July 22, 2008
Sarkozy the reformer
The constitutional reforms pushed through by President Sarkozy yesterday are impressive for two reasons.
First, he got it done.
Second, despite the fact that he is regularly portrayed as a megalomaniac, Sarko is deliberately pushing through reforms that actually weaken the power of the presidency.
Of course, there is some dispute about this. The Socialist deputies highlighted the fact that the president will now be able to address parliament to suggest that some sort of cult of personality is being built up. But I thought this interview in Le Monde with Guy Carcassone, a law professor was pretty convincing. The prof argues that the main effects of the refroms are to strengthen parliament and that this is not “a constitutionalisation of Sarkozyism.” He also highlights another improvement. In future, proposals for new laws will have to be accompanied by an impact assessment.
I don’t know where the Socialists get the idea that allowing the President to be held accountable directly to parliament amounts to the building of a “Sarkozy cult”. After all, it will apply to all ensuing Presidents.
Of which, Sarkozy has often said he wants to serve one term only - though this may be teasing. However, one of the proposals that didn’t get through was one to limit any President’s hold on power to two terms only. Also, whilst this man is getting a lot done (and it was all on his election manifesto, note), I’m not sure the French people could stand a second term of Sarko! There is just so much hectic activity one can take.
If I had to choose now someone to follow him, it would be Strauss-Kahn.
Posted by: Derek Tunnicliffe | July 22nd, 2008 at 4:27 pm | Report this commentHuh huh…not much interest here GR? I remember your promise of last week to “chuck some red meat next week” to RCS and I and 85 responses so far to the Obama thread shows that the meat was indeed red!
Posted by: Pacifist | July 22nd, 2008 at 6:57 pm | Report this commentGR:”But I thought this interview in Le Monde with Guy Carcassone, a law professor was pretty convincing.”
GC was convincing and help made this issue more understandable to someone like myself not following this at all…
In any event, perhaps this is the break Sarkozy needed on the domestic front to be taken seriously again by the French…I very much approve of some of his Foreign Policy moves (easing Syria out of isolation) of late and due to the Irish EU vote he will be fairly limited in his EU presidencey plans and he had big plans…so I am glad he got this vote which was a pretty dramatic event in itself considering it was a squeaker…
J.J. and Cassandra hope you are having a great summer and still here reading and comenting with GR!!!!
Posted by: Lisa-Helene Lawson | July 23rd, 2008 at 6:00 am | Report this commentWhile I am often stridently opposed to Sarkozy, he deserves credit for the passage of these long-discussed and sensible reforms. They demonstrate responsiveness in the French system. He has led the push for this Congress and for several of the rationalisations included.
One has no reason to think his underlying ego is less wreckless than a few weeks ago, but, as with many adolescents, he is flush with joy over this adult success. We can hope he will now enjoy playing the role of a mature and responsible leader–of France and Europe–at least until yearend.
What are the risks otherwise? One is surely an international incident (most likely, of course, in the ME) which compels him to assert a commanding French response on the global stage. Another will be a flashpoint of frustration within the EU. I don’t see a critical one at the moment, but suspect he may be fundamentally discontent with an EU of 27+ countries and intends to just ride out his term as president as a gruff contrarian. If so, the EU may end up significantly weakened by his presidency, particularly if there are a couple of visible disputes in the months ahead.
The French establishment is quite wary of the global economy and concurrent risks to France, and Sarkozy will take care not to trouble them as much as he has in his first year. L’enfant terrible wants to regain favour as a now-successful child prodigy again. Vascillation between these two roles are what Sarkozy is about.
At the moment, his standing is improved, even if he remains suspects with most here, and he may, indeed, prove to have given France some new energy. Events and his low popularity have been healthy checks on his grander ambitions.
Yet most people here behave as though they are overdosing on antidepressants. Thus, his stubbornly low polls and the risk to centuries of French self-esteem founded on being stubbornly resistant to foreign ideas about how things should work.
Posted by: wcm | July 23rd, 2008 at 10:30 am | Report this commentPacifist,
Yes, they’re closed. Asher Pat attempted to keep it going here, IMHO he was offensive, hence my reply–above. (Not sure whether you will see it, no problem either way.)
His comment was then deleted, leaving mine looking stupid (well, I can do that all by myself) and we have been directed into the calmer waters of French constitutional reform, which IMO will not take. The French suffer from a Louis XIV complex. Or Napoleonic complex. They will never tolerate a strong parliament, not enough glorie and far too much like les rosbifs . And anyway, just because you pass a law, doesn’t mean anything will happen. Hasn’t NuLabour taught us anything?
Posted by: Mary Cunningham | July 23rd, 2008 at 10:33 am | Report this commentWell, I hope somebody (be it the parliament, the generals or the French establishment) can rein in M Sarkozy’s more vainglorious, Napoleonic / imperial plans for foreign adventurism, or in WCM’s words, “to assert a commanding French response on the global stage”.
The travails of Bush trying to assert American hegemony from the barrel of a gun should show France (which has miniscule resources compared to the US), the dangers of imperial designs in the 21st century.
I know France habitually interferes in Francophone former colonies but any similar designs on the Middle East will create a rude shock to the French system and cause fresh mayhem in the Middle East. I think the French military are more aware of this than an armchair general like Sarkozy.
All the best,
P
Posted by: Pacifist | July 23rd, 2008 at 11:12 am | Report this commentDo we really need Rachman here? You’re trying pretty heard to include him, but is he holding us back?
