, I think it demands from them to find concrete responses to some of the pitfalls that come inevitably with these forces.
Why do people vote for Marine Le Pen? Is it because so many French voters have been “left behind” by globalisation? Do they support her radical economic programme, or are they worried that leaving the Euro presents too big a risk? Let us know your thoughts and comments in the form below and we’ll take them to policymakers and experts for their reactions!
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Becouse they are tired of bulcheat
Germán Zubeldia Pérez, Ignacio Conde Mendoza.
This guy is pure wisdom!!
Regards Tiago Bartolomeu. Do not change.
Because she is the only one it seems that is openly opposing islamic migration.
When you say Islamic migration do you mean refugee families and the biggest problem for France right now is Islam, really?
Putin paid propaganda is successful!
Do you see Putin even under your bed when you go to sleep?
Никола Бошковић are you a reality-denier?
They vote Le Pen because of people like you Diaconu, deluded…
Paschalis Bourletsikas is has been proven that Le Pens party received funds from Moscow!!! So it’s not me who’s deluded!!!
Diaconu George Razvan, can you provide proof for that statement please? Le Pen received a loan for her campaign from a Russian bank because all the European banks (and others) refused her the same loan. She’s very open about it… If this is what you’re referring to as “receiving funds from Moscow”.
Since everything in Russia is so state controlled it’s a common sense statement.
Because of their shallow minds!
Because she wants to protect her people, and does not bow to EU tyrany
But she used EU money
Tak kak radi HDZ i HSP?
All countries in EU do. EU is trying to force politics of some on others who dont want it, that is the tyranny part.
Kakve veze imaju oni sa Francuskom?
And she does it from accounts in Panama, creating fictitious jobs to collect subsidies and refusing to appear in front the court… c’mon, Really?
People do not like political correctness. People like to hear that they are victims in their own country. France was a big powet in the past, it ruled the world now France is just one member od the Eu, it is on the same level as Estonia or Romania. And French don t like that. They dream of big superod France as it once was. She is promissong them to bring the grateness of france back but not knowing that is immposible. She is a lesson for all leftist parties that they need to change the course of their policies.
Maybe people understands and support her opinions?
Because she speaks the truth
And the truth is that refugee status must be revoked, that France must leave the European Union because that will be better for the French -all french people can see the brexit go better, yes-, and everything from accounts in Panama, creating fictitious jobs to collect the subsidies and finance the party and refusing to go to court… Do you know? Ôo)-~ The truth is that the missionary is not the most popular position of kamasutra, THAT is true, really ¬¬)-~
Cause and effect, fundamental logic understood since Aristotle.
The more a country gets scr*wed up by one extremist political regime, the bigger the social demand for the other extremism.
All forms of extremism are harmful to society but let’s face it, the leftlibs had really scr*wed up France.
Because they are racist and stupid People 😩😩😩😩
Because they are racist and stupid People
Ignacio Conde Mendoza dale dale Euroescéptico!
Ignacio Conde Mendoza dale dale Euroescéptico!
Because she is a woman.
Could it be because the’re simply stupid?
If you see them as stupid, by applying the relativity theory they see you as stupid. It is not a good approach to try understand things.
Fernando Nabais actually I see them as misinformed, but this , sadly, would take enormous amount of time and information for them not to be like that, also it would need them to keep an open mind, take their informations from various sources, not only the ones they like, pretty much in the end we come to the same result :(
Cause she speaks the same language like the people. She see the same like us and she talk of real problems.
The others just have politicians speeches and they work not for us but for a few rich ones.
In all the history of humanity, people always get the empires down! That is happen right now.
So you really think that le pen is actually different or she is just “speaking the language of the people”? That exactly the danger of populism. Explain me how le pen is actually different than all the “others”.
She say what peoples want to ear because she want to have more power. She talk about real problem, but she hasn’t soluction to problems because she is part of the problem.
Real politic know that a State is difficult to manage and there isn’t “simple” soluction to all problems of all peoples.
Do you mean that Panama accounts, creating fictitious jobs to collect subsidies with which to fund the party, refuse to go to court and say that the biggest problem that France has right now is the refugee’s status, is to speak the language of the people? What people? Ôo)-~
Because they are poor and ignorant, and they blame it on migration, instead of taking a hard look in the mirror, and realize they suck at making money without having benifts from society 😎
Because they are poor and ignorant, and they blame it on migration, instead of taking a hard look in the mirror, and realize they suck at making money without having benifts from society
Germán Zubeldia Pérez, Ignacio Conde Mendoza.
This guy is pure wisdom!!
Regards Tiago Bartolomeu. Do not change.
Because she is the most intelligent of the candidates, has the most coherent, rational, pragmatic and patriotic domestic and foreign policy and because she is the only sound and rational choice for anyone with even a whisper of intellect in them.
by whisper of intellect, do you mean whisper of nationalist propaganda ?
Why is someone discredited if he or she is “nationalist”? It simply means loving their own people, culture, traditions and country.
And “propaganda” activity is usually monopolized by the state, the big media and the Internationalist corporations. And all of those elements are pinned against Le Pen.
This is a struggle of David vs. Goliath.
The little people, the working class, the farmers and the natives of the land will always harbor such traditionalist and true socialist values, and they are naturally opposed to the big banks, the media, big pharma, Internationalist corporations, and globalist elites, whose willing soldiers and stormtroopers are in fact, the so-called “left”, which is so delusional that they do not realise they are simply a bourgeoise, bohemian, decadent sect of society, a fifth column working for the destruction of the land’s culture, working class and native population, via the “reverse colonization” policy.
