c071600246f86fc408d11b0b_pa3780c.jpg Paul Lachine

Saving France, Saving Europe

With the Socialists now in control of the presidency, the National Assembly, and almost all subnational governments, France is now witnessing a concentration of power that is unprecedented in its republican history. But the country's greatest concerns can still be resolved solely within the EU – and only if the EU survives.

PARIS – The face of French politics changed dramatically in May and June. First, after 17 years of center-right presidents, François Hollande, a Socialist, was elected. Then, a month later, a center-left majority took control of the National Assembly, too, after ten years of right-wing domination.

Meanwhile, the Senate, the French parliament’s upper house, a conservative bastion between the two world wars and ever since, swung to a Socialist majority for the first time in history at the end of 2011. The Socialists also control 20 of France’s 22 regional governments, a majority of the presidencies of the Departments, and most cities with more than 30,000 inhabitants. In short, we are now witnessing a stunning concentration of power that is unprecedented in French republican history.

All of this occurred very peacefully, with no wave of triumphalism, or even much enthusiasm. Indeed, the abstention rate for a presidential election had never been higher before the contest between Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy.

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