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The 65+ generations are those that were already well integrated in society before 1968. They grew up in a society that had strong notions of authority and order, they believed in De Gaulle. The main effect of 1968 was an erosion of authority as a positive value. No longer are people expected to obey.

Sarkozy's discourse insists on the negative effects of 1968 (as is usual in France, the right wing tries to undo the last revolution), and on restoring authority. That's how he appeals to those old voters.

Un roi sans divertissement est un homme plein de misères

by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Sun Apr 29th, 2007 at 06:37:26 AM EST
Is it possible Sarkozy's support in the 65 + category stems from a combination of what has been posted-security, immigration issues; with the older demographic's disapproval of Royal having an umarried partner and four children with him out of wedlock?

In some perverse way are the older voters giving more credilbility to Sarkozy's broken marriage with the blame on his wife running away with another man and more blame on Royal's modern day partnership?  

by An American in London on Sun Apr 29th, 2007 at 09:23:26 AM EST
[ Parent ]
French voters (even older ones) typically give little or no importance to questions of marital/sexual mores when choosing candidates.

linca's 1968 explanation is spot on imo - this is a matter, for these pre-baby-boomers, of considering the country has gone down the drain, authority and discipline need to come back, etc. Jérôme points out the irony of people who no longer work supporting the candidate who says he's for the "work value", but in fact it's quite "logical": they feel they worked hard during their lifetimes and now no one works any more.

So I'd say it's law, order, authority, discipline, work. In fact a line-up that will get out the silver-haired vote in pretty much any country, and certainly in France.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Sun Apr 29th, 2007 at 11:58:38 AM EST
[ Parent ]
I don´t agree, anecdote wise. I talked with my mother - she is well into the over 65 category - about the acceptance of Segolene by her friends who are mostly women over 65 and among them a lot rural and/or deeply catholics women and she told me that some of them were mentioning the kids out of wedlock.
She confirm the statistic of the poll, and told me she had some heated argument when saying around  she was prone to vote Segolene.

La répartie est dans l'escalier. Elle revient de suite.
by lacordaire on Sun Apr 29th, 2007 at 04:46:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]
1968 was apparently the main theme of Sarkozy's last large Paris meeting according to Le Monde

Un roi sans divertissement est un homme plein de misères
by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Sun Apr 29th, 2007 at 02:39:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Just commented on that above... no luck there...

Rien n'est gratuit en ce bas monde. Tout s'expie, le bien comme le mal, se paie tot ou tard. Le bien c'est beaucoup plus cher, forcement. Celine
by UnEstranAvecVueSurMer (holopherne ahem gmail) on Sun Apr 29th, 2007 at 02:43:34 PM EST
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