Because she is like the dealers who are selling used cars…they they say what the customers want to hear …she is going to be the next nigel farage :))
farage did what he said …
and then he quitted…no responsibility taken…..grand move
Because these people that vote for Le Pen are stupid and cannot see that it is the French Style State Dominated closed and protectionist economic model that is the problem with its hundreds of trade barriers to investment in the French Economy that is the source of the high unemployment rate in France and throughout the European Union. The French are waking up to the fact that Le Pen will make France commit SUICIDE on the global geopolitical stage, surrendering French Sovereignty to the United States and US Federal Reserve., making France completely insignificant via Le Pens promised French withdrawal from the Eurozone and the European Union, becoming a LAPDOG of Trump.
Because
Many probably because they are sick and tired of being called racist.
Most people are tired of all of the other politicians, who are total frauds, and are not cynical enough yet to realize that she is also a complete fraud.
… because ‘they can’…
Because they are idiots and idiotic people make idiocies.
what an idiotic reply. Grow up.
not really, Miguel Palma, if the French electorate votes for someone who has accounts in tax havens, who is able to create fictitious jobs to collect subsidies to fund her political party and who refuses to go to court to explain… well, we are not talking about people with very furnished head, of course
Because we love Her!!❤️
yes, sure, it doesn’t astonish me, only serbian or other ex-yugoslavian, bulgarian etc. like you can understand the primitive nationalist speech of Le Pen. But, be careful, firsl, she’ll expel muslims, and then, other foreigners…
Martin Vana das toch goede zak !! dat zij maar doe !!
Because we love Her!!❤️
Никола Бошковић are you a reality-denier?
Because the democracy is in big trouble
Yes, the democracy is in big trouble.
Watching how Verhofstadt and Juncker are behaving, You can only have fear for the future.
How far will the populists mainstream parties devide the European countries?
The common European thoughts are gone, and the well respected EC has turn in to a Transfer union North South.
With no light at the end of the tunnel.
there is no democratie, only ECB kapitalism !!
They possibly will vote for her because the alternatives are much worst! More over we have seen them for decades and know very well their platform doesn’t work – so maybe not he perfect solution but at least is a good try.
But it was really pity how the whole EC/EP get deep into the fight against Le Pen, forgetting that nobody have right to interrupt French vote – and this “dear” European leaders just show you totally forgot what the democracy is!!! And this turn people off!!!
Much worse for whom? Because the only people that come out with their rights intact are white and heterosexual.
Evans Fu For everybody the economical polices and globalisation obviously doesn’t work in favour of the regular European citizen, I even not point to the homo and lgbt this time!
a good try… well, It isn’t necessary to fight against the vote to Le Pen, if the French electorate votes for someone who has accounts in tax havens, who is able to create fictitious jobs to collect subsidies with which to fund his party and who refuses to go to court, Although it is imputed… well, they deserve what they have
They possibly will vote for her because the alternatives are much worst! More over we have seen them for decades and know very well their platform doesn’t work – so maybe not the perfect solution but at least is a good try.
But it was really pity how the whole EC/EP get deep into the fight against Le Pen, forgetting that nobody have right to interrupt French vote – and this “dear” European leaders just show you totally forgot what the democracy is!!! And this turn people off!!!
Marine Le Pen is the best! That’s why!
браво собутыльник
Why is she the best Mr. Grostins?
Because of a sense that the existing political class is self-serving and has been involved in corruption and also because the progress brought by the EU hasn’t been uniformly shared. People are fed up of being fooled……when there will be equity and equality among people and governments then the system will work !
браво собутыльник
Ask Angela Merkel.
Polulism and nationalism?
Le dinamiche interne di un Paese , in questo caso della Francia , di storia, di politica , io credo che solo i francesi francesi possano saperlo appieno e rispondere a questa domanda. Ci sono i francesi doc a rispondere ? Perchè ? Ce lo dicano loro il perchè
Le dinamiche interne di un Paese , in questo caso della Francia , di storia, di politica , io credo che solo i francesi francesi possano saperlo appieno e rispondere a questa domanda. Ci sono i francesi doc a rispondere ? Perchè ? Ce lo dicano loro il perchè
.
Simply because she tells it like it is and doesn’t wrap the truth in pro EU lies.
Ivan you’re always complaining and commenting in a attacked and useless way. Would you please take your time to write down solid arguments and not just claims?Content in your opinions would be great.
Thanks.
Andrés Bracco
Its facebook, not an essay writing compition.
But thanks for taking the time out of your obviously very busy live to troll my posts.
Do you say it because having accounts in tax havens like Panama, creating fictitious jobs to raise subsidies with which to fundher party and refuse to go to court is to tell it like it’s?… but in Uganda, or…
Fear.
.
Fear of the antidemocratic EU ?, yes.
No. It’s fear of other people. It’s fear of the weak. That is how all fascists gain power, fear.
No it’s not it’s fear it’s fight back gain rights that’s not weakness that’s punch on the knife it’s dependent tho weach side u look at it
She’s a facist, and we have had enough in our history to show how bad they are when they get there hands on power.
The European Union was in response to the horror they created. You should read a history book now and again.
The other day, an economist, very well known in spanish TV, began a conference, sponsored by the university, with “Many people don’t understand it, but when we talk about economy, we talk about people (…)”. When questions time came I asked him if could explain us what has to do the public enterprises related to basic services privatization with the welfare of people, and he answered “The privatization of public services results in its lowering and, therefore, results in people being able to access them more economically (…)”. Before I could answer him, anyone, from the back of the room, pointed out this doesn’t happen with the electricity companies that were previously public, the price of kilowatt hour becomes more expensive every month, another spoke about private management of water, cleaning and garbage management companies that have made the service expensive and worse, a lady even talked about Ambulance services, in Spain were also a public service in other times.
