Krypto-Konservativismus

Stephen Clarke diagnostiziert bei den Franzosen, die ihre Gunst von den glamourösen Kandidaten der Linken und der Rechten abzuziehen und dem Kandidaten der Mitte zu schenken scheinen, Krypto-Konservativismus. Clarkes kurzer Kommentar ist so hübsch geschrieben, daß man ihn ganz lesen sollte. Hier für den eiligen Leser ein Auszug:

Historically, French presidents have been old, bald guys — Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, François Mitterrand, Jacques Chirac. In terms of sexiness, imagine an endless line of Dick Cheneys. This time, though, both front-runners have all their hair and, in one case, lipstick. Quite a novelty. [...]

Given Ms. Royal and Mr. Sarkozy’s relative youth, it’s not surprising that this is the first time that sex has played such a large part in an electoral campaign. Everyone knew that Messrs. Giscard, Mitterrand and Chirac had mistresses, but no one paid much attention because everything was done discreetly. Besides, the French don’t believe that monogamy makes a politician any more efficient. [...]

All in all, until very recently, the 2007 campaign had been glamorous and Clintonesque, fought out via the celebrity magazines — a thoroughly modern, media-led affair.

But deep down, the French distrust modernism. [...] Which might explain why a third candidate suddenly became such a serious contender. [...] This is why in France, candidates not only kiss babies, they kiss cows.