Understandably, the mainstream media in the UK have been most interested in the French regional elections because of the failure of the National Front to make a really telling breakthrough and seize control of at least one council. But we shouldn't lose sight of the historic result in Corsica, which represents the biggest challenge for decades to the French state's Neanderthal notions of absolute sovereignty. Of the large European states, France is the most backward in that respect, even more so than Spain, which at least allows nations like Catalonia a very substantial measure of autonomy.
Corsican Assembly second round election result (vote shares, changes are from second round in 2010) :
For Corsica 35.3% (-0.4)
French Centre-left 28.5% (-8.1)
French Centre-right 27.1% (-0.6)
National Front 9.1% (n/a)
Seats :
For Corsica 24 (+9)
French Centre-left 12 (-12)
French Centre-right 11 (-1)
National Front 4 (+4)
It may seem slightly bizarre that the nationalists have achieved victory in spite of their vote edging down slightly, but the explanation is that the National Front didn't make the second round last time, so the presence of the far-right has had an impact on all of the other three parties/alliances - but the nationalists less than the others. In any case, the nationalist vote was split last time between two parties in direct competition with each other.
The constituent parties of the alliance are the Party of the Corsican Nation, which is actually anti-independence but in favour of significantly increased autonomy, and the pro-independence Corsica Libera. It would be interesting to know whether the Party of the Corsican Nation have come under fire for deciding that the most natural alliance is with other civic nationalists, and not with other 'unionists'. It certainly makes perfect sense that they've taken that view, because as long as Corsica Libera have a pragmatic understanding that autonomy within France is the necessary first step towards their goal, the two parties' immediate constitutional priorities coincide entirely.
As you can see, the alliance has fallen just short of an absolute majority (they have 24 seats, and the combined opposition have 27), but there doesn't seem to be much doubt that they will form the new administration. What this result reminds me of most is the SNP's minority victory in 2007, when unionist parties in combination retained an overwhelming majority of the popular vote. The big question now is whether the Corsican nationalists will be able to use their limited power as a springboard to greater things, as the SNP did so successfully.
UPDATE : The UK media's early reporting of the results in mainland France was disappointingly ill-informed. For example, the presenter on the BBC news channel wrongly told viewers that the National Front's vote had "collapsed". In reality, the far-right party achieved its highest ever raw popular vote in any election, and seemed in terms of vote share to be fractionally up on the 27.7% achieved in the first round. The fact that it didn't win outright in any region can be entirely explained by massive tactical voting, and in a few cases by the complete withdrawal of the centre-left from the contest.
Like many other Scots, I now assume that anything the BUM (British Unionist Media) puts out has been manipulated. It is all propaganda.
ReplyDeleteTactical voting? Do you have any more information on this? Did the other parties actively encourage it ?
ReplyDeleteThe socialists certainly did. I hope I'm not being cynical, but I think I may detect something behind your question - and if so, let me point out that the French electoral system for regional councils has a strong majoritarian element - to a large extent, the second round is about winning a simple plurality, and thus getting the winner's bonus. It's very similar to the Greek system, and not at all like AMS.
DeleteIf you recall when Chirac was running off against Le Pen Pére the Socialists ran poster campaigns urging their supporters to vote for the Crook not the Fascist.
DeleteSuch better the devil you can deal with than the Fascists tactics have been a staple of pragmatic French Left politics for some time.
the absence of credible far Left parties means the Right in France is so very sadly unable to do the same for the Socialists in return.
Remember that when the Right call those of us on the Left 'unprincipled'.
The French left has lost so much of its influence since the Communist Party (PCF) was eclipsed in the 90s that it has been forced to adopt what I might refer to rather euphemistically as "alternative electoral strategies".
ReplyDeleteAlthough the PCF openly identified with Moscow it was a willing participant in the democratic process, being the largest party of the left at the end of the 4th Republic and in the early years of the 5th Republic and participating in a number of coalitions with the Socialists (PS).
When Eastern Europe moved to democracy the PCF became a dinosaur overnight and the PS feared Gaullist rule would be entrenched for a generation although with the 7-year presidential term that existed up to 2002 the 12 years of Chirac rule that followed Mitterrand from 1995 was as good as that.
The PCF was – no surprises here – the party of the blue-collar segment of French society. The rise of the Front National (FN) predated the fall of the PCF by a handful of years but as the insurgent party found its core support in a similar blue-collar demographic it became a common route to travel from PCF to FN.