At some point we should recognize that we have a problem, not only in Spain, in Europe and, if hurried, in the whole world; There is an insistent, methodical and repetitive crushing of that demagogic speech that begins with with “the economy talks about people”, continues with “the liberalization of the management of public services and essential products results in its cheapening” and ends with “private is better than public”. A speech that, although reality denies it and we see it EVERY day, is said like an unappealable truth were, even among those who suffer the lie directly; from pensioners who see how lose purchasing power month after month, parents who pay for a concerted education when should be free, or who suffer the private management of health that denies the necessary treatments and medicines, say that I speak of hepatitis C patients in Spain.
I can continue. There aren’t “isolated” cases, or specific failures of an alleged “improved” public system, happens in ALL countries where public management is in private hands. It isn’t about better public services, it’s about making money, your money, our money, our tax money at private hands, depleting those public services.
What happens when four fifths of 550 million people are unable to meet their needs, States are unable to provide solutions because large companies pay governments to not make them effective, pensioners lose purchasing power, there is a large unskilled workers mass and young people, ones with a university degree who must take any unskilled work, others without education, who are involved in this unskilled workers mass? The answer to this question we already saw in 1922 in Italy and the USSR, 1932 in Germany, and we have seen it again in the United States in the last presidential elections, we could see it in France, Holland, Belgium, Bulgaria, Hungary, Czech Republic and we almost see it in Greece. It just takes another crisis… and winter is coming.
I don’t agree with Byron when says that the National Front is voted because french people perceive that the political class is involved in corruption scandals… Marine Le Pen is another corrupt one, Mariano Rajoy in Spain, or also, that does not prevent that people vote for them… hopefully, but not.
I agree, in part, with Shahin Vallée. It’s clear that globalization, European integration, and technological progress are good things, at first… but when globalization isn’t about cultures, it’s about business supremacy; When European integration isn’t about peoples, is about who’s in the first-class car, second-rate, or crawling on the ground sweeping the butts; When the technological process isn’t done respecting things as simple as human rights, we don’t talk about good things, we talk about instruments of oppression, in this case neoliberal oppression -the last two economic crises that has suffered Europe and the United States haven’t really been economic, have been, above all, bankrupt principles, especially democratic, and that is anything undeniable-.
I repeat, winter is coming.
………well, that was the doctors diagnosis- now comes prescription time- and it is….?
Will the present political medical aid provide cover for it?
Not the current one, but there’s a way to change it, we all know what it’s. The way to change is go back to 1930? It did not work then, nor will it work now. So? Are Europeans really stupid enough to not realize that the answer is protect people, not banks?
Will the right do that? Right now it is unthinkable and does not seem to have plans to do so right now all it does is to dismantle the welfare state across Europe and sell it to the weight.
Will the extreme right do that? As we can see in France, Holland, Belgium, Hungary, or the Czech Republic, the extreme right is as corrupt as the Vichy Regime, Nazi Germany, fascist Italy, or Catholic National Spain; Accounts in tax havens, fraudulent collections of subsidies to finance their political parties and go ahead, and to cover it they just have to talk about illegal immigration, that immigrants steal jobs, that come to rape our wives, daughters and granddaughters, they are no longer Jews who eat children, now are immigrants who come to put bombs and to convert us to… Mitrianism? Hinduism? Shintoism? Islam? Or are Muslim all the immigrants coming to Europe? Really? We have reached to a point where the most misogynist, homophobic and antidemocratic movements, the extreme right, arrogates the right to call misogynist, homophobic and anti-democratic to Muslim immigrants, and there are Europeans who buy the speech.
How can we change that village european mentality? It’s simple, Do you want to change the mentality of immigrants who do not want to integrate? Forces their children to study duly in the public education system, children change parents… hey, wait, it isn’t possible, the right has ended the public education system in Europe Ôo)-~
Everything is solved with more, not less. Do you want democracy? More democracy, no less rights; Do you want to create jobs? Subsidizes companies to create jobs, but while creating jobs you charge taxes of everybody, and when I say everyone, is everyone, not only the one who works, the unemployed also buy the bread and pay taxes every time they do. That serves to European states and for Europe, as long as the European Union continues to promote austerity against citizens and protection of banks, the European Union will not be Europe, will be another thing, but that we must change, the European citizens.
Vote better, vote more, vote for the future of your children and your grandchildren, and vote for want more Europe, no less.
We, as citizens, need to look to civilized Europe and set it up as example; an example of good management of the public, the real existence of options for the maintenance and improvement of the Public Welfare System, of more democracy with more citizen rights, more humanitarianism, more capacity to be what we want to be as Europeans within our diversity and the diversity we welcome. We don’ need to look to the Europe that the right is dismantling to make a profit.
Germany isn’t the goal, Denmark is.
So far, so good!
Quote:
* “The EP barely changes course- regardless”.
* “The major enemy of the EP is national parliaments”- by Mr. Danuta Hubner
MEP: as reported in “The Economist” in 2014.
http://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21602200-european-elections-will-neither-lend-new-credibility-european-parliament-nor-give
Denmark is great:
Out of the 751 EP seats- Denmark is allocated 13 seats (1.73%). Spread over 8 different EP parties (4 seats within the ECR). How much (positive) influence on reform- if any- will/can it have?
