TAKING POLITICAL STOCK IN FRANCE

In an editorial today reflecting on last year's elections in France in which the rightist Le Pen made it into the second round of presidential voting, ("One year after"), Le Monde argues that neither the left nor the right has been able to respond to the widespread political dissatisfaction that led to last year's results. Le Monde argues that the right has made a good effort but that the economy remains a serious problem and that the resulting social tensions remain a threat. The left, however, hasn't been able to develop a coherent legislative plan to address the needs and concerns of the disaffected. (Le Figaro points to a possible cause: the left is still in a phase of "introspection," or, as one might say in these parts, navel-gazing.)

Le Figaro has a series of short recollections from journalists, polsters and pols, all of whom note that the results of last April were shocking for them. Pollster Pierre Giacometti reminds us that the data before the elections indicated that 41% of voters were undecided; the results were, in his words, "unforseeable." Journalist David Pujadas said that the Le Pen win was so unbelievable that he had to "pinch himself," to make sure he wasn't having simply a bad dream. Cecille Helle from Jospin's PS (big losers) notes dryly on her choice to vote for Chirac in the second round in order to vote against Le Pen: "It's not as simple as all that to vote for your political adversary. I needed a few days to think about it."

Liberation notes that recent protests against Le Pen's party, meeting in Nice, have been a bit of a flop, if festive: police say 600 people showed up.