Legislatives

I took these pictures outside the International school last week: some posters pasted on the official election boards outside what will be the local polling station for France’s legislative elections.

I can’t vote, but if I could – it would be a difficult choice as there are candidates from the whole political and philosophical spectrum:

• POI – The independent workers party, who are “For socialism, the republic and democracy”.  Their manifesto involves saying “Non” to just about anything that is vaguely European – including ceding from the EU itself (which if you ask me doesn’t sound very socialist).
• NPA – The New Anti-capitalist Party, who intend to make those responsible for the Global Financial Crisis pay for it.  Though they are a little vague on whose fault it is exactly.
• FN – The National Front, who think that the country’s problems are directly related to foreigners coming ici and taking nos jobs. Which of course isn’t true – because there are no jobs in France!
• Parti pour la décroissance – The anti-growth party, who believe that all of society’s ills come from the desire to grow the economy and therefore that recession is the answer. Interesting idea – make everyone more depressed than they are already – and then we’ll all be (relatively speaking) happy!

And of course there are the dull selection of blue-suited politicos from the mainstream parties too, who, compared to the loons listed above are more or less guaranteed election.  I think however, given this choice, I would still be torn – between spoiling my ballot or indeed showing up at all.

Isn’t democracy wonderful?