It Could Happen Here: Chronicle of a (not so) Foretold Election | 65 comments (65 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Post Industrial Northern France (4.00 / 2)

Le Pen has been successful at presenting herself as close to the people and looking at their interests rather than the "president of the rich". In that regard, Le Pen and the RN have sort of replaced the role taken by the Communist party back in the 2nd half of the 2Oth century: the party of the working class, those who can never make both ends meet. We can remember a former ET member who switched from a Communist supported to a Le Pen supporter.

Something interesting is starting to happen though: LFI (France Unbowed) and Mélenchon have attracted a large share of the working class vote, mostly in main urban areas.

The difference with Le Pen? Le Pen's vote is concentrated in small & medium size cities and rural areas; voters are largely white working class.

LFI's voters, on the other hand, while also largely working class, tend to be more ethnically diverse, which also explains the geographical differences: Minorities in France tend to concentrate in large urban areas; travel out of these urban areas, and you'll hardly see any black or brown face (so much for the Great Replacement theory).

We may be seeing LFI starting to take the place the Communist party occupied in the French political landscape some decades ago, with a much larger and more diverse population base, and minus the racist, exclusionary identity politics of the far right.

by Bernard (bernard) on Wed Apr 20th, 2022 at 10:51:13 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Post Industrial Northern France (none / 1)

How is Le Pens's economic policies below the headline level?

Is it the standard far-right mix of neoliberal economics with a paint layer of white preference on top?

by fjallstrom on Fri Apr 22nd, 2022 at 08:07:04 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Post Industrial Northern France (4.00 / 3)

It's pure populism, with the emphasis on "cost of living" : for example,

VAT at 0% for 100 essential items;
price controls;
zero income tax for everyone under 30;
retirement age 60...
[laundry list of everything nice]

All to be financed by eliminating immigration, of course.

Oh and economic patriotism : relocalising the economy, reindustrialising France. Everything nice.

It could be said that her economic policy is to the left of Macron's, but it's sheer fantasy.

The principle of the RN's economic policy is to follow the money. Le Pen père financed his party for decades by fleecing rich widows and eccentric inheritors who liked his classic fascist economic policies; his electors were racists who didn't care about those policies.

Marine has turned this on its head; she concentrates on the disgruntled poor, to maximise the vote and public political financing : hence, populist economic policy; while soft-pedalling the racism which is still the exclusive motivator of her activists.

_{It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue
- Queen Elizabeth II}

by eurogreen on Fri Apr 22nd, 2022 at 10:29:46 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Post Industrial Northern France (none / 1)

Of course it's all bullshit. It's same awesomeness the UK was supposed to experience after Brexit: more money for the NHS, cuts to VAT, better pay, lower rents, free kittens for everyone who wants one, and they don't even bite.

Then the bastards get in and start handing public money to their sponsors and personal friends.

Services are trashed, the economy crashes (because immigrants turn out to be essential), businesses close, and you can't even get fresh food any more.

If someone reminds the crooks about their promises they say "That's not what we meant."

Complete banditry.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Mon Apr 25th, 2022 at 09:58:23 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Post Industrial Northern France (4.00 / 2)

I didn't think he ever actually switched to Le Pen, rather he just wasn't all that bothered by the idea of her winning? Although he and I had a falling out and haven't spoken in a year or two, so I may have missed it.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

by Drew J Jones (pedobear@pennstatefootball.com) on Sun Apr 24th, 2022 at 08:14:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Post Industrial Northern France (none / 1)

OK, you probably remember him better than I do. I just remember him defending Le Pen's arguments and discourse (not the anti-immigrant part though, didn't mention that).

by Bernard (bernard) on Sun Apr 24th, 2022 at 09:14:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]

It Could Happen Here: Chronicle of a (not so) Foretold Election | 65 comments (65 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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