[lbo-talk] [Corrected] Left Deals Chirac a "Catastrophic" Defeat in Regional Elections

[Shane Mage]

Of course, where I typed 1992 I should have typed 2002!
>Following the Spaniards, the French voters have given a sweeping
>victory to the Left parties--large majorities in 20 out of 21 regional
>councils in the hexagon (ultra-Catholic Alsace, as always, stayed
>with the Right).  Of importance was the working unity of all the
>Left parties--except for the LO-LCR coalition (these blowhards,
>who supported Chirac in the 2002 second round,, could not find it in 
>themselves to support the pluralist Left after their disastrous 
>performance-- less than 5% as opposed to 10% in the 2002 first 
>round--lastSunday).
>
>But the decisive factor, as in Spain, was a big increase in the
>percentage of voters taking part.  In the French regional elections
>in 1998 a mere 57.7% of voters participated--and the Right won
>a majority of regional councils.  Last Sunday 62.1% of voters
>went to the *urnes*, and the Left emerged with a strong lead.  Then
>today fully 65.3% of voters participated, and the Left won
>decisively--50% of votes versus some 37% for Chirac's UMP-UDF
>coalition (the FN got about 13%, much of which came from
>workingclass voters).
>
>The lesson we should draw from these encouraging victories is
>clear--the decisive factor for the Left's electoral prospect is
>*voter turnout*.  This is what Nader and the Greens have been
>insisting all along.  Those whose "leftism" has come down to
>nothing more than panic-stricken lesser evilism, whose
>support (shamefaced) for the Dumbocrats is manifested
>in carping at Nader, sneering at his supporters, and denigrating
>his candidacy, are in reality doing their (very puny) best to
>depress voter turnout.  Perhaps the Spaniards and French will
>prompt at least a few second thoughts.
>
>Shane Mage
>
>"When we read on a printed page the doctrine of Pythagoras that all 
>things are made of numbers, it seems mystical, mystifying, even 
>downright silly.
>
>When we read on a computer screen the doctrine of Pythagoras that 
>all things are made of numbers, it seems self-evidently true."  (N. 
>Weiner)
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