Sarkozy concedes French presidential election...

[son_of_montfort]

I was reading up on Hollande because I also knew nothing about him and he wants to increase spending through construction of housing, hiring teachers, police officers and similar programs. So he is definitely not thinking 'austerity.'

Is he planning on borrowing the money or raising taxes?

The answer is probably: "yes."  :)

Do note, Sarkozy hit French academia hard, cutting a lot of programs that made researching and publishing in France (particularly if you were French) much easier (Britain has similar programs). Before the cuts, French academia, particularly in the social sciences, was one of the best in the world - major publication projects, historical document preservation and examination, etc. So Hollande is probably not planning on "adding" anything, but rather returning things to the Ante-Sarkozy levels. I think Sarkozy also cut housing and police, but I don't remember.

Not that you all care about French academic funding. Just the part of French fiscal structure I know about.

[LongBlade]

Thanks, SoM. That helps us understand the context of spending changes - at least with regard to those programs.

[son_of_montfort]

Thanks, SoM. That helps us understand the context of spending changes - at least with regard to those programs.

Sarkozy was as fiscally conservative as France tends to get. That sat well with ~49% of the population, but clearly not with 51%. The election was close, so Hollande doesn't exactly have a mandate or anything. On the other hand, the French president has a LOT more power than the US one.

[Centurion40]

I figured (not that pay attention to French politics) that Sarkozy was more the type to increase the size of the police.

[Hartford688]

That sat well with ~49% of the population, but clearly not with 51%. The election was close, so Hollande doesn't exactly have a mandate or anything.

Doesn't being elected, even at 51%, mean he has a mandate?

[LongBlade]

That sat well with ~49% of the population, but clearly not with 51%. The election was close, so Hollande doesn't exactly have a mandate or anything.

Doesn't being elected, even at 51%, mean he has a mandate?

"Mandate" comes form Chinese emperors who supposedly had the backing of heaven. Today the word implies not just a slight majority, but an overwhelming backing. If he'd received 70% of the vote he'd have a mandate.

Or, in American elections, if a President is elected and also sweeps into power with large majorities in both houses it's called a Mandate. Obama more or less had one in 08, but by the 2010 elections had clearly lost it.

[Hartford688]

OK, over here in UK it means elected.

2 the authority to carry out a policy, regarded as given by the electorate to a party or candidate that wins an election

http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/mandate?view=uk

Comes from Latin, not China, mind you.

[LongBlade]

I don't doubt the word's Latin origins, but for some context of my comment...

The Mandate of Heaven is a well-accepted and popular idea among the people of China, as it argues for the removal of incompetent or despotic rulers, and provided an incentive for rulers to rule well and justly. The concept is often invoked by philosophers and scholars in ancient China as a way to curtail the abuse of power by the ruler, in a system that otherwise offered no other check to this power. The Mandate of Heaven had no time limitations, instead depending on the just and able performance of the ruler. In the past, times of poverty and natural disasters were taken as signs that heaven considered the incumbent ruler unjust and thus in need of replacement.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandate_of_Heaven

[Hartford688]

I don't doubt the word's Latin origins, but for some context of my comment...

The Mandate of Heaven is a well-accepted and popular idea among the people of China, as it argues for the removal of incompetent or despotic rulers, and provided an incentive for rulers to rule well and justly. The concept is often invoked by philosophers and scholars in ancient China as a way to curtail the abuse of power by the ruler, in a system that otherwise offered no other check to this power. The Mandate of Heaven had no time limitations, instead depending on the just and able performance of the ruler. In the past, times of poverty and natural disasters were taken as signs that heaven considered the incumbent ruler unjust and thus in need of replacement.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandate_of_Heaven

Indeed. And you mean by it re Hollande? I guess the best fit is that the poor condition of the French economy signified the removal of the mandate from Sarkozy..."times of poverty and  [financial] disaster"...

[son_of_montfort]

I figured (not that pay attention to French politics) that Sarkozy was more the type to increase the size of the police.

He probably did... but paid them less. Apparently he was that type of guy.  ;)

Hartford, I was meaning mandate from the US Political Science 101 perspective (i.e. not a very exact definition). LB hit what I meant. I'm always shocked at the voter turnout numbers and the close margins of victory in France. Wish we had that more in the US.

[Hartford688]

I figured (not that pay attention to French politics) that Sarkozy was more the type to increase the size of the police.

He probably did... but paid them less. Apparently he was that type of guy.  ;)

Hartford, I was meaning mandate from the US Political Science 101 perspective (i.e. not a very exact definition). LB hit what I meant. I'm always shocked at the voter turnout numbers and the close margins of victory in France. Wish we had that more in the US.

Sorry, I was being a pedantic ass. Had just heard on TV a few minutes earlier about some part of the  Amazon forest being decimated, 80-90% destroyed...brought the tedious nitpicker roaring out.

[Staggerwing]

I figured (not that pay attention to French politics) that Sarkozy was more the type to increase the size of the police.

He probably did... but paid them less. Apparently he was that type of guy.  ;)

Hartford, I was meaning mandate from the US Political Science 101 perspective (i.e. not a very exact definition). LB hit what I meant. I'm always shocked at the voter turnout numbers and the close margins of victory in France. Wish we had that more in the US.

Sorry, I was being a pedantic ass. Had just heard on TV a few minutes earlier about some part of the  Amazon forest being decimated, 80-90% destroyed...brought the tedious nitpicker roaring out.

As opposed to cutting down every tenth tree? It's one of my pet peeves as well but apparently even some dictionaries offer both definitions now. :(

[pawelj]

The election results in France and Greece mean that holidays on the continent are going to be cheaper, as Euro's value depreciates. I'm expecting £1 = E1.35 by August. Anyone holding Euros dump em ASAP.

[Hartford688]

The election results in France and Greece mean that holidays on the continent are going to be cheaper, as Euro's value depreciates. I'm expecting £1 = E1.35 by August. Anyone holding Euros dump em ASAP.

Or a Greek exit could even make it appreciate...get rid of dead weight...who knows...what an exciting year. Again.