Europe, Elections

[voltaire]

The French voting public recently gave Chirac's centre-right bloc a kicking and heavily backed the opposition socialist/communist/green coalition in regional elections. Also the untra-right Front National gained over 13% of the vote.

In tandem with the general election in Spain that elected Zapatero, and allowing for the defeat of the socialist government in Greece, it seems that the left in Europe can still win elections. Indeed, many of the countries are finely balanced, with the scales tipping back and forth between left and right.

Makes you wonder why (even allowing for the staggering ineptitude of the procession of buffoons in charge of the Conservative Party) Britain seems to simply have swapped a long-term Conservative hegemony for a Labour one in 1997?

V

[Ronbo]

Originally posted by voltaire
The French voting public recently gave Chirac's centre-right bloc a kicking and heavily backed the opposition socialist/communist/green coalition in regional elections. Also the untra-right Front National gained over 13% of the vote.

In tandem with the general election in Spain that elected Zapatero, and allowing for the defeat of the socialist government in Greece, it seems that the left in Europe can still win elections. Indeed, many of the countries are finely balanced, with the scales tipping back and forth between left and right.

Makes you wonder why (even allowing for the staggering ineptitude of the procession of buffoons in charge of the Conservative Party) Britain seems to simply have swapped a long-term Conservative hegemony for a Labour one in 1997?

V

In the case of Britain's former unelectable Labour Party == It swung to the Right under the leadership of Blair -- so in a manner of speaking the Tories won -- as Blair stole their issues like Clinton stole Republican issues in 1996 to win a second term.

Interesting how USA and UK politics frequently mirror one another.

In regards to Europe it's still: "Socialism to the Death!"

[voltaire]

I see what you're saying but even in the UK it's still shifts on a different terrain to the US. No-one would think of challenging the basics of the welfare state here, for instance, and retain any real political credibility.

V