In political systems the center serves as the locus for getting things done, where issues are crafted to attract the greatest support. The center is intended to be inter-party, ensuring participation by the widest possible political representation. Joining the left and the right, the center keeps each from drifting off by itself. The center is what holds.

In France the political spectrum is divided into an extreme right, the right, the left, and an extreme left. These designations are narrowly defined by parties. There is no acknowledged political center in France.

Earlier we posted on the inability of the right L'UMP to govern because of rank ineptitude and the inability of the left Parti Socialiste, bereft of ideas, to capitalize its political fortunes. Political systems are not closed, but neither are they self-extinguishing and political power gravitates to where it can be forcefully expressed. And in France this dynamic is shifting power to the extreme-right Front National.

FRENCH PUBLIC WARMING TO NATIONAL FRONT: POLL

PARIS December 14, 2005 (AFP) - One third believed the far-right leader would get through to the second round of the 2007 presidential vote, and 29 percent said they hoped that he would, according to the [TNS-Sofres survey published in Le Monde] of 1,000 people conducted on December 7-8.

FAR-RIGHT BOOSTED BY RIOTS IN THE SUBURBS: POLL

PARIS April 21, 2006 (AFP) - Thirty-four percent of respondents in the IFOP survey said the far-right was "close to the concerns of French people", while 35 percent said it "enriched" the national debate with its tough line on immigration and security.

IFOP's public opinion director Frédéric Dabi said the far-right "appeared to have been reinforced" by the riots in high-immigration suburbs last November, as well from this year's mass protests over an unpopular youth contract.

Ten percent of voters intend to back Le Pen again in the first round of next year's election, making him the third candidate in line after the Socialist Ségolène Royal, with 34 percent, and the centre-right Nicolas Sarkozy, with 30 percent, according to a TNS Sofres/Unilog survey published Thursday.

LE PEN AND FRENCH FAR RIGHT ACHIEVE RECORD POPULARITY

PARIS May 21, 2006 (Telegraph) - According to a survey in the news magazine Le Point last week, 22 per cent of the French population has a "favourable opinion" of Mr Le Pen - up five per cent from the previous month.

Polls have shown the FN relentlessly on the rise since last November's violence in the immigrant ghettos on the outskirts of France's biggest cities. In October, eight per cent of French people said they would vote for Mr Le Pen's party.

By December that had risen to 11 per cent, and by February it was 12 per cent. In March, at the height of the student riots, would-be FN voters increased to 13 per cent and in April they were 14 per cent.

Supporters believe that Mr Le Pen's silence over the Clearstream scandal has helped to distinguish him from the tarnished crowd. ... "There's no reason for me to attack these people with my little hammer when they're smashing each other up with a road drill," he said privately, according to Le Figaro newspaper.

In 2007 the LUMPs and the Socialists will need a better draw for the French vote other than they are not the Front National. Not being Le Penistes is not a program for reform or prosperity. And the French voter can figure that out.

PFFT (What is this?): Zippy FN 3 | Rayonnement français 0

Socialists will need a better draw for the French vote…

Socialist Segolene Royal has been getting a few articles about her in the Washington Times.

From the article:
Yet Segolene Royal is topping political polls in France a year before presidential elections, even as the ruling conservatives are mired in scandal.

The latest, full story here

Any thoughts on her?

Andy,

Ségolène Royal is a conventional Socialist cut from the one-style-in-stock political cloth of the ENA. She is the domestic partner of François Hollande, the PS party leader, with whom she has had four children.

Other than restricting children's television, she does not have any big new ideas and does not stray from the PS religion of More Government NOW. With no high-profile policies or political battles or scandals to her name, the public can imagine her to be anyone or anything they like: Jeanne la Pucelle, Hillary Clinton, Audrey Tautou.

She has several advantages over her competitors.

Jack: Easier on the eyes. The big advantage -- shared with every opponent, except Jack -- is she is not Jack Chirac.

Lionel Jospin: Easier on the eyes. Unlike M. Jospin, she did not hand the presidency to Jack in 2002. She is young as politics go (53), M. Jospin is not (69). Also unlike M. Jospin, she has not gotten caught lying about being a former Trotskyite nor has she retired from politics.

François Hollande: Easier on the eyes. And she can always trump with the Lysistrata card.

Dom: Well, as with Jack, her big advantage here is she is not M. Villepin, whose best bet is to campaign as Fabio Lanzoni.

Sarko: Easier on the eyes. This is the anticipated match-up. Her advantage here is that the L'UMPs are very busy slitting each other's throats.

Le Pen: Easier on the eyes. She has no plans for restoring the Fourth Republic.

The French public is desperate for someone new. Ms. Royal is new. For now she is the darling of the soft press. We'll post on her once she mixes it up with the competition and shows what she can do.

Regards,
DGB