Dear All
As expected, the people have spoken in France in a clear and concise manner at the ballot box.
We have a new French president in Francois Hollande.
As Nicolas Sarkozy would say:
‘Merde alors’!
And to trot out a bit of French language from school; ‘oui oui’!
Francois Hollande faces tough challenges; Europe needs to move as one to restore the banking system to work for the benefit of the country.
His election although publicly welcomed by other leaders probably isn’t, Sarkozy was in ‘the club’.
Austerity is being rejected by the people of France and will also be rejected elsewhere across Europe, Hollande is in the right place at the right time but does he have the will to push through what is required?
Time will tell.
His first broadside as President was to launch an outspoken attack last night on Britain’s obsession with protecting the City of London from Brussels-inspired legislation.
London is seen by many as a safe haven for the derivatives fraud to operate from.
So much talk of getting a grip of the bankers by David Cameron transpired as simply hot air.
Despite claiming to be an advocate of globalisation, Cameron is into protectionism, not for the benefit of the many but the lifestyle of the few.
Hollande sum it up when he says Britain is ‘indifferent to the fate of the euro area’ and ‘attentive only to the interests of the City’.
As much as Cameron talks about ‘free markets’ in the City of London being protected, it’s a cartel.
Hollande rightly campaigned against austerity measures; he ran his campaign by reaching out to the many with a vision for all.
A sound move by him was his support for an EU-wide transaction tax on financial deals.
His other idea on tax harmonisation isn’t ready for the public and governments to agree on, the European project is in need of radical overhaul for anything like tax harmonisation even to be considered on an agenda.
Idea without structure is meaningless.
Everyone is aware that a financial tsunami is sweeping Europe, Greece in chaos, people are angry, when people are angry and fearful, they will listen to anyone who is speaking up for them.
Fears the country could fall into hands of Neo-Nazi or left-wing extremists after attempts to form government collapse are a real genuine threat!
Mainstream political parties need to refocus on the social agenda, unemployment, rebuilding, creation of new business and backing people.
A new social contract is needed, of an old concept, government by the people for the people.
Voters are sick of being ignored, Sarkozy deserved to lost; he lost sight of the reason for his being, serve the people.
He did some gesture politics but couldn’t convince the majority he was on their side and in an election, track record counts.
Europe is in crisis, not by the election of Hollande but for continuing to not deal with the massive debt problems.
There has to be a recognition that banks are not too big to fail; nationalisation of the entire Eurozone remains an option.
After the Second World War, there was a Marshall plan for Germany, that plan proved successful which led to Germany being the powerhouse of Europe today, there needs to be a new plan.
Europe needs to reindustrialised.
There needs to be fluidity in allowing countries in trouble to opt out of the Euro, Greece is a prime example of a country that needs to leave to reset but still be eligible for EU grants.
Internal and external immigration policies put in place.
Reform of European structures, long overdue and desperately needed!
Ban on the trading of certain commodities in the financial markets which drive up prices due to speculation.
Hollande will have a fight on his hands to get his ideas taken onboard, but he has the backing of the people.
Governments are collapsing as people reject them, there is a political vacuum forming as those who don’t have ideas are deemed surplus to requirement.
Nicolas Sarkozy was always going to lose the French election; his reason for being President had gone.
His slide was like quicksilver, he had no ambition, no narrative and no feel for the people.
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
No comments:
Post a Comment