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French socialist primary

The runners and riders.

By Jonathan Derbyshire Published 09 October 2011 14:05

Voting in the first round of the primary to choose the Socialist candidate at next year's French presidential election takes place today. Unlike in 2006, all French citizens are eligible to vote - not just activists of the Parti Socialiste (PS).

There are six candidates, one of whom, Jean-Michel Baylet, is not a member of the PS (Baylet is president of the Parti radical de gauche). They are:

If no candidate achieves more than 50 per cent of the vote, a second round will take place next Sunday (16 October).

Two recent polls put Hollande in the lead with 43 and 40 per cent respectively, followed by Aubry (29/28 per cent), Montebourg (12/11 per cent), Royal (11/6 per cent), Valls (6/5 per cent) and Baylet (1/1 per cent). I'll be blogging the results of the first round on the Staggers tomorrow.

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8 comments

Sun, 2011-10-09 14:25 — swatantra

This is the best idea to come out of France since nulcear power stations and high speed trains.
As a strong supporter of Primaries here, I look forward to how it all turns out, and hope Labour will be adopting Open Primarie soon here. 'ordinary people' will be surpised to learn that quite a few of the candidates have very similar views and outlooks to themselves and and that 'socialism' actually covers a pretty wide spectrum and is not just restricted to the nutters on the hard left as previously they imagined.
The People are the best judges of who should lead them, not political anoraks with nothing else better to do.
From that list, I hope Sego is given another chance to oust Sarko from the Elysee Palace.

Sun, 2011-10-09 17:27 — swatantra

I note DSK is not in the running, and a good thing too. The man is a disgrace and a libertine.

Sun, 2011-10-09 18:12 — Sam (not verified)

France doesn't have a big liberal party doesn't it?

It's a choice between statist left, statist right and statist far right.

It's a great shame that France has turned it's back on the values it has made such a big contribution to.

Sun, 2011-10-09 20:44 — David Lindsay

Do not be confused by the name of Baylet's party. It is only the more left-wing of the two successors of the old Radical Party, and it is therefore heavily concentrated in the old Radical heartlands of the South West. (What is it with South Wests and that sort of thing?)

Including a non-member on the ballot strikes even me as taking these things a bit too far. But in the course of each Parliament, each party should submit to a binding ballot of the whole constituency electorate its locally, internally determined shortlist of two for Prospective Parliamentary Candidate, just as each should submit to a binding ballot of the whole constituency electorate its internally determined shortlist of two for Leader.

Many a stalwart of the Council or of other aspects of the local Big Society (trade unions, co-operatives, and so on) would then beat many a Westminster Village boy or his girlfriend. And our Parliament would be infinitely better for those victories. If one party made these changes, then they would all have to.

Ed Miliband, over to you.

Mon, 2011-10-10 00:57 — Daniele1

And what values are you talking about Sam? You mean liberty, equality and fraternity? Social justice?the best Health service in Europe, national companies still running trains (on time) and the utilities.
What values are you talking about? Do you actually know what you are talking about?
Do you mean that there is still a French STATE which is taking responsibility for decent welfare provisions, decent regulations and rights for all its citizens? and that all parties agree in preserving the important role of the state in the lives of the citizens?
Do you wish to roll back the state and leave the space for big business to take over the country/the world?is that what you mean by "liberal"?
No in that sense there is no "liberal" party in France.Thank goodness.

Mon, 2011-10-10 10:34 — swatantra (not verified)

The Left is and always have been a broad coailition. I should imagine that quite a few 'liberals' have found a place there, where they can do no harm.
the more worrying aspect of Continental politics is the prescence of facist Parties and that their conservatives have actually gone into coalition with them eg in Italy and Holland. Lets hope taht does not happen in Britain.

Mon, 2011-10-10 11:05 — Daniele1

swatantra:
The reason why you have extreme right people present in French politics is not because there are more fascists in France than here.It is because of the voting system which is totally different and gives a voice to the smaller parties. That's why in France you have so many political parties and in Britain just 3, well..2 now.
It is a good thing because it is more democratic but it is a bad thing too when it gives a voice to Fascists.Unfortunately you can't have it both ways. So yes the right is pandering to the extreme right. But also the socialists have to please those on the extreme left. That makes the parties much more polarised than here where all the parties, or I should say the 2 parties are more or less the same.

Mon, 2011-10-10 11:41 — swatantra

I'd agree that PR reform woud allows representation of sections from all sections of the community. Thats why I'm in favour of it and supported AV. People have the right to voice their opinions within the law even though we find those views unpalatable and reprehensible. By denying them a democratic platform you actually create more interest in them because they resort to extracurricula means like marches and demonstrations which create disturnaces. I'm not averse to having elected BNP members if that is the peoples choice. It just means that antifacists have to fight harder and win the argument.
Ever since the BNP got 2 MEPs into Brussels, we've not heard a peep out of them. Unfortunately the EDL, which arose because of Islamic militancy, now seems to have taken over their Agenda and is campaigning a local and national levels.