Without the PCF rump of members in the National Assembly in the regions and in cantons the PS has faced up to the pragmatic choice on many occasions to give the Gaullists a clear run in 2nd round ballots to squeeze out the FN candidate.
This form of tactical voting is now an accepted element in French politics as it suits their system. As James correctly points out there is no correlation between the French and Scottish electoral systems. Any attempt to suggest otherwise is mischief-making...
Funny how you get all these nationalist administrations but never actually "a nation", isn't it? When push comes to shove, the electorate don't have the stomach for nation building. They want the flags and the facepaint - not the economic upheaval of forming a new nation or re establishing an old one.
ReplyDeleteCountries and regions elect these parties as a way of shouting "ME ME!! I want MOOOAAHH!!!!". But they always bottle it in the end and cling to mammy's apron strings for dear life :o)
Aldo
Bottle it or believe liars? like we are going to get equality,then oops did you really believe in the promise from Westminster.I'd live in a ditch if it meant independence for Scotland.
DeleteSpeak for yourself about 'bottling it' Aldo. That's why you did after all.
DeleteMy main motivation in voting "no" being a love for my country, the United Kingdom, it's hard to see how that can apply, personally, to me.
DeleteEmotional nationalist.
DeleteWhat "country" would that be now? The United Kingdom is a sovereign state composed of four countries; England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
DeleteNow away and eat your cereal you troll
Like the majority of yessers, then.
DeleteBut at least my decision can also be supported with hard data.
If Scotland is a country, where is its army?
DeleteWhat is its national anthem - the official one?
Can you tell me about its foreign policy?
Scotland is an ex country. My country is the United Kingdom - which has far more attributes of a country than Scotland has or ever will :0)
So basically what you're saying is that Ruth Davidson is lying when she claims that you don't need independence to be a proud Scot?
DeleteThanks for clearing that up for us.
So the 'Scottish' Conservatives is all a big lie?
DeleteI knew it!
Anyone can be proud of where they come from. You can be proud of being Scottish but that doesn't mean Scotland is a country or that it necessarily should be.
DeleteScotland is not a country. I deal in facts, not platitudes. Scotland was merged out of existence in 1707, along with England to form the UK.
I'm not actually sure how one can actively take pride in being Scottish these days. The place is overrun by nationalists supported by the Borg drone like citizenry who - due to poor education and emotional volatility - have fallen, en masse, for the bs lies and propaganda. I'm sick of being Scottish. I support whoever plays against our sporting teams. Yes, even England. Yes, even football! So fed up am I of nationalism. So this 'pride' in being Scottish, I really don't know where it comes from. We must occupy very different worlds indeed!
Anon. Wales is a Principality.
DeleteAnd Northern Ireland a province.
DeleteAldo, it's only really unionists who say they are 'proud scots' or 'proud to be Scottish'. I'm neither.
DeleteMan you don't get it. Makes me smile that; it's why the Tories sunk to a new record low in May.
It's funny. I get 'British'. I get how people support the Tories. I can understand it. It's not what I support, but I can put myself in their shoes / see the world from their perspective.
However, it seems to me strong unionists can't see it the other way around in that way.
Good thing for the pro-indy camp that they can't, certainly.
If you don't understand the electorate, you'll never win them over.
Get over yourself Skier. The majority of SNP / indy supporters are simple malcontents who don't get economics. They think a money tree in an indy Scotland can satisfy all their desires. Your own comments refute this however - acknowledging that an indy Scotland would actually be an experiment in extreme state reduction (the opposite of your voters wishes).
DeleteIt's a good job the majority of Scots can chew gum and walk at the same time.
Troll can't eat cereal but speaks mince!!!
DeleteYes, I am sitting here in Tallinn, Estonia where my neighbour hails from Ljubljana, Slovenia. As you say, nobody has the stomach for nation building...
ReplyDeleteI was in Montenegro only three months ago. I'll show you my holiday snaps at some point, Aldo.
ReplyDeleteMontenegro is much smaller than Scotland and became independent (by referendum) only a few years ago.
Bit of trouble brewing in Montenegro regarding NATO membership. The population being denied a vote on the issue. Many are pro Serbian and Russian supporters.Russia does not have a common border so are unlikely to intervene the same way as they did in Ukraine.
DeleteNo OO in Montenegro. Iron your sash.
