So, as promised, some more election updates...
Wednesday night saw the traditional two and a half hour debate between the two candidates, Sarkozy (UMP/droit) and Hollande (Socialiste/gauche).
They talked about the economy, immigration, nuclear energy, public education, taxes and more.
What struck me the most was that both candidates were seated opposite a table (no, there was no wine served), instead of standing behind podiums. The had decreed that neither be filmed while the other was speaking, a fact I found kind of unfortunate as we couldn't see their reactions. The debate was moderated by two journalists, a man and woman from TF1, who, frankly, did not do much moderating.
A French show Le Petit Journal, akin to The Daily Show, made fun of how they rarely intervened, or if they did quite uneffectively to limit the interruptions and digressions of the candidates.
Hollande tried to frame the debate as Sarkozy's bilan or progress report at the end of his term. Sarkozy responded by listing all the reforms he had implemented during his term and how none had been met with opposions. Pardon? He must have a short memory or be deaf/blind to not remember at least the strikes and protests his retirement reform provoked. But okay. He also seemed to forget the opposition that erasing the year of formation or training for first year teachers last year, or uproar in response to the thousands of teacher's posts he has cut in the last two years.
As if he weren't already unpopular enough among the teachers (for the aforementioned reasons and then some) to ice the cake, during the debate Sarkozy said that teachers only work 18 hours a week, for 8 months out of the year, insinuating that teacher's do not work enough, and therefore have room to work more, paving the way to erase more posts and continue to increase the number of hours teachers work a week.
Needless to say after that comment Sarko was even more despised in the teacher's lounge next day.
What's more exciting was Hollande came to Toulouse, to the Place du Capitole the following day, Thursday, to give a speech. By the time I finished work and hopped on my bike I couldn't access the square where he was, but watched from a giant television a few blocks away.
He spoke a lot about immigration, and giving more access to the country, its jobs and its culture to Germans, Spanish, Irish, and North African immigrants.Though he didn't expressely mention us by name, I could tell that he actually meant to say, "I love Americans, especually you, Lindsay Walter. I would love to give you residency."
Someone must have advised him to be a bit more animated and humorous as he cracked quite a few more jokes than normal and an overall more casual tone. Typical to any candidate who approaches power he began talking about how all the problems, unforuntately, wouldn't disappear with Sarkozy, although, he himself was the first and biggest problem to go. Har har har.
In other news, Marine Le Pen (Le Front National) has decided to vote "blanc" or with an empty ballot. Sarkozy received no backing from any candidates no longer in the running, a fact that Hollade did not neglect to mention in his speech in Toulouse.
The second and final round of voting is on Sunday, and we will know the results at 8pm! Really a very exciting time to be in France.
A plus.
Lindsay
Wednesday night saw the traditional two and a half hour debate between the two candidates, Sarkozy (UMP/droit) and Hollande (Socialiste/gauche).
They talked about the economy, immigration, nuclear energy, public education, taxes and more.
What struck me the most was that both candidates were seated opposite a table (no, there was no wine served), instead of standing behind podiums. The had decreed that neither be filmed while the other was speaking, a fact I found kind of unfortunate as we couldn't see their reactions. The debate was moderated by two journalists, a man and woman from TF1, who, frankly, did not do much moderating.
A French show Le Petit Journal, akin to The Daily Show, made fun of how they rarely intervened, or if they did quite uneffectively to limit the interruptions and digressions of the candidates.
Hollande tried to frame the debate as Sarkozy's bilan or progress report at the end of his term. Sarkozy responded by listing all the reforms he had implemented during his term and how none had been met with opposions. Pardon? He must have a short memory or be deaf/blind to not remember at least the strikes and protests his retirement reform provoked. But okay. He also seemed to forget the opposition that erasing the year of formation or training for first year teachers last year, or uproar in response to the thousands of teacher's posts he has cut in the last two years.
As if he weren't already unpopular enough among the teachers (for the aforementioned reasons and then some) to ice the cake, during the debate Sarkozy said that teachers only work 18 hours a week, for 8 months out of the year, insinuating that teacher's do not work enough, and therefore have room to work more, paving the way to erase more posts and continue to increase the number of hours teachers work a week.
Needless to say after that comment Sarko was even more despised in the teacher's lounge next day.
.JPG) |
| Hollande at the Allées Jean Jaures, Toulouse, France |
He spoke a lot about immigration, and giving more access to the country, its jobs and its culture to Germans, Spanish, Irish, and North African immigrants.Though he didn't expressely mention us by name, I could tell that he actually meant to say, "I love Americans, especually you, Lindsay Walter. I would love to give you residency."
Someone must have advised him to be a bit more animated and humorous as he cracked quite a few more jokes than normal and an overall more casual tone. Typical to any candidate who approaches power he began talking about how all the problems, unforuntately, wouldn't disappear with Sarkozy, although, he himself was the first and biggest problem to go. Har har har.
In other news, Marine Le Pen (Le Front National) has decided to vote "blanc" or with an empty ballot. Sarkozy received no backing from any candidates no longer in the running, a fact that Hollade did not neglect to mention in his speech in Toulouse.
The second and final round of voting is on Sunday, and we will know the results at 8pm! Really a very exciting time to be in France.
A plus.
Lindsay
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