“On ne fait pas d’omelette sans casser des oeufs” is a French proverb literally stating that you cannot make an omelet without breaking some eggs. With the French presidential elections on April 22 come twelve candidates who have certainly broken their fair share of eggs in hopes of becoming the next president of la France. The top three candidates are Nicolas Sarkozy, Ségolène Royal and Jean-Marie Le Pen. The three represent a diverse array of the political spectrum: a true conservative, a socialist and a neo-Nazi, respectively. French candidates are typically very blunt in voicing their political views; “politically correct” does not translate into French politics. Jean-Marie Le Pen, for instance, has publicly declared on several occasions that the Holocaust did not occur. How’s that for breaking some eggs? Le Pen was prosecuted in court accordingly but continues to state his opinion. His consistent anti-Semitic stance has plagued his campaign from the start. Another egregious idea was to segregate those diagnosed with HIV from the rest of society. He unapologetically refers to these patients as “sidaïques,” a very derogatory term. In spite of outrageous statements, Le Pen surprised everyone in the 2002 presidential election by forcing a second round of voting between himself and President Jacques Chirac. Ségolène Royal, if elected, would be the first female president of France. As part of her grassroots campaign, she calls herself a “Bécassine,” or girl from the provinces of France. She was born and raised in a family of eight in Senegal, a former French colony. Through hard work, she broke away from her conservative family and earned admission to the prestigious l’Institut d’Études Politiques in Paris, followed by the graduate school l’École Nationale d’Administration, the feeder school for many French presidents. Her recent political problems have included alleged tax evasion and many political faux pas. During an interview in China, Royal said that she believes France would profit from a speedy judicial system like the one in China. Unfortunately for Royal, China has been a country long condemned for its human rights violations. Royal has managed to overcome these gaffes and problems thus far by her reliance and insistence that “It’s the French people who have given me legitimacy.” Nicolas Sarkozy represents the UMP (Populist Movement Party), the party of the current President, Jacques Chirac and the current Prime Minister, Dominique de Villepin. Serving as the Interior Minister under current French President Jacques Chirac, Sarkozy may have single-handedly caused the violent Paris riots in 2005 by calling the residents of the affected suburbs “racaille,” or scum. Some of his speeches suggest that he favors ethnic cleansing and trading civil liberties for more governmental control. Sarkozy’s vociferous and prejudicial opinions against immigrants in France, coupled with draconian policies during his tenure as Minister of the Interior, make American followers of the election wonder how he presently controls 54% of the popular vote in France. As the election approaches, one might ponder whether France will become a problem for the rest of the world, but outrageous French politics are normal. American politicians can learn from the French. It might be better for American politics if there were more than two dominant parties. It would also be beneficial to be less politically correct. In fact, The Wall Street Journal has criticized Madame Royal for “selling her personality instead of her true beliefs.” Sound like classic American politics? Taking a side, even if it is extreme, can be healthy for voters. The seemingly twisted French political arena, with different political parties dominating the election every five years, adds a bit of suspense that the American arena lacks. Why should candidates represent the views of their party? Shouldn’t they represent their own views with support from a party? It may not ever be a realistic idea in the United States, but it is one worth discussing. In the same spirit as school elections, voters should elect candidates, not parties.
