(no subject)

[bubosquared]

So. The whole Le Pen thing in France. Holland has elections coming on, with Fortuyn's recent massive vicotry still fresh in people's memories. Elections in Belgium coming up next year as well, and the Vlaams Blok keeps up its steady rise.

I'm tempted to vote communist just to give the extreme right more counterweight. (I vote center-green now.)

Are we losing our minds, ladies and gentlemen?

Comments

[lido-kitty.livejournal.com]

Who's likely to win? I say you should vote for him - counterweight isn't that important, as long as we make sure extreme-right doesn't win.

Are we losing our minds, ladies and gentlemen?

I like to think I'm not, but I'm starting to think everyone else is, yeah?

Re:

[bubosquared.livejournal.com]

Who's likely to win? I say you should vote for him - counterweight isn't that important, as long as we make sure extreme-right doesn't win.

The problem is, though, that that's the kind of reasoning that keeps the Green Party out of any sort of power in the US, for example. I'm not voting for the Liberals just to keep the fascists out of power. It hasn't come to that just yet. I'm keeping on voting for the people who represent my point of view, my rights, my opinions, and that's the green party. (Technically would be the socialists, but our socialist party isn't all that socialist anymore ...)

[lido-kitty.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes, but see, that's exactly why Le Pen won yesterday: people voted for everyone but the main candidates, because they believed more in them, and now Jospin is out. Honestly, if we'd talked about this last week, I'd have told you the exact same thing you just said, but right now I'm a little wary. My priorities have changed, and while I don't like what they're making me do, I think it's safer this way.

That said, I don't know the political state of Belgium well enough to make any kind of decision. If the Green Party is what you believe in and they can counterweight extreme-right (something ours could never do, since they get so few votes), then it's probably a good idea.

(Technically would be the socialists, but our socialist party isn't all that socialist anymore ...)

Yeah, I can understand that. Even Chirac is more socialist than Jospin...

Re:

[bubosquared.livejournal.com]

But the thing is, Le Pen won yesterday, in the first round. The two-round system is meant (I'm assuming) to prevent someone from getting intop power simply because the opposition is too divided.

As for the political landscape in Belgiu, the Green party is in the national, Flemish and Wallooon govts, so we do have a fair bit of impact.

[ide-cyan.livejournal.com]

I read that there was an air of overconfidence in the media about Jospin's chances on the first turn, so his supporters failed to vote in sufficient numbers. Look at the abstention rate.

[lido-kitty.livejournal.com]

You're right, and it wasn't only the media: everyone thought he would win the 1st round. But the abstention rate has been high for a long time, and while I'm sure many of his supporters didn't vote, most simply voted for others. There are supporters, and then there are supporters. Most people are used to the fact that they can vote for whoever they want at the first round, and "get away" with it at the second one. And while they believe in Jospin/Chirac, etc..., they feel it's the occasion to show they also (or even more) believe in smaller parties/candidates. That's something Le Pen supporters never do, unfortunately, and we can see the result of that, now.

[quiet000001.livejournal.com]

Are we losing our minds, ladies and gentlemen?

Unfortunately, the conclusion I'm coming to, the more I watch things happening, is "yes".

It's rather depressing.

Hence the rant in my livejournal not too long ago.

I should get organised to vote in the US, I suppose. (The local polling station keeps sending me voting cards. I. Am. Not. British. I have checked, and verified, and told them: I cannot vote in this country. Freaks.)