DeleteNo 00 tae what! Polish yer Mitre.
DeletePolish your Tory master's boots. He's getting annoyed by the delay.
DeleteMontenegro is also a former member of the old Yugoslavia. So it has a troubled recent past. Maybe I should narrow it down a bit:
DeleteWestern
Democratic
Capitalist
Stable
If you can give me an example of secession that fits the above criteria for the parent state, then I will send you a cheque for 50 pence.
The Corsican assembly still has a majority of pro French state politicians. So, nothing really to see here. They can now decide on what date the bins get taken out or something equally mundane.
And Montenegro has also been taking capitalist Russian money to help build its infrastructure. Maybe that is why Putin is throwing his Teddy.
DeleteI think what you're trying to say, Aldo, is that any of the huge number of countries that have become independent don't count in your head, and any of the countries that haven't become independent do count. Abracadabra! Shazaam!
DeleteIs this the Montenegro that the Labour party openly insulted?
Deletehttp://news.stv.tv/scotland/217981-labour-leader-ian-gray-urged-to-apologise-in-montenegro-ethnic-cleansing-row/
Thank god they're not in government.
Skier, Your great leader Eck 1 was against intervening in the Balkans and ending the genocide which was mainly against muslims. Joke muslims should remember this.
DeleteAs expected, you cannot give an example.
DeleteI was trying not to dignify your cretinous "conditions" with a serious response, but since you insist : Iceland.
DeleteWould you like my address so you can send the cheque?
Why are the conditions 'cretinous'? It seems reasonable to me to request examples of parallel situations to the one you expect and wish to happen.
DeleteYour example doesn't satisfy the criteria. Iceland gained independence in 1918 - no referendum. It became a Republic in 1944 during the Nazi occupation of Denmark.
Your example falls down on the following points: democracy, stability.
No, Aldo, you don't get to set yet more retrospective conditions. Just the cheque will be fine.
DeleteNo. You have to satisfy the conditions first.
DeleteI had at least expected "Ireland". But that wouldn't meet the conditions either.
No, it satisfied the conditions in full. Western? Check. Democratic? Check. Capitalist? Check. Stable? Check.
DeleteCheque, please.
Firstly, it wasn't democratic because no referendum was involved. On a major constitutional issue, you would expect a referendum, by the modern standards of democracy.
DeleteInterestingly, the Icelanders held a referendum on whether they should introduce "community service" in 1916 but did not hold an indyref 2 years later. Strange.
The later cessation of all ties with Denmark came during the Nazi occupation of Denmark. So neither democratic, stable or capitalist in that regard.
No, no, no. You're shifting the goalposts retrospectively, and you're not getting it away with it. You said nothing at all about referendums - only that the country had to be democratic. Britain had never even held a consultative referendum on any topic until 1973. Are you saying Britain wasn't a democracy until 1973?
Delete"Cessation of all ties" with Denmark is a monumental red herring, because the SNP are not proposing a cessation of all ties with the UK. We will, for example, retain the monarchy and the Common Travel Area. "Cessation of all ties" is not the definition of independence, otherwise New Zealand would not be an independent country to this day.
Cheque, please.
It's not exactly democratic, breaking up a country without the consent of the people, is it? Britain had no referenda prior to 1973 because there was nothing worth voting on in that way. Until the EU arrived, there were no major constitutional issues to settle.
DeleteI shall retain my fifty pence
Aldo
So you laid down a challenge, and welched on it when it was met. We're all used to you losing arguments, but perhaps not quite as spectacularly as this.
DeleteOh dear.
Now now James - no need to be offhand. It's not my fault your example failed to meet the criteria.
DeleteAldo
It's not my fault you welched on your commitment. If you can't even keep to an easy promise like that, what credibility do you think you're going to have when you make a more difficult one? The response you'll get will be "we all know you won't pay up, so what's the point?"
DeleteNow there is a lesson for those who advocate lending second vote to somebody nice,for me its got to be SNP one and two.
ReplyDeleteHistory made today. I received The Scottish rate of Income Tax from HMRC. Nat sis on the spot from April 6 2016. Will they raise tax from the rich or keep moaning with the traditional hard done tae stories and blame the English.
ReplyDeleteYes Socialism, eh, sorry, Yes Scotland told us we could have a land of milk and honey and equality for "ra poor".
