Is France leading the way?

While looking over articles about the upcoming French election (of which I must admit I haven't paid much interest),I was surprised to read some of the party names:

Francois Bayrou (Union for French Democracy)
Olivier Besancenot (Communist Revolutionary League)
Jose Bove (Anti-Globalist)
Marie-George Buffet (Communist)
Arlette Laguiller (Workers' Struggle)
Jean-Marie Le Pen (National Front)
Frederic Nihous (Hunting, Fishing, Nature and Traditions)
Segolene Royal (Socialist)
Nicolas Sarkozy (Union for a Popular Movement)
Gerard Schivardi (The Mayors' Candidate)
Philippe de Villiers (Movement for France)
Dominique Voynet (Greens)

I know that the French haven't really got over the fact that the words English and Lingua-Franca often appear together, but to be honest they seem to be speaking a different language to the rest of Europe. Reviewing the list one gets the feeling that this is a 1950s election portfolio (albeit with the addition of the Greens) and not one for the 2007 Election.

Maybe I have been clouded by the sameness of the UK political scene and am just unused to seeing political parties with real opinions and issues to debate and fight for. However, the issues that are being fought for could tear France and Europe apart.

I don't know who I want to win; and not being French its not really any of my business, which is a fact that Blair seems to have forgotten as he voices support of one of the candidates Nicolas Sarkozy . Anyway, I am digressing here, the point is whether the French have it right, and British people have forgotten what the real issues are about or whether the French are stuck in a time warp. If we look at the Polish electoral scene then we see a similarly diverse spectrum of parties. However, we all know the resultant problems of sustaining a credible and workable government.

Then there is the question of voter apathy, would a more diverse choice encourage more voters. Turnout at the Polish 05 election would suggest not as there was definitively plenty of choice, but few choosers. In terms of issue politics, recent gains by the British National Party in Britain would suggest that even in Britian, we are seeing a return to diverse issue dominated political parties.

For now we will have to wait and see for Sunday's first round results to show if France can indeed unite behind a candidate, when the options are so different.

Lodz's Anti-Semetic Reign of Acceptance

On the 14th March the Lodz City Hall hosted a Teenage protest concerning the amount of anti-semetic graffiti and general anti-semitism that exists in Lodz. Lodz (Poland's second largest city) is regarded as being the most anti-Semitic city in Poland. The City's mayor was even vocal about the issue. However, how much has changed? Everyday I go past vulgar graffiti, which one would think could be easily white-washed over. However, little seems to be done about it. It is left to scar the city. If the authorities truly wished to deal with the situation, surely a few cans of paint and a band of willing workers from the city's unemployed could be found. - But no, the graffiti stays. Is this a case of public abhorance, while privatly the city's management accept and condone the anti-semetism that prevails.

Has the EU failed a significant Foreign Policy test?

The recent abduction of 15 UK service personnel has somewhat foreboding implications for not just the Middle-East, but also the EU. Whether you are in favour of the War in Iraq or against; Iran's actions were from the outset obtuse. Iran and Britain are not at war and so no matter where the boats actually were, normal paradigms would suggest that a quick and efficient handover of personnel should have been arranged. This however was not the case and Iran has chosen to make a media and political spectacle out of it (as much for their own populace as for the British or wider world). Sir Malcolm Rifkind (former Foreign Secretary and Secretary of State for Defence in the last Conservative government) made the following comments in the British Guardian Newspaper:

There was, however, one other approach that would have a good chance of succeeding. The members of the EU aspire to having a common foreign policy. What better issue could there be on which our French, German and Italian allies and partners could show solidarity with the UK and demonstrate the benefits of joint action?

The best means of pressure would have been the export credit guarantees that are given to assist trade between Iran and western Europe. These, together with banking and other financial facilities are the soft underbelly of the Iranians and their withdrawal could do significant damage to Iran's already weak economy.

Such measures have already been canvassed by the Americans in respect of Iran's nuclear defiance.

So has the EU missed the boat? Should they have taken the opportunity to show a united front and provide some real teeth to their joint "calling for the 'immediate and unconditional' "

And what does this mean for national defence policy. Is Britain therefore right to maintain its strategic nuclear capability and its stand-alone force projection ability. Furthermore, is Poland, which does not have either of these two abilities, therefore right in colluding with the US; as it may not be able to fully depend upon its European neighbours.