First, I see that I have a previous comment that is awaiting for moderation and that clarifies your previous one. I don’t know why is awaiting.
The problem isn’t the weight that Denmark has in the EP, the problem is the goal that Europeans want to get, it’s simple, or go back to 1930, or look at a European future that most Europeans want.
We know that don’t want the austerity system that the right has imposed in the European Union and protects banks, not people. Let’s change it.
SB sorry, you actually didn’t clarify it!
You are stating an aim- more of a “mission statement”- but not how to rectify, eliminate its grievances & achieve something better. One only has the democratic procedures provided for in the EU electoral system to choose from. Where do you start?
…….“vote for want more Europe –not less” (you omit using “more EU”- great!) & “Let’s change it.”- also great! But the “how” is still missing!
It isn’t simply done by an announcement of either going back to 1930 and/or blaming the extreme right, the banksters & economic austerity (all policies guided & decided by the EU)- without a plan how to fix it.
How do you implement to “vote better, vote more and vote for the future”? Great words! I only know about using EP elections every 5 years (2009, 2014, 2019 etc)
How can one dismiss the “democratic weight” in the EP that a Denmark or any others have as not consequential? Everyone influences the outcome in the EP to some degree. The critique & question is- its (diluted) ineffectiveness- more like “protocol being observed”- rule as ever- forever.
The EU voter turnout in 2014 of a dismal ~42% was actually a “non confidence vote” in the EU. Why such lack of seriousness & enthusiasm? EU elections need urgently a new set of criteria, to avoid being labelled a farce.
http://graphics.wsj.com/european-elections-2014/
The strange thing isn’t that the voters participation go to less, the strange thing is that there is still participation, and I don’t mean only the European elections. The issue isn’t that the European elections should turn on other criteria, the question is whether the citizens vote can, or cannot change things.
Until now we have had a social-democratic majority, also a neoliberal majority in the European Parliament, both supported by the vote of Europeans, and both have influenced the deterioration, dismantling and defenestration of public services and welfare system that our grandparents fought To create, lift and maintain. Now we even see social democrats and neoliberals united voting things in the European Parliament that should never have been approved because the vast majority of Europeans don’t want them, let’s say I’m talking about CETA.
If voting for Social Democrats and neo-liberals only serves to make them both do what Europeans don’t want, Why vote? Although it is clear that my question would be other, my question would be “Why Vote Again to Social Democrats and Neoliberals?”
I have very clear what the vote for the future, but my job isn’t to make them electoral propaganda, that should be done by them.
I don’t want that you understand I despise Denmark, on the contrary, I’m a firm defender of the goals that the Scandinavian countries allow us to glimpse,
but also believe that these goals will be achieved together, as Europeans, or we will never achieve them, regardless of whether we are Danes, Italians, Hungarians, Swedes, or French.
As I said before, in my view, right now, to vote more, to vote better and to vote for the future isn’t to vote again for Social Democrats, or neoliberals, and nor is to vote for less Europe, the extreme right, there’re other options that wants more Europe, wants protects citizens, protects public services, and protects the well-being system our parents fought so hard for.
I can not say it clearer
Yes SB, you could name these democratic parties by their official name! No need to be secretive about that!
Assuming, it’s the “Non affiliated” or “Non-Inscrits” in the EP you’re referring to- having 18 members- right- or? http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/hemicycle.html
Should you refer to them- is it a viable political grouping enabling it to bring about meaningful change within the EP- when?- & if ever? What is their unifying party manifesto- except being NI? How much is their growth potential, while consisting of a mixed bag of ideologies (from the “Far-right” to “Communists”). Are you not contradicting yourself by blaming the far right for the present economical malaise but supporting them in the NI?
Further, measured against the EU “fine print” in the EP rules book- (check the rules) they presently remain largely (officially) ineffective. How can one morph opposing ideologies into one uniting party- nationally & on EP level? Quote:
“Party groups are best explained by cartel theories. These give priority to strengthening the EP’s collective capacity to enact policies rather than voting in accord with the programmes they were nationally elected to represent.” Any opinion?
Realistically, the collective capacity will remain with the traditional center, assisted at times by parties to the center left or right? Or- will more national results like BREXIT be the solution to ENFORCE serious reform, a rethink of the EU concept & start afresh with e.g. a multi tier EU?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-Inscrits
It’s no secret, there’re many political parties left in the European Parliament that want more europe. Social Democrats and neoliberals are very interested to say that the left wants to end the European Union, but it is not true, want other European Union, the European Union of citizens, not companies, and The frontal rejection of the European citizens to the pseudo business constitution that social-democrats and neoliberals tried to present as good should give a clue about.
Sorry, I don’t mean to “Non affiliated” or “Non-Inscrits”, although is evident that there’re thousands of civil organizations in Europe asking the same that those left parties with representation in the European Parliament ask for.
The extreme right is not guilty of what happens on the economic level in Europe, social democrats and neoliberals are, because protecting banks, not citizens, with the money of those citizens who don’t protect, and the European Union has blessed it because social democrats And neo-liberals rule the European Parliament, because of the vote of the citizens. This isn’t debatable, it’s the reality and we have been living since 1996.
The extreme right, as the 1930s, has taken advantage of the economic situation to blame the migration of the evils of Europe, accusing the rest of the political forces of corruption and prevarication when they sin of exactly the same, and Marien Le Pen is a great example. At the same time the extreme right uses the same clichés to demonize the left… today, “they will remove you a house of two you have” = 1930s, “they will remove you a cow of two you have”… sorry, but the vast majority of European citizens haven’t two houses, 45% have any… wait, Nor have a cow! And, of course, if social democrats and neoliberals continues to govern, they will haven’t a pension either.