DeleteSo, now is their chance to lay the foundations of the socialist state they wish to eventually achieve. Hike the taxes on "the rich" (i.e. me with my mondeo and 2 up 2 down accomodation), and help "ra poor" (people who have done nothing with their lives except get drunk, inject drugs and have unprotected sex).
Go on SNP. I double dare you!
Aye, we can all vote Tory for lower taxes!
DeleteThat'll have the voters of Scotland flocking to the Tories!
Oh, wait.
Skier, what happened tae awray socialists that left Labour and joined the Nat sis. They are awfy quite. They could have joined the Tories for all we hear from socialists.
DeleteSince when did a socialist not support taxing the better aff in society!
They might start moving to the conservatives in the long run if SNP and Labour end up getting into a contest with each other over who can tax, borrow and spend the most.
DeleteWhy haven't they moved to the conservatives since 1955, but instead moved away?
DeleteLooks to me there's a correlation between offers of ever lower taxes / smaller state by the Tories, and declining Tory vote.
But hey, correlation does not equal causation and all that..
There's a very clear reason for it Skier, and I've gone into this before: Scotland enjoys socialism, without having to pay for it. So the "anti socialist" candidates are seen as bad, even evil. People wonder 'how can you be against this thing that is only good?' They think that because they have the good side of socialism (the spending), without the bad side (commensurate taxes to pay for the spending). I'm quite glad Scotland now has tax raising powers because it means any additional spending by us will have to be funded by us. Scots will finally experience the bad side of socialism - and vote accordingly. It should result in a far healthier split between right and left. And, as you know, imo anything that dilutes or splits the nat vote can only be a good thing.
DeleteErm, Aldo, you are talking to folk who want Scotland to pay its own way.
DeleteBut you don't - not really. You want the Pound - you want the UK to underwrite our economy and our debts. You want the EU subsidies. You even want cross border subsidies of things such as wind farms to continue post indy. That's not paying your own way or anything like it.
DeletePutting aside you putting words in my mouth...
DeleteThose are all the things you want, but much more. You really are an odd Tory. No wonder you guys got 14.9% in May.
Man that would have given me a beamer if I was in that position. How crap a result was that.
Ewan Crawfordd SNP expert says no government wants to be seen to raise taxes. Tartan Tories forever. It is all unravelling for the Nat sis. Come April next year who do they blame. I think poverty will be removed as an issue by the Nat sis.
DeleteThey wont raise taxes. Corbynite Labour can then make a pitch for the hard left "help ra poor" vote and eat seriously into the SNP support. You can see it coming a mile off. Westminster's exit strategy from the indy Scotland chaos - throw the Scots some real red meat to fight over and subtract their ability to blame anyone else. It can't fail - although it may take a couple of years to fully unfold.
DeleteSee my post further up.
DeleteEDIT Oh, just seen that it hit a nerve.
Easy tiger.
The Scots would not vote to help the poor.The SNP know this and will not raise taxes. The SNP left hiding in their coffins will have to lift the lid if they want to help the poor and admit they were conned.
DeleteYou are no better at "hitting nerves" than you are at winning referenda, Skier.
DeleteWhat about winning landslides in general elections?
DeleteYou got 56 out of 650.
DeleteThat's an F, I believe.
No, we got 56 out of 59. That's F for ******* incredible.
DeleteIt was a British General Election! The total is 650. You did rubbish!
DeleteAldo, why don't you just stick an "I AM A TROLL" label on your forehead?
DeleteTry this. How many seats did the SNP stand in, and in how many of those did they fail to get elected?
(The answers are 59 and 3, respectively.)
And no one stopped them standing in the other 591. But they didn't because they would have lost in all of them.
DeleteIt's like me choosing to play ten football matches against one leggeds and winning them all spectacularly and claiming I'm the new Ronaldo but running away to hide when Barcelona FC show up. You have a good record out of those seats you contested because you were selective in the seats you contested.
"And no one stopped them standing in the other 591."
DeleteOn that basis, you've been "defeated" in Miss World every year since you were born because you didn't bother showing up.
Well it was a lot of Nat si tits that won. But are unable to perform.
DeleteBoots. Polished yet? Flashman will have your beloved heating allowance for this.
DeleteIf I sit an exam, attempt 10% of the questions and get 8% of the marks, under SNP logic, my score is 80%. But, in real life, it's still just 8%.
DeleteYour "Miss World" analogy doesn't really hold up. It would if I had arrived at the Miss World contest and had only bothered to do 10% of my hair and put makeup on 10% of my face.
