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…
My husband's grandfather was decorated for his part in the French Resistance in Arles during WWII. It is frightening that a member of the Neo-Nazi party was elected in Europe. I can understand the frustration of people in hard economic times but extremes in either side of politics is frightening.
First of all, I love that there are still places you can go and have a picnic and a siesta in peace and security. Secondly, I thought of you and your concerns when the results of the election started to come through on the BBC. Voter apathy is a problem the world over. Part of the problem lies with the political candidates and their inability to engage the wider public. I don't know what the solution is, but I did find some comfort in this TED talk http://www.ted.com/talks/jonathan_haidt_on_the_moral_mind
Thank you Edgar, that is much appreciated.
Merci, merci for your wise, centered words and perspective. Remi told me at lunch today about listening to an interview on the news regarding a village that voted 80% FN. And it turns out that it is a farming community where nearly everyone has had something stolen and sometimes repeatedly – equipment, animals, products – by roving bands from elsewhere in Europe. The police do nothing as it is a tricky situation and so they are fed-up. As the FN is the only party talking about tightening security, as much as that party disgusts me, I can understand why that village voted that way.
Joan, you are one of a kind. I am so grateful that you like it here.
Perfectly expressed, as always, ma chere SP…
How I hope you are wrong, Loree but I fear that there will be a conflict at the end of this. When Jean-Marie Le Pen (the Father of Marine Le Pen who is currently running the Front National party) made it to the end of the presidential elections against Jaques Chirac (who won, thank Goodness), I was proud to walk in a million people march against him. But I don't think that things will go down quite so peacefully in the future – I hope that I am wrong too!
Thanks for appreciating that, Kim, it what I was aiming for!
Taking them and sending them right back…
This is so very beautifully put, Jackie. Thank you so much – and for your incredible compliment too. I thought of you today in hearing on the news that one third of the population in Greece can't afford to pay their taxes. I know of your dream but it is such a troubled economy – you know far, far more than I – so I would just suggest prudence during this troubled time in terms of buying a house. We are waiting too to see how things will be in the next year…
Oh! And thanks for the suggestion! I will go take a look. 🙂