I have been saying for a long time, who wants to hear me, that to vote for a party to the European Parliament for what it promises for the country in which it’s voted is a waste of time, effort and votes -Let’s say I talk about the PSOE and the Partido Pular in Spain-, and that can be transferred to all the countries of the European Union. My question, and it’s a question that I ask so much to the parties that I could vote for the European Parliament and which also form a joint bloc in Parliament, is whether they aren’t able to form a joint program that all parties belonging to That block can support without fissures, and if the answer is yes, transfer it to the set of citizens of each country. I admire the Green Party for it. Its program groups many parties from different countries that, basically, defend the same things seamlessly and the citizens are rewarding them for it. Well, I don’t see any reason that prevents the left to do the same.
Brexit isn’t a solution at all in the European Union, nor in the UK. Yesterday all Europeans knew that european citizens resident in the UK become hostages of the british Government (https://twitter.com/SkyNews/status/841358851601518592) and the Scots aren’t seen outside Europe.
It is clear that the European Union needs a serious reform, but this will not come from the European Parliament, nor will there be a European Constitution, as long as social democrats and neoliberals rule, everything that comes out of it will benefit companies and banks, not citizens.
We already have a European Union of multiple levels, just ask to a Greek, Cypriot, Spanish, Italian and after to a German, or Austrian.
SB, to make head or tail from your comment is not easy.
JCJ’s & the EU’s goal is clear: you are either “in” or “out” of the EU. Vote for whatever party you wish- you have chosen to be “in” and not allowed to change anything. Did that dawn on you yet?
Therefore, the only alternative is to be “out” and build a new union with new ideas & other E-nations who treasure their sovereignty. The UK was first “out” and now endures the wrath of all the “in’s”. So what, so be it, respect it!
What would be wrong with a Union of sovereign nation states- “comparable” to a “buffet breakfast”- where every guest comes, chooses & takes what he wants to eat. Useful EU institutions can be utilized and become a “think tank”- like the hotels kitchen- who prepares all these delicious ingredients for every one to pick & choose. Should some get a stomach-ache- it’s their own fault- nobody else to blame.
Polish Law and Justice party leader Jarosław Kaczyński has already suggested such idea- not bad- only bad for the present EU concept:
https://www.euractiv.com/section/future-eu/news/poland-urges-new-eu-treaty-based-on-nation-states/
Because of illegal migrants mostly.
11.1% of the population in France is immigrant, only the 12% of that 11.1% is illegal immigration…
Have you a calculator? Right.
The total population of France in 2013 is 66.03 million people, How many illegal immigrants are there in France? A clue, it’s a rule of three… c’mon.
Don’t need a calculator, rough estimation from your figures is that over 1% of the population of France are illegal immigrants, by anyone’s standard that is a lot
….or to be more specific (again based on your figures)….879,519
Pozor na Lepenovou již chce vám vzít vklady kde mají občane odložené ve Francií až 240 mld.euro. Již než budou volby tak dejte šance Macron.
Pozor na Lepenovou již chce vám vzít vklady kde mají občane odložené ve Francií až 240 mld.euro. Již než budou volby tak dejte šance Macron.
Because they´re tired of false democracies…That´s why Trump won as well…That´s my opinion.
Because they´re tired of false democracies…That´s why Trump won as well…That´s my opinion.
Sick of politically correct neo liberalism.
Because they are sick of phoney liberals with fat government jobs and politics of hate to western values.
Andrés Bracco
Its facebook, not an essay writing compition.
But thanks for taking the time out of your obviously very busy live to troll my posts.
Every country is facing the consequences of the globalization which is in a long term harmonize cultures among them
This process existed before and will exist always, and most of the time is achieved over many years, in order to citizens be able to understand it and integrate it. Whereas last years this process have been faster than never, so nationalism is reappearing. Nationalism is not bad, but Le Pen’s call , this kind of nationalism is based on xenophobia and racial prejudice.
Populism called the attention of those who see the foreigners expulsion and boundaries as the panacea of nowadays problem.
For the same reason why the British voted for Brexit! Nostalgia of the past, intolerance towards differences and defense of values like patriotism, racism and xenophobia. They forget the main reason why the EU was created: to preserve peace in Europe. Britain and France were involved in two world wars and they should be the first ones to want a united Europe.
You must be a special kind of stupid!
I rather think that the depraved as racists and xenophobes appropriate patriotism and nationalism and use it to hide money in tax havens, irregular funding of political parties and judicial imputations. If french people end up voting for these types of political options is because they are forced to look in the garbage and that’s the fault of a neoliberal system that refuses to guarantee rights and provide solutions to citizens
Michael Paraskevas, seems you’re an expert in stupid then.
They are desperate for change and see no other option… Like in the US. Only because governements should trust more their people and their participation in democracy. It’s clearly not a good option… Next step is revolution because their promises will be kept and bring more desesperation! The tangible change has always been brought by the less predictable people, but it is not Marine Le Pen for sure!
A lot of people are tired of the globalization. It is clear that it is not work any more. That why brits said No. That why american people said yes to Trump.
TRUE
Why does the media cover Le Pen?
Me read history ???ok fascism Italian orology nazism are u one of those feel fear about Hitler’s ghost ?Fuck European Union and the fuckin open border policy
Common sense.
Yes, the racists and xenophobes who hide behind nationalism and the depravity of patriotism have a lot of common sense, yes ¬¬)-~
Because the french are up to their 00 of the EU.
