We are cornered: next Sunday the French will vote for the first round of the presidential elections. And since yesterday, as François Hollande rises in the polls, there has been an acceleration in defections from others: a series of personalities from the French right, but above all various ex-representatives of Nicolas Sarkozy's "opening" policy declared who will vote for the socialist candidate. Ambiguous, but increasingly insistent rumors even give former president Jacques Chirac, godfather of the Gaullist right, as intending to put the cross on Hollande. Meanwhile, even from the business world, traditionally and decidedly right-wing in France, there are signs of availability towards Hollande.
An era is over - Once upon a time there was Sarkozy, modern and nonconformist face of the European right. It was 2007, he had triumphantly won the elections. And he started talking about ecology, social justice, “leftist stuff”. And he went to recruit for his government characters more or less linked to that political tradition. For example, Fadela Amara, of Maghrebi origins, founder of the association "Ni putes ni soumises", a legend for young people in the Paris suburbs. He became undersecretary for urban policy. She resigned in November 2010, tired of having to deal with the UMP establishment, the centre-right party. Yesterday you declared that this time you will vote for Hollande "and also all those who are attached to the values of justice - you declared - will know who to vote for". Fadela, as we know, carries quite a few votes with him. Like Martin Hirsch. A career behind him as a senior state official, former president of Emmaus and adviser to Abbé Pierre, classified politically on the left, was surprisingly chosen by Sarkozy as high commissioner for active solidarity (he practically redesigned all French social aid). He too abandoned the President in 2010. Today he says he will vote for Hollande.
The Chirac enigma – It is well known that there is bad blood between Sarkozy and the former president. Yes, since the days when the young Sarko became mayor of Neuilly-sur-Seine against the will of his father master of Gaullism. But from there to even vote for a socialist, a leftist, it takes... And instead it seems that this is really the reality. Jean-Luc Barré, a historian and writer who has always been close to the right and a friend of Chirac, has just declared it. He said that both he and the former president will vote for Hollande in the first round. Chirac's entourage neither confirmed nor denied. However, it is known that Hollande, a deputy elected in Corrèze, the department where Chirac comes from, after an initial diffidence, has long since begun to appreciate the socialist, above all his moderation in economics (apart from the current proclamations candidate's anti-finance).
Even the French Confindustria shows up – Medef, the organization that represents entrepreneurs, has always been politically close to the right. And Sarkozy hasn't denied expectations in the era. Still at the beginning of April, Laurence Parisot, at the head of the Medef, recalled "the extraordinary work in intensity and quantity carried out by Sarkozy". But yesterday she surprisingly showed herself almost sorry for never having met Hollande. “A meeting is not scheduled before Sunday, a pity – she underlined. I hope it's possible later, before the second round." In Paris, even those few words came as a small shock. An initial opening of the industrialists to the candidate who wants to impose a taxation of 75% on all personal income exceeding one million euros net per year. Even earlier, the Institut de l'Enterprise, a study center near the Medef, had rejected Sarkozy's economic program. Hollande's is judged much more serious. Even his idea of renegotiating the fiscal compact, the agreement wanted by Merkel on a balanced budget, to introduce new measures to promote growth, is gaining more and more support even among entrepreneurs. Hollande seems to have the wind in his sails. But time is still lacking. The last word has not been said.