Posted by: Paskalis | July 23rd, 2008 at 11:50 am | Report this commentDear Paskalis,
Pesonally, I like Mr. Rachman’s style and as it is his sblog, I guess we’d better be polite to him!
For no-holds barred forums, I recommend participatiing in the usenet groups.
http://groups.google.co.uk/grphp?hl=en&tab=wg
For example, I participate in this one (which is lightly moderated).
http://groups.google.co.uk/group/Iranian-Democratic-Forum?hl=en
All the best,
P
Posted by: Pacifist | July 23rd, 2008 at 12:02 pm | Report this comment>>P & M
The reforms do NOT mark a pivotal change in the French political framework. They do mean that parliamentary sessions may merit more TV coverage, like in Germany, and that le Président may be a bit more distracted domestically than he will discover he likes. The French do not aspire to parliamentary proceedings like the Brits amuse themselves with.
These reforms have been in the works for years. Yesterday’s Figaro nicely breaks down just what they will mean for ordinary folk.
Fillon is more the victor here than Sarko, as passage was set up as a test of his PM clout.
Germany has exercised considerably more of a check on Sarko’s ambitions than has been reported outside of France. Merkel’s visit around the Med Union conference and Bastille Day are reported to have included some frank (more Saxon than Frankish) discussions. Germany sees Sarko’s vision for the Med Union as overstepping France’s role. His sly side deals to include the Israelis despite groundrules stipulatiing a peace settlement stirred much anger. More relevant perhaps are the rumours that France wants to play fighter bomber alongside wannabe-General Cheney. Germany also reminded the President that, as de Gaulle once said, France does not have enough weight to go it alone in Europe.
Frau Doktor Merkel is smarter than Sarkozy by a mile. She is more a professional than politician, but she has proved to be no laggard in the long run in the latter category.
While capable of being a prodigy, like most, he ultimately has disappointed those closest to him. Now this circle includes not just the French people, but Neocon Washington (which is btw quite unsettled today by disclosures that seem likely to open serious investigations before 20 January) and Europeans (likely to a lesser extent that once seemed possible).
Posted by: wcm | July 23rd, 2008 at 12:13 pm | Report this commentThe French parliament voted last night to end the 35 hour week. Sarkozy’s mantra has always been “Work more and earn more” in his public speeches. Furthermore, unemployed people will only be permitted to turn down two reasonable job offers, then they can expect “sanctions”.
No question, Sarko is on a high right now. He has even won over Merkel to his plan for a Mediterranean Union, focused on infrastructure in the Med basin (cleaning up the sea, establishing shipping lanes, a multi-lane coastal highway from Egypt to Morocco) - that
practical approach appeals much more to Germany, imo.
P.S. Is Doha a dead dodo? Sarkozy would like to bury it - the French are totally supportive of their farmers.
Posted by: J.J. | July 24th, 2008 at 8:01 am | Report this commentThe roll back (not full) of the 35-hour week legislation has had support across the spectrum. The Med Union has been advanced, but political initiatives are on hold, as they should be. This idea is not something that has taken form in just the past year, and Sarkozy was not amongst its initial architects. He has pushed this as a point of entry for a higher profile French role at the Middle East table.
Not all bad–even good, but not independent of Washington strategies to bring France firmly on side with the US and Israel. In that they are succeeding big time.
Watch Sarkozy as closely as his electorate is. Merkel is not falling for Sarko’s charm. She is not his type and he is certainly not hers.
If only Ségolène wouldn’t crawl away…
Doha, Mandelson–shut the show down and stop paying Mandy’s personal entertainment notes des frais. Sarko is right on this guy’s worthlessness. With his phoney Edwardian manner and out-dated “regal” tastes, he isn’t even good material for chat shows because he doesn’t really have fun.
Posted by: wcm | July 24th, 2008 at 11:13 am | Report this commentA story about President Johnson that would be right for “President Obama” to ponder when he considers his position vi a vis the Zionist lobby. Would Obama be “free at last” too?
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/presidents/36_l_johnson/filmmore/filmscript.html
Quote
James Farmer: I remember that when I was in the White House talking with him, I asked him how he got to be the way he was. He said, “What do you mean?” I said, “Well, here you are, calling senators, twisting their arms, threatening them, cajoling them, trying to line up votes for the Civil Rights Bill when your own record on civil rights was not a good one before you became Vice President. So what accounted for the change?”
Johnson thought for a moment and wrinkled his brow and then said, “Well, I’ll answer that by quoting a good friend of yours and you will recognize the quote instantly. ‘Free at last, free at last. Thank God Almighty, I’m free at last.’”
Ed Herlihy, Newsreel Announcer: [1964] Congress passes the most sweeping Civil Rights Bill ever to be written into the law and thus reaffirms the conception of equality for all men that began with Lincoln and the Civil War 100 years ago.
McCullough: [voice-over] When Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Bill into law, a century of enforced segregation was finally over. Blacks and whites could ride the same buses, eat at the same restaurants, use the same washrooms, stay at the same hotels. A southern president had broken the southern system of segregation.
Andrew Young, Civil Rights Activist, Southern Christian Leadership Conference: There was something about this man — I mean, he had a pretty shoddy career and he’d done some pretty ruthless and awful things, but he knew poverty and he knew racism. And I really think that he decided that this was the way to assure his place in history. This was the way to really save the nation. And he knew it was not politically expedient, but I think he really knew it was right.
Unquote
Posted by: Pacifist | July 24th, 2008 at 6:35 pm | Report this comment