Maybe because they sick and tired watching EUROPE sink into a state of disrepair ?? Or maybe the French are fed up being a pawn/puppet state to the war hawks in Washington, France is deeply involved in Syria, backing the wrong side sadly (Agaisnt Assad) thus the terror that comes home to roost, to any mistakes, too much chaos, finacial slavery etc etc people are tired of the same old, not just in France, next is Holland, and then Italy .. Europe better buckle up.
Then french people will vote to extreme right… because Syria… Really??? And have you right to vote… anywhere… in Europe? You’re so creepy, dude Ôo)-~
because she is only addressing the real problems.
She doesn’t about accounts in tax havens and collecting subsidies for fictitious jobs to finance her political party, she doesn’t about that… and because she’s imputed, of course
That’s a very good question!! I have personally no clue!! I mean, how much hatred you have to feel to want such people to represent you?
hate is not the problem, real problem is the EU wich does nothing to solve problems and is closing there eyes for them. And immigration is not welkom any more because of huge problems it creates. We dont wont any more moslims to enter EU . We people of EU dont wont them to destroy our free way of life and that is a big problem..
Why moslims? Why do we now hate people from a specific religion? I am catholic, not atheist. Does that make me any better/worse than some one else? What if I would be atheist? What does it matter to you? That prejudice is completely injustified and sad. Sorry. My way of life is free because I want it like that. You can have a free life also. Just be free yourself.
Zille Vuk.- When you say immigration creates big problems exactly what do you mean? Do you mean that they do jobs that Europeans don’t want to do? Do you mean that they do those jobs and there’re countries that don’t want to grant them basic rights such as health or education of their children, even though they pay same taxes as the rest of citizens?
Only 7% of total immigration that comes to our borders is Muslim, for example, 16% are Chinese, and 43% have animist african religions… oh, wait, unless you mean to refugees who come from Syria, Yemen, Afghanstan, Iraq, Palestine, fleeing from wars caused, supported, driven and backed by European governments to sell arms, let’s talk about Eastern European countries and Spain, or get advantageous geopolitical positions, let’s talk about Germany and France.
When you say that they come to end our way of life… Do you mean those people who choose to refugee status fleeing those wars? Really? Ôo)-~
And yes, what you are talking about is hatred, racism and xenophobia, and remember, xenophobia is a phobia like any other and has psychological treatment. You don’t fool anyone ¬¬)-~
Pedro Silva.- Sorry, but I’m an atheist and hate god, or gods like I hate Batman… don’t know if I explain it.
US federal reserve is the root of all problem in the west. Everything depends on economy. And people don’t understand economy. So they have no clue.
Amarilda. Iljazi. Famiglia. Iljazi. Via. Castello. Undici. Formia. Zero. Kuarto. Zero. Due. Tre. Formia latina.
They are nationalists who don’t understand the benefits of living within an EU community. Of course one must make an effort to integrate into something bigger, learn another language, tolerate other cultures…but the result of this synergy is more for everyone.
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What is European if not a fake Nationality ?
If you speak about benefits as community, you’re right, but if you talk about benefits by belong to EU… that doesn’t exist right now in the European Union, and we all know why. The right has turned European Union to a protectorate of companies and banks that walk at their mercy promoting laws against European citizenship… and I can give many examples that prove it. The reality is that the European Union protects banks, not citizens, and does so with the money of those citizens.
But let’s not blame ourselves. The right does it because most Europeans vote for right, not just to the European Parliament, Europeans support right-wing governments in their countries. Are Europeans so dumb as to think that the right would defend them from banks and large multinationals? It seems.
That the French vote for the extreme right is only a way to not facing their responsibility. The fault of French welfare state collapse isnt of immigrants, it’s fault of French people who vote governments that have sold their welfare state To companies that would like to buy it to dismantle it. The same happens in the United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Czech Republic, Hungary… Europe has a problem created by its citizens, and its citizens will have to solve it, but certainly not making the idiot over and over again with their votes.
Ivan Burrows.- I have always said, if the British people don’t feel European, out. But now, quickie. I don’t understand why the European Union has to wait for the UK to start the exit process, the British have voted, out, right now.
Before Brexit one pound 1,31 €, after Brexit one pound 0’73 €uros… a bold and, above all, intelligent movement, yes. I am sure most of the Europeans will follow you in this… nationalist leap of faith?
Go out.
Ivan Burrows.- There’s no longer any doubt. EU citizens resident in the UK become hostages of the UK Government, and I repeat, Go out to EU, now, not tomorrow, NOW! https://twitter.com/SkyNews/status/841358851601518592
The polyetnic-multiculture- states like Americans are just polyethnic jobs and bankers gets all our money and control Europe not the opposite. Our states doesnt belong to us and we dont want to be americans because they are ALL MIGRANDS.WE ARE IDIGENOUS and we want the control of our big historic countries and not to be minorities on them. We dont like imperialism and colonies but we dont like also migrands to be more than us… than the ethnic team. Sciences letteratura new technologies progress of societies and new generations are complitely follow americans….we have nothing else to conversate except depths and migration. And how we enjoy -ATOMISM-our money spending them in useless thinks so big factories get biggers and the others we became slaves to them. And not the opposite…
If you dont have money you are nothing. These are new values of humanity. European leaders they can deside and find common solutions for simple thinks. Except ine. How they ‘ll destroy Greece and hide that their progress started from our country.But the economic messures of death is on the way to the other countries too. The diffence from external atracks against europeans is funny. So the big leaders in Europe are…smaller than those insanes in Syria(isis).
