The Hill News

The victory of Francois Hollande over Nicolas Sarkozy in the first round of voting in France, and Hollande's probable victory in the runoff in two weeks, has major implications throughout Europe and the United States. It is a reaction against the ultra-conservative right that would impose more austerity, pain and joblessness while trying to appeal to anti-immigrant, anti-foreigner and at times anti-Muslim fear. There are shades of the French battle from other nations in Europe to Mitt Romney (like Sarkozy the voice of the 1 percent) and the Tea Party (like the radical Le Pen movement, the voice of anger and fear with a phony populist accent).

From the Occupy Wall Street movement to the voting in France, from the backlash in southern Europe to the falling popularity of the Tea Party in America, there is a reaction against the right and a move back toward the populist center-left.

Read more...