A personal opinion about the new French government.
France is in a good mood at this time. It has a new President, a new government.The popularity of both is very high, 65% rate approval.The conservatives are in power,according to some columnists the Right has his Mai 81. May 1981 is the date when the socialist-communist coalition was back in power after more than 20 years in the opposition. And this is the first illusion. As a matter of fact, the last President, Jacques Chirac was a conservative and his party-UMP- won the parliamentary election in 2002. The actual President is actually is heir because he has become a powerful politician under is wing, even if on the presidential election in 1995, Sarkozy decided to back Chirac's rival, then Prime-minister Edouard Balladur.
Another illusion is that, the media and the people think that the new government is a very conservative one and France is politically on the right.In reality if we compare France with her western counterparts, the government is a center-left government.There is no real liberal figure in the government, and no real reformer . Let's begin with the prime minister Francois Fillon , who was the second of Phillipe Seguin then the champion of the "social" or left wing of the then RPR and fierce opponent of the Maastricht Traity(which will establish the European currency,the Euro).The government has also the presence of some 4 personalities from the Left and especially the new top diplomat of the nation,Bernard Kouchner. This move which has surprised on both political sides has been called "ouverture" or openness by Sarkozy.
Also a prominent figure in the government, Christine Boutin, MP well known for her opposition in 1998 against the PACS, a civil-union contract created especially for Gays and Lesbians by the then socialist government headed by Lionel Jospin. In her unsuccessful bid for the presidential election in 2002, she surprised many by her support for the poor and the illegal immigrants.Furthermore there is not a single liberal personality in the government.It was a mistake to compare Sarkozy with former British prime-minister Thatcher. Those who were expecting big reforms in France are going to be disappointed . The government has been made to surprise and seduce not reform. To reform itself France needs strong personalities and real reformers.For example the health care system which is one of the best in the world has however a huge debt and has lot of disparities and paradoxes which have to be fix. . Sarkozy should have had appointed people with a good knowledge of problems and solutions not well-known political figures. The last ones have not necessary the competencies to reform.
Unfortunately, many reforms in France need to be done. And has it happened a lot in her history, it is from the street with demonstrations and violence that the real changes have often came not from Kings or governments(like in Britain), nor from " les acteurs sociaux", unions and businesses(like in Sweden or Germany).
But once more,History may repeat itself.
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