Left, Right: The Future of France and Europe

Big election in France starts just hours from now. The results will literally have a huge influence on Europe's future... and ours. France is a good test case. Its socioeconomic troubles are nothing unusual for Old Europe -- from stagnant growth to a debt-ridden welfare state to restive, underemployed young Muslims. But the political barriers to tackling these problems are highest in France. The presidential election, pitting center-right Nicolas Sarkozy against Socialist Ségolène Royal, might provide a mandate for change. According to an Ipsos survey on the day of the first round of voting April 22, the three main issues were unemployment, purchasing power and economic insecurity. MORE from WALL STREET JOURNAL... And from a German perspective, this from Spiegel Online: The elections are widely perceived as a crucial choice not only between the left and right but also between two visions of France's future, after 12 stagnant years under President Jacques Chirac. While the two very different candidates agree that there is an urgent need for change in France, they differ on how to achieve it. Royal sees the state as the preferred instrument to carry out these changes, and Sarkozy is more in favor of market-led reforms. Although the campaign has largely dealt with domestic issues, it is being viewed with much interest from abroad. In recent years, France has struggled to play much of a role on the international stage, and French voters' rejection of the European Union constitution in a 2005 referendum dismayed many in the 27-member bloc. FULL ARTICLE...