I’m sorry, but, in all this tirade, where’s the answer to why french people would vote to extreme right? Is curiosity Ôo)-~
Why do people vote for Marine Le Pen?
Perhaps this video will answer the question!
Why do people vote for Marine Le Pen?
It appears the audience approve of her swearing. Or, maybe, they approve of her attack on previous politics she feels has driven the French people into poverty and servitude.
I forgot the link above
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lpGB2h4ydw
And she does it with accounts in tax havens, creating fictitious jobs to collect subsidies to finance her political party and refusing to go to court to explain it even though she is accused.
She does not attack the previous, because she is the old, the same corrupt extreme right that drinks of the Regime of Vichy. Of course, it’s not about Jews now, is it?
And the French people are in poverty and servitude as are all the peoples of Europe who continue to vote to the right and the extreme right to the European Parliament, who continue to vote for policies that protect banks and not people.
That will not change the right, nor the extreme right, because they live from it, as now live from it in the United Kingdom with the Brexit, or does any Frenchman believe that the British are now better than before? And a video that manipulates the truth does not change who Marine Le Pen is.
Nothing else.
We like better mr. PUTIN and LePENN than fake news and liberals
when say “we”… Who’s “we”? An association of hairdressers, children of maize, the League for Feminist Liberation, KKK? Who’s “we”? C’mon, a clue ¬¬)-~
She is speakin the truth. Europe is colapsing because jobs are gone with cheap working force from east and this is hurting economie of country. She is allso adresing big problem with Saudies Sunny Wahaby Imamas that preach hate in EU agaist christiens and if this problem is not adress than will lead to a war. And than will be a big cleaning in EU.. Politics today are corupt till the bones and are sucking the story of higher bidder and this must be stoped !
IRENE ROSA when immigrant smiles to you ,that means he wants to fuck you, dont get fooled with there nice speach when only thing thay want is to rape ,joung, christen girl and they prefer to do this in groeps !! You are too young to onderstend that not everybody who laugh to you is NOT your friend !!
Try to get the job and then you will onderstend how much EU destroyed.. Franch people are sitting home without jobs and french company close to Dunkerqe have 137 Workers from Poland !!! HALLO THIS IS NOT INRICHMENT, this is bullshit !!!!
They are sick of neoliberal elites. Of Merkel with her “immigranten-wilkommen”, of constant draining of people and resources towards the few wealthy members, of needless antagonising of Russia while at the same time states like the Saudi Arabia are communded for their “democracy snd humsn rights”. The list goes on and on. The funny thing is how people are buying Schultz’s populistic rethoric whilst failing to realise that SPD and CDU have essentially the same agenda (abdSchultz was awfully quiet for all these years under Merkel, with now suddenly becomming a voice of ressistance). The funny thing is how this clash of right vs. center is essentially a case of bad guy vs. bad guy. Whoever wins, the majority looses.
France so worried about the draining of another countries wealth, perhaps they should look at what the country is doing to Hati.
The polyetnic-multiculture- states like Americans are just polyethnic jobs and bankers gets all our money and control Europe not the opposite. Our states does not belong to us and we dont want to be americans because they are ALL MIGRANDS.WE ARE IDIGENOUS and we want the control of our big historic countries and not to be minorities on them. We dont like imperialism and colonies but we dont like also migrands to be more than us… than the ethnic team. Sciences letteratura new technologies progress of societies and new generations are complitely follow americans….we have nothing else to conversate except depths and migration. And how we enjoy -ATOMISM-our money spending them in useless thinks so big factories get biggers and the others we became slaves to them. And not the opposite…
If you dont have money you are nothing. These are new values of humanity. European leaders they can deside and find common solutions for simple thinks. Except ine. How they ‘ll destroy Greece and hide that their progress started from our country.But the economic messures of death is on the way to the other countries too. The diffence from external atracks against europeans is funny. So the big leaders in Europe are…smaller than those insanes in Syria..pao for ever
Not the current one, but there’s a way to change it, we all know what it’s. The way to change is go back to 1930? It did not work then, nor will it work now. So? Are Europeans really stupid enough to not realize that the answer is protect people, not banks?
Will the right do that? Right now it is unthinkable and does not seem to have plans to do so right now all it does is to dismantle the welfare state across Europe and sell it to the weight.
Will the extreme right do that? As we can see in France, Holland, Belgium, Hungary, or the Czech Republic, the extreme right is as corrupt as the Vichy Regime, Nazi Germany, fascist Italy, or Catholic National Spain; Accounts in tax havens, fraudulent collections of subsidies to finance their political parties and go ahead, and to cover it they just have to talk about illegal immigration, that immigrants steal jobs, that come to rape our wives, daughters and granddaughters, they are no longer Jews who eat children, now are immigrants who come to put bombs and to convert us to… Mitrianism? Hinduism? Shintoism? Islam? Or are Muslim all the immigrants coming to Europe? Really? We have reached to a point where the most misogynist, homophobic and antidemocratic movements, the extreme right, arrogates the right to call misogynist, homophobic and anti-democratic to Muslim immigrants, and there are Europeans who buy the speech.
How can we change that village european mentality? It’s simple, Do you want to change the mentality of immigrants who do not want to integrate? Forces their children to study duly in the public education system, children change parents… hey, wait, it isn’t possible, the right has ended the public education system in Europe Ôo)-~
Everything is solved with more, not less. Do you want democracy? More democracy, no less rights; Do you want to create jobs? Subsidizes companies to create jobs, but while creating jobs you charge taxes of everybody, and when I say everyone, is everyone, not only the one who works, the unemployed also buy the bread and pay taxes every time they do. That serves to European states and for Europe, as long as the European Union continues to promote austerity against citizens and protection of banks, the European Union will not be Europe, will be another thing, but that we must change, the European citizens.
