French and European Elections

Just Old

Maybe she is ahead on paper.
What I mean is that she may be well reconsidering making the statement that she made about running for another term.
It must be going round in her head about the gigantic task she will have to take on.
Not only trying to appease the German people for what's happening to her country, which is proving more and more difficult, but her role in being the pay master and effective ruler of 27 countries within the EU.
Before things started going bad for the EU Merkel had already established herself as leader of Europe, and she ended up becoming more and more embroiled in decision making, which in my opinion was outside her remit.
She had done a wonderful job for Germany reuniting it, and was on a political high.
Like so many successful politicians she hasn't got out at the top, and as the case has shown so many times in life, when your at the top there is only one way to go.
If she does win and continues all I can see are more blunders, and maybe withdrawing inward to try and keep Germany together as the EU destroys itself.

Just Old

Jens Weidmann, president of the Deutsche Bundesbank CREDIT:BLOOMBERG
"A 'no' is surely not the end of the world... but it's now even more important that Italian policymakers send convincing signals that they will tackle economic problems at the root."

And that's why he's President of a failing bank, and giving advice to a country that has been at the bottom of the pile for economic growth for centuries.

robel

Tactical move.....

Angela Merkel calls for widespread ban on ‘full veil’ Islamic coverings

"Her comments also came as German social media buzzed following the arrests of two asylum seekers in five days in connection with three sexual assaults, including the brutal rape and murder of a 19-year old medical student in the picturesque southern city of Freiburg"

If I am not mistaken this medical student was the daughter of a high ranking EU official....

Just Old

robel
As I have pointed out.
Another leader on her way out sounding tough trying to repair the biggest blunder she has made in her career with words the electorate know will be impossible to fully impose.
The more she keeps making hollow statements the more her credibility goes out the window, and people turn to alternative parties to fix the problems.

Cliff

I know even 'Remainers' find Europe remote and boring and are more interested in whether Trump uses hair growth products, but in the space a month everything has changed across the channel.

As you may recall the socialists were seen as dead in the water after Hollande's time in power. So the 'centre right' had a new star, Francois Fillon. He is now embroiled in a scandal concerning his wife's salary. She was paid her €830,000 ! Unfortunately a video came out where she said she really didn't assist her husband. So it looks like she had a fake job and that might mean the end of Fillon's bid to become president.

Who does that leave? An almost unknown- Emmanuel Macron, and of course Marine Le Pen .

Le Pen is still a long shot, due to the voting system. But with the latest terrorist attack today at the louvre and the number of lives lost in the last few years, will make it close.

hdsport

As someone who is very much in the anyone but Le Pen camp, I'm undecided if it's a good thing or bad thing what is happening to Fillon.  I was worried anyway about people on the left turning out to vote for him in the second round and now I'm not sure if I'd want to rely on a 'vote for the crook not the fascist 2.0' strategy.    As you say Le Pen is a long shot but she's not quite as much of a long shot as she was a few weeks ago.

pandemic

In head 2 head polling Fillion has the smallest lead vs Le Penn, so maybe not so bad.

robel

When you hear people speaking like the woman in this video, a Le Pen government is quite likely.....

krish

But Macron's gaining momentum, so France might well do the same as Austria who rejected the Nazi-founded FPÖ at their recent presidential election

Cliff

Absolutely shocking.
I have fond memories of driving to Calais, having a wonderful meal and coming back with a car load of booz.