PPI President Will Marshall argues that the Socialist presidential candidate, Francois Holland, is unlikely to offer France what it really needs-a credible program of deep structural reforms-over at Real Clear World:
When Republicans call President Obama a ‘socialist,’ it says more about their lunge to the right than Obama’s policies. Besides, if they want to see what a real socialist looks like, they should turn to a country they love to hate: France.
Francois Hollande, the Socialist Party leader, has a substantial lead over incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy heading toward their second round showdown on May 6, and stands a good chance of becoming France’s first Socialist President in 17 years.
As Reds go, Hollande is not especially menacing – ‘bland’ is how he’s usually described. Sen. Bernie Sanders, the gruff socialist from Vermont, is scarier.
But bland is what the French seem to want after Sarkozy, who is widely reviled as a vain and vulgar celebrity-president with a trophy wife – a Gallic Donald Trump. Hollande promises to be ‘Mr. Normal’ and restore dignity in the Elysée Palace.
