Saturday we visited our old picnic spot. I have seen it all of the seasons now – well, all of our seasons in the South of France. After eating and drinking plus spilling a bit of wine, we slept. Remi in the sun, me in the shade and the dogs alternating back and forth between the two. When I woke up, they were restless and so we did the stroll around the perimeter of the vines, the one that I always do, slowly, consciously, as if I were the owner of the land. As if I belonged there.
The sun was piercingly bright, reverberating off the edges of the blue, blue sky. So much so that I couldn’t really see what I was doing in taking my photos, those photos, some souvenirs. But I kept clicking away, nonetheless. Pointing at shadows, zooming aimlessly towards forms and definitions. I was walking blind.
This morning, I feel the same for France. In yesterday’s elections for the European Union, the Front National party won the day with 25% of the vote and claiming victory in 71 out of France’s 101 départements. By doing so, they will now have the greatest number of seats out of the political parties in representing the country for the EU Parliament – which in itself is ironic as the FN wants out of the Union entirely. Today there has been much discussion with some proclaiming that the real tragedy is that 57% of the population did not vote which means that roughly just over 10% of the French chose the FN. Over half did not vote and this is the result. I am reeling, exhausted with disappointment and fear. How else is a foreigner living in this country supposed to feel?
Do I understand that the French economy is not really recovering and that people are frustrated to extremes by a perceived lack of options? I do. But “to extremes”? Just as with that walk I keep taking, I will keep repeating, “Have we learned nothing from History?” France lived through the Second World War. There are those in these streets that knew what it was for Arles to have been occupied by the Nazis. In the United States it is Memorial Day. We are called upon to give respect for those that have fought, who have served and those who lost their lives in the process. We have to remember. To understand what was and what can be.
I want to hear the details of proposed policies beyond ideologies from the Front National party. For this election is solid proof that they are indeed advancing even if stumbling forward while shouting at the sun.
For those of you that read French, you can see an outline of the FN’s suggested policies: here.
Thank you for being here, thank you for reading…
Thank you, Heather, for this beautiful and incredibly thoughtful post about some very scary and unhappy developments. I really appreciate hearing about this from you and Remi in Arles. It really brings it all home. Sending virtual hugs…
Heather, this is one of your finest pieces one that left me filled with warmth from your picnic and chilled by the apathy of the voting populace. Since we've been toying with the daydreams of owning a home in Greece one day, we've watched this election more closely than others of the past. You are correct in your observations about the need to remember the past. . .sadly it seems there are fewer who care to remember, or more importantly, learn from the past. You might enjoy reading murder mystery author and fellow American Jeffrey Siger's post this Saturday on Murder Is Everywhere blogspot. He spends half a year in Mykonos and wrote about the Greece election – his post was the same tenor as yours. The hopelessness in voting seems to be a world-wide characteristic as evidenced by the apathy and lack of participation in the democratic process by Americans as well. We owe it to those who gave their lives to assure us these freedoms, and who we remember today, to at least 'sacrifice' a few minutes in the voting booth and maybe even a few minutes more to become informed on who the candidates are and what they stand for. (Whew. . .thanks, got that off my chest!)
It is the same over here…I think I was one of the few people out of my circle who bothered to vote. A lot of people don't feel any hope or think it matters anymore. And most votes were just the simple protest vote which doesn't really go in aid of anything…The media here also seem to give UKIP the most time on the broadcasts so ironically they get so much attention and a lot of inadvertent campaigning was done. Part of me does wonder if the EU is then worth it. I mean the UK might disband and here we are trying to fit into the EU – all very complicated Heather and I think I need a lie down now…
Hello H. ,
World War I and II, Remembrance day, The Holocaust…. are topics we always introduce to our upper classes in my school. Watching movies, debates, reading books and poems (such as "In Flanders Fields" by John Mc Crae) are among the activities our students appreciate the most. They also prepare their short dissertation to disccuss during the final exams. They work hard but feel more aware of those historical events.
I have faith in the young generation…..
About this political situation all we can do is just to cry…… (for the moment).
That is a good question although I would imagine that here I am "preaching to the choir." And I remember that you have consistently mentioned the rise of the far-right in Hungary as well. It is frightening. That a member of the Neo-Nazi party will have a chair in the EU Parliament is frightening, devastating.
Remi and I were talking about what would happen to countries such as France if they pulled out of the EU and the economy would be absolutely decimated. As you say so clearly – why have we completely swept all of the good aspects of this union under the rug? I know it isn't perfect but truly??
See you soon Sister! Sending good energy for the moving…
Silke, Remi and I have been talking about this all morning. He has a very well-informed take on things and found his perspective echoed in this piece in the Nouvel Obs:
http://leplus.nouvelobs.com/contribution/1206390-le-front-national-devant-l-ump-et-le-ps-non-le-score-du-fn-n-est-pas-spectaculaire.html
So, I don't think that it is safe to say that France doesn't want the EU. Take a look at the numbers and let's try and be reassured (a tiny bit) by that.
And I was wondering if this would influence your feelings about your upcoming vacation…
Hello Heather,
You make a most valid and disturbing point here. And, indeed, one can only say that throughout Europe there is a most concerning move towards the far right. It is here in Hungary and, with the majority vote for UKIP in the UK, in Britain too. As you say, it is all the more absurd since these are the very parties who want nothing to do with the European Parliament.
There is so much focus on the negative aspects of the European Union at present that the enormous benefits seem to be overlooked at best and denigrated at worst. Never before, perhaps, have so many been looking but not seeing what lies ahead. A very timely post, beautifully illustrated. Will it open eyes?
A beautiful, thoughtful post – thank you, Sister! And a good reminder that Memorial Day is not just about going to the lake and a BBQ at Mom's! I'm glad you are expressing yourself and I understand your frustrations. And I love the vine wrapped around the barbed wire! See you……soon!!!!!!!
Of course we already talked about it and you know my opinion about this result already. I am sad and restless about it, my arrival in France is only some weeks ahead and even if it is only for a holiday I don't feel the same joy that I did before this elections.
Because obviously the majority of the french population is against the European Union. And I was feeling comfortable being "European" more than being "German".
I liked the idea of growing together, working together as Europeans. Learn and benefit from each other, benefit from our differences.
But that also meant to go through rough times together and resist crisises. This dream seem to pass away at least from the french side.
Unfortunately I don' hae time now to finish what I wanted to say now. I will finish tonight.
But thank you Heather for this post and for your beautiful photos.