PAOOOOO G.13
Vote better, vote more, vote for the future of your children and your grandchildren, and vote for want more Europe, no less.
If somoene will vote for Le Pen the France will be destroyed. A fascist lady that she is representing a fascistic political party.What future France will have with her ? Better to come in goverment one anarchist political party.
Some people are well aware about the global banking cartel and their interests.
Because the ethnicity is not nationalism and idigenous or migrands are not the same. When youoose your identity and you are just a consumer of usless thinks or an atomistic member of multiculture societies. …you loose your own culture and history as an ethnic team (bad and good)!. Societies are not happy. We are not America and we dont want to be. We are ancient countries with big history and process so some of other people are welcome friendly of course but not millions …..
Because she lies a lot, and people are not accustomed to the fact that some politicians run their campaigns on lies. And she can also count on a strong support from RT, Sputnik and Breitbart.
RT seemed very impartial until the day I decided to read the comments.
RT should be called Kremlin Today
.
Because unlike Fillon & Macron she stand with France and the French people and not with the empire builders in Brussels.
Jean Monnet , Robert Schuman , Francois Perroux . I costruttori in Europa della UE ( oltre l’america ) , dell’euro e del 3% sono francesi che lavoravano per dei gruppi di potere industriali franco tedeschi . Chi è il costruttore dell’impero di Bruxelles ? Eh
la combinazione tra l’euro francese e il neoliberismo inglese è stato straordinario. Nella seconda guerra mondiale , mentre voi inglesi ci bombardavate , non avete cacciato i nazisti o i fascisti quelli li avete protetti , avete bombardato il popolo italiano e raso al suolo le nostre città e monumenti. ….bhe mentre voi facevate questo, i francesi hanno organizzato stupri alle donne italiane dalla Sicilia alla toscana , mezza Italia . Non avete mai chiesto scusa di quel che avete fatto. Ma che gente siete ?
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Because unlike Fillon & Macron she stands with France and the French people and not with the empire builders in Brussels.
Jean Monnet , Robert Schuman , Francois Perroux . I costruttori in Europa della UE ( oltre l’america ) e dell’euro e del 3% sono francesi che lavoravano per dei gruppi di potere finanziari industriali franco/ tedeschi . Chi è il costruttore dell’impero di Bruxelles ? Dobbiamo ringraziare i francesi per questo grande “regalo all’umanità ” che ci hanno donato.
Becauae they are sick of the status qu o and she offers an alternative
propaganda
Because is stupid?? Yeah
Because it’s easier to fear rather than working things out
Better to vote inside…it is easy, just open that link
?because many are pis.ed off with the EU project telling the future as per their eyes with no recognition of any challenge
Simply, because they’re stupid
We do not need to call the European left or right but we need a radical new way to protect EU. I accept Emmanuel Marcon in the French Presidency
Stop Le Pen
Because they can, that’s why!
because EU is a massive tax escape system that drains out european countries to a few extra wealthies profit.
because EU is a massive tax escape system that drains out european countries to a few extra wealthies profit.
wanna know, ask her voters!
Only stupid People
Only stupid People
Only stupid People
I don’t like to hesr s person which like to distroy Europe. Because of Europe
We hsven’t had a war. Wyh so much rsssisme, why so much haine? I hope she will not win. We go back . The nationalisme is not good for our childrem.
Populism and promisses without support in real life? Saying to people what they want to hear? ;)
Vote against LePen!
My French friends, please DO NOT abstain from voting! Not voting = “passive” vote for le Pen as no doubt the proto-fascists will ail vote massively for her!!!
I think it is cause current liberal model is broken and mostly liberal politics do not support for the concerns of ordinary people… They even force communist style censorship to shutdown talks about the model cracks …. result to the moment is that now have 3 European Capitals with permanent military forces present … and anyway https://milo.yiannopoulos.net/2017/04/swedish-niqab/
For the same reason they vote all the other corrupted political parties- “hope”
She is good .
When the USSR was a threat the extreme right wingers in France and in other countries of Europe showed solidarity with the parliamentary right wing parties and with the NATO allies. With the USSR gone this was over and they returned to their old fascist ways. It naturally took them about 15 years to grow into recognizable political parties. The Brexit referendum was their bigger success so far.
Because right-wing populism gains more and more attraction to people and because offering simple answers to the complex issues of our time is what people are looking for. I absolutely sincerely hope she does not win.
People vote for Le Pen because Europe don’t vote for the people.
I think it is mostly because people want to differentiate themselves from the “elite” groups in the country. Majority (or at least large group) of nationalist/ultraconservative/angry voters want to be in a different group than politicians and people who support standard politics. People feel left behind, people feel that state is not providing for them, people feel that politicians are distant from what is an average life in the country. (at least what I can see in Czech republic).
Those people (in relation with immigration) view helping others as betrayal, because they feel they need help as well. But the same people are against homosexuals, against ethnic minorities that are already there. Today’s anti-immigration and anti-muslim voters were anti-Roma, anti-EU, anti-LGBT just few years back. That won’t change, there will always be a group of people that feel disenfranchised. The discussion should be, what can we do for those people to feel as a part of the country they live in. Basically, people who say that foreigners or other minorities can’t integrate into society are same people who feel not integrated into the said society themselves.
discuss :)
Cause liberals had 50 years and failed to prove themselves?
Because they are idiots