Friday, January 26, 2007

La Presidentielle

Today I'll be kicking off a recurring feature on the French Presidential election, known here as "la presidentielle." It's a subject that gets almost no news coverage in the American press, which is a shame, really, because if politics were a sport, la presidentielle would be the Olympics. That's how well the French practice it. They realize that democracy, more than allowing the people to govern, is really a means of limiting the kingship in order to widen the field of those who might aspire to it. Longtime practitioners of courtly intrigue, the best among them have mastered the art of the subtle, seemingly effortless remark that in fact eviscerates.

The classic example is an exchange during the 1988 Presidential debate between incumbent President François Mitterand and the challenger, opposition leader and Prime Minister Jaques Chirac. (Here's a video link for any French speakers.) Remember that in the French parliamentary system, the Prime Minister governs, but at the mercy of the President, who appoints him. There is therefore an implicit hierarchy established between the two men, one that Mitterand attempts to exploit in his opening remark by referring to Chirac as Mr. Prime Minister. To which Chirac responds:

Allow me just to tell you that, tonight, I am not the Prime Minister, and you are not the President of the Republic. We are two equal candidates, who submit themselves to the judgment of the French people, the only one that counts. You will permit me, therefore, to call you Mr. Mitterand.

Mitterand's short but lethal comeback?

You are absolutely right, Mr. Prime Minister.

Now there's a little over two months to go until this year's election, with all the major candidates in place. The campaign should start in earnest any time now. So over the course of the coming week I'll try to sprinkle in some posts to introduce the various candidates, as well as to recap some of the maneuvering that has already taken place to narrow the field. Then we'll sit back with a good bottle of wine and enjoy the show.

A quick overview? Interior Minster Nicolas Sarkozy is the odds-on favorite to win. But I'm betting on darkhorse centrist candidate François Bayrou to stun the field.

Posted by Judah in:  La Presidentielle   

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