As I expected, the French are very wary of concentrating power in one man.
Still a healthy majority, but nowhere near the Tsunami that the polls predicted.
Posted on 06/17/2007 11:53:01 AM PDT by Cincinna
Surprise! At the first opportunity to do something constructive, the French choke. Go Sarko.
I'd tend to agree.
I wonder how many seats were gained by the Merlot Party -- or the Brie Party -- or the Crushed Rose Petal Party.
It is not a landslide. UMP and allied Right were predicting a 400-450 lead. It never msterialized.
IMO, only the reluctance to concentrate power in one man stopped it. The PS played on it, and the message resonated.
Voter turnout was a little over 50%... very low for France. Turnout in the Presidential a month ago was 85%.
Socialists are like cockroaches, they are always there to come back and mooch.
Merlot is a variety of Grape, not a wine. There is no Merlot Wine in France.
They won
We won!
Did I buy a bottle of grapes yesterday?
yitbos
Sarkozy is not a perfect man.
But he sure is a strong leader.
Thank you, Cincinna, for your posts and for daily promoting the core values true civilization is derived from.
Western civilization will not surrender or hide in shame.
Regards from Sweden.
Sarkozy is not a perfect man.
But he sure is a strong leader.
Thank you, Cincinna, for your posts and for daily promoting the core values true civilization is derived from.
Western civilization will not surrender or hide in shame.
Regards from Sweden.
The “left” have to find something, anything positive to say for their side. Saying that Sarko didn’t get the clear majority that was originally predicted is saying something positive for the “left” only, because everything involving the “political left” is the only thing that’s considered as important to the leftist elitists all over the world.
Kind of surprised it was important to make note, but Merlot is actually the family of grape of which Bordeaux is an example. If you still believe it is important for people not to label wine by this name, feel free to contact the many vinyards and bottlers that do. ;-)
(What is it about wine that makes such things so seemingly important?)
What’s in a name? What would a rose called by another name smell like? What would a Merlot called by another name taste like?
Wines in France are named after their place of origin; while wines in N. America (among other places) are usually named for the variety of grape. Merlot wine is produced in France — it is one of the varieties blended into red Bordeaux (or Claret to Brits, such as James Bond).
Thank you for the clarification.
Most French wines are a blend of grape varieties. Most American wines are not as complex.
Red Bordeaux or, as you point out, called Claret by the Brits, are considered the world’s finest wines.
I will lift a glass of Champagne tonight to celebrate the victory of the Right in France. A victory, yes, but almost as important, the defeat of the Left, the Socialists, extreme Left, and the Extreme Right, National Front.
As of 11:10 PM, GMT, partial results were :
- Communist Party : 6 seats
- Socialist Party : 169 seats
- Radical Party : 6 seats
- Green Party : 4 seats
- UDF/MoDem : 3 seats
- Nonaligned candidates : 6 seats
- Divers Droite : 12 seats
- UMP : 276 seats
A little under 100 seats are not yet officially gained or lost, mostly in Paris, Lyon and Marseille.
A party or coalition needs 289 seats to have a majority. There’s no doubt the UMP will have a clear majority - just not as comfortable as expected. UMP strategists blame the debate over the VAT for having given talking points to their adversaries.
Thanks for posting the actual numbers.
Not as great as we hoped, but a very strong majority.
I think the VAT (Value added tax)is one small element.
I think people had second thoughts when the polls showed Sarko’s party getting a close to 500 votes, a virtual Tsunami.
The French, IMO, are reluctant to concentrate power in one man or one party.
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