[lbo-talk] The French Non (was no subject)

[Paul]

Actually, this one seems to be a pretty clean victory (it happens!) - 
although the spin may try to change that.  I want to see the details of the 
exit poll ...but up to this point you would have to say it WAS 90% a vote 
against neo-liberalism and is likely to be perceived that way, certainly in 
France.  The left Non campaign was a model of high minded substance and 
citizen education -- done almost entirely by grassroots groups outside the 
main parties (e.g. Attac).

Chirac's concession speech is telling (and, to give him his due, 
healthy).  Throughout the campaign he tried to say 'a non vote is a vote 
for xenophobia' but did not try this explanation tonight.  Same with the 
pro-Oui Socialist Party leaders that have spoken so far tonight.  Others 
may still try to spin it that way (certainly much of the US media and some 
in the rest of Europe) and in the end the spin matters enormously to the 
longer meaning of tonight.  But I suspect this one will go down as a blow 
to neo-liberalism.

Paul

Wendy L writes:
>On 5/29/05, Paul <paul_ at igc.org> wrote:
> > The polls have just closed in Paris and Lyon.  The exit polls show a 55.6%
> > vote for the Non.  The first major electoral defeat for neo-liberalism in
> > Europe.
>
>I'm terrified of exit polls (obvious reasons) and praying this one is
>accurate.   Combined with the French dockers' union's blockade of
>Irish Ferries due to its employment of cheap foreign labour (it was
>discovered last month that they were paying a Filipina beautician €1 -
>  that's about $1.30 -  an hour), I'm just full of the warm fuzzies for
>the French this weekend.
>
>Not all their motives are as pure as opposing neo-liberalism of course
>(and I know you weren't saying they are, Paul).  A French guy I met
>last night told me he was voting no "To keep Turkey out".  I didn't
>get the impression it was their human rights record he was concerned
>with.
>
>___________________________________
>http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk