François Hollande’s promises

Any President wishing to be re-elected uses the “safe hands strategy”. “This is not the moment to try crazy experiments, it’s the time to be responsible, serious,” Nicolas Sarkozy told the French. “For the past four years, the world has been on the edge of the abyss and the slightest error can send us over the edge.” Meaning: Après moi le déluge!

Four days before the French election, a British radio station laid emphasis on the enthusiasm of Mr Sarkozy’s supporters singing before the second round of voting. A person interviewed in the programme was a Sarkozy supporter whom the journalist had “met by coincidence in a café round the corner”. The programme ended with the projection of Mr Sarkozy as “a man of action”.

In Germany, Angela Merkel at first declared open support for Mr Sarkozy but, as surveys showed François Hollande as probable winner, she said she was ready to work with “any French President”. Mr Sarkozy will, no doubt, be watching Chancellor Merkel give President Hollande the hugs she used to give to him. C’est la vie!

A caricatural programme on French TV called Les Guignols de l’info (news puppets) showed Mr Hollande as a weak person with a shy smile. On some occasions, he spoke aggressively and was immediately criticised. The producers of the programme will probably re-examine their sporadic certitudes.

Some days before the election, Mr Sarkozy declared that one of his mistakes was to ignore his advisers who had told him to be more gentle in the criticism of his adversary. However, during the pre-electoral debate, he used words like “lies” and “calumny”.

On May 4, 360 French artists and intellectuals declared their support for Mr Hollande.

A few days before voting day on May 6, Mr Sarkozy wished to close the survey gap between him and Mr Hollande by calling for three debates instead of one, convinced he would overtake his “soft” adversary. The suggestion of three debates was refused. Mr Hollande was asked if he was afraid of Mr Sarkozy as the latter declared he would “eat” Mr Hollande. Those who watched the three-hour debate realised that nobody in fact “ate” anyone. And Mr Hollande declared after the debate that Mr Sarkozy had “remained hungry”.

In a last ditch effort, Mr Sarkozy ironically borrowed some far right anti-immigration ideas from Marine Le Pen as he himself is the son of a Hungarian immigrant.

Mr Hollande accused Mr Sarkozy that, during his reign, the rich had become richer while the number of poor had increased. A sardonic smile answered this accusation.

During Mr Hollande’s campaign, many may have retained his promise to employ 60,000 teachers. This would boost education and, especially, give back small schools to small villages whose children were obliged to travel to larger nearby schools. This would also reduce the number of children in each class.

Also, Mr Hollande promised to re-stimulate law and order in France by the re-employment of police numbers reduced during the Sarkozy days.

The French media discussed alleged financial help from Muammar Gaddafi to electoral campaigning in 2007.

Mr Hollande’s victory was also undoubtedly due to his promises, which must have been largely believed. Briefly here are his other promises:

I don’t want to be President of everything and responsible for nothing.

I will not be head of the majority. I will not receive the members of Parliament of the majority at the Elysée Palace.

I will not treat my Prime Minister as my collaborator.

I will not participate in funding for my party.

I will make justice function independently. I will not influence nominations in the Justice Ministry.

I will not nominate directors of public television stations.

I will make sure that my behaviour is exemplary.

I will make myself available to justice if my previous behaviour is contested.

There will be a code of behaviour for ministers, who cannot have a conflict of interests.

Ministers cannot have several functions but must concentrate fully on their task. (Mr Hollande has decreased his salary and that of ministers by 30 per cent.)

I will promote decentralisation.

Social partners will receive consideration and I will discuss with them regularly.

Citizens will participate in all important debates.

Proportional representation must be introduced for the legislative elections of 2017 so that all political sensitivities are represented.

I will practise a balance between international problems and the needs of the people.

The legislative elections will soon reveal if the French people believe that these promises are being kept.

The majority of French residents in Malta voted for Mr Sarkozy both in 2007 and 2012. Does Malta attract more French conservatives than others?

Interestingly enough, the former Conservative idol before Mr Sarkozy, Jacques Chirac, declared before this presidential election that he would be voting for Mr Hollande.

Well, intra-party confusion does not lead to victories. This is why Mr Sarkozy will be returning to his former profession at the bar.