Aldo
Why didn't you turn up, Aldo? A cynic might suspect it's because you knew you were going to lose.
DeleteAldo--You and UKIP should make a wonderful couple
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI'm not putting words in your mouth, skier. I am quoting campaign positions of the SNP and Yes Scotland - movements you support.
ReplyDeleteOn May 8th I danced into work, Skier. Why? The tories won an overall majority, nationally. They might have done badly in this wee insignificant outcrop in North Britain but hey that doesn't matter - because we voted no to your bs ;0)
Aldo, we established months ago that you love the principle of colonialism, and large countries lording it over the democratic wishes of small countries.
DeleteSeriously - you don't need to keep reminding us that you believe in this stuff.
There is only one country here James and we are all equal citizens of it.
DeleteNone of us are citizens, equal or otherwise, of this country. We're working on it.
DeleteWhile you're worrying about semantics, half the world would give their right arm to get here - citizen, subject or whatever.
DeleteThat's a load of rubbish. Just because UKIP cry themselves to sleep at night over a relatively small number of immigrants, it doesn't mean that half the world is trying to get here.
DeleteWe're easily in the top few % points of worldwide standard of living James. NHS, welfare, free education, a plethora of benefits, amenites. We're lucky enough to live in a geologically stable part of the world with mild weather and a dearth of predators and poisonous critters. We have democracy and human rights. If we didn't, you wouldn't have this blog. Of course we are the envy of the world - as is France, Germany, Canada, the US and anywhere else where people have a decent shot at a good life. Yet people who live here make out they are done down in some way. Sore elbow? Under ISIS, it would be sore everything.
DeleteAldo - the suppository up Trump's Arse.
ReplyDeleteA match made in Heaven.
Bumps into McGibbon every time.
No wonder The Donald's pubic hair is a comb-over.
Hey ya old muppet it is mild tonight you can turn your heating doon. George Clooney is launching a campaign to feed the Scottish homeless over Christmas.
DeleteWhat a disgrace for the Nat sis who claim they are for the poor. It takes a bloody Yank comb over or not.
When you're finished with the boots, get your Tory master's dinner jacket round the dry cleaners. Your heating allowance depends on it.
DeleteYou seem to have a fetish for the Tories!
DeleteNot half as much as your beloved Labour party does.
DeleteSo you are half fetish then!
DeleteWhereas you are fully gibberish.
DeleteAldo, I am baffled. No one says "I am going to the united kingdom " no one calls her"the queen of Britain ". It's England. If you go to Scotland, you say " I'm going to Scotland ". Northern Ireland is part of Ireland. How effing hard is that for you!
ReplyDeleteNot quite sure of the point you are making. Yes, people do call her "the Queen of England" and people do refer to the UK as "England". They do so because England is 90%+ of the population. If you are secure enough in yourself as a person, it shouldn't bother you.
DeleteThe very language we speak is "English". I don't believe there are moves afoot to call it "British" or "UKish"
Aldo
You are wrong. Many people call her the Queen of Britain. You obviously move in your little circle.
DeleteWhere's that dinner jacket? Your heating allowance is dependent upon your obedience to your Tory masters -blue and red alike.
DeleteCouncil Tax frozen again Tartan Tory Boy.
DeleteWhat a bizarre non-sequitur. You are truly confused.
Delete"Aldo" & "GWC": The tag-team, third rate BritNat trolls.
ReplyDeleteAway and pseudo-cage fight with yourselves you pair of patent frauds.
Alternatively, munch on your EDL Coco Pops as multi-tasking would be a stretch for the "pair" of ye (am beginning to think one of you is a ventriloquist; or some kind of Split Personality Syndrome thing is going on at the Jock Desk at GCHQ & its MI5/MI6 attachments: Ah, that's it! Aldo is MI6 & GWC is a thickie Brit Special Branch operative on loan to MI5!).
Dare the pair of ye to try your trolling hands over on WoS!
Gaun ye Thin Red Line stalwart, back seat generals!
Ah, but ye ken ye'd be devoured.
Lol with your daily Coco Pops intake:)
David, surely ye urny wan of those conspiracy theory Cold War far lefties that thought the SU was Utopia and the NKVD were boy scouts
DeleteThe Labour man is angry with you. You haven't been given permission to have an opinion.
DeleteWhy insult a knob when you are around.
Delete