So-called moderate French president Emmanuel Macron has just unleashed riot police with tear gas and batons on a crowd of medics protesting against what they say is the imminent collapse of their health system:
The line between centrism and fascism seems to be a narrow one.
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“The line between centrism and fascism seems to be a narrow one.”
No it is a very broad road and a short on. Macron’s ‘centrism’ has always been tainted with fascist dog whistles. He celebrated Vichy, for example. And the name of his ‘movement’ is a modernisation of Action Francaise. And his use of the police, in a year of constant demonstrations from the gilets jaunes, among others, has been ruthless.
The French cops have not been reformed since their wartime employers left Paris.
As someone who lives in France, I can tell you that Macron is not and never has been a “moderate.” It’s the same Newspeak that describes the PLP as “moderates,” when they sabotaged the possibility of a socialist government in Britain, assassinated their leader and queue up to the support the bombing of whichever country uncle Sam decides to bomb next. Macron is a banker governing in the interests of bankers who cunningly assembled a coalition of opportunists and class-collaborators to implement his programme. Here is part of a letter I wrote to one of my communist councillors yesterday to complain about the collapse our a wonderful waste disposal/recycling operation, which she used to run. If you don’t speak French, it should be easy to run it through google translate or similar app.
“Je suis citoyen britannique et j’ai regardé Margaret Thatcher (et son successeur Blair) démolir les services publics, démoraliser les agents publics et présider à la détérioration de tous les services publics sur une période de près de 30 ans avant de m’échapper et de m’exiler en France.
Je détecte le même schéma; la centralisation et la détérioration simultanée des services, la démoralisation des travailleurs du secteur public au point que les gens croient le mensonge et disent “eh bien, ce serait mieux entre des mains privées”.
Citoyens de France, veuillez vous réveiller et vous rendre compte que le LREM et ses alliés dans les LR, PS & RN sont tous déterminés à suivre le même chemin. Nous sommes conduits par un banquier à accepter que ce qui est bon pour les banquiers vaut mieux que ce qui est bon pour les gens. Si quelque chose n’est pas cassé (par exemple la déchetterie) pourquoi essayer de le réparer – à moins que vous n’ayez une intention malveillante?”
It would be interesting to know her response , more so what is the underlying chance of a Mélenchon election do you think .
I do read https://lafranceinsoumise.fr/actualites/mouvement/ to try and get a perspective on things .
Pursuing at present options for leaving and residing either in France or Spain , rather like you did il y a 30 ans . I certainly no longer wish to be part of this Johnson’s mad land and The Starmer Party is ,,, well your opening paragraph says it all
Black bloc members force les flics to retreat:
The line between centrism and fascism seems to be a narrow one.
And all it took was a couple of shithouses and their supporters from preventing a socialist PM and socialist policies here.
Instead, they played into the right’s hands by wilfully ignoring the warnings NOT to deny the public something they voted for.
Well the socialist leader’ of the opposition didn’t become PM and had to go because of that. And now the shithouse rat that plotted his downfall has removed his mask, as have the snivelling rodents that pretended they were supportive.
And while they call themselves centrists there’s no excusing their facilitation of the even further shift to the right within this country.
May they all burn for it.
So be ready for leadership challenge, plan to fight the next election on JC legacy and manifesto with or without Keir Starmer
Starting with leader in waiting, who is that ?
In meantime can we organise more than 3% GMB members to vote for a left wing slate and General Secretary
“Can we organise” you’re becoming delusional comrade,but keep the flag flying your right to try,but the working-class no longer listen especially the right wing members that voted for the establishment Labour party.
The French Starmer?
But Labour may be heading more towards Pasok?
The capitalists are good at getting the right people in the right positions and the ‘wrong’ people out!
From having fled Britian for France,my family and myself veiw whats happening in France with great sorrow but a strong belief that Macrons days are numbered.With a stromg belief in the Republic and a constitution the people of whatevrr political colour will rrmove him.France knows how to desl with tyramts and establishment Royal or global capatalists of the banksters.The French people have the guts to do the job that needs doing….do the British people?
ALL Establishments around the world are inherently fascist. Some are explicit, others hidden from the majority. Without the backing of the German Establishment, it’s highly unlikely that Hitler and his Nazi Party would have ever got anywhere near power.
Generally they remain in the background, but when their status quo is in any way threatened, they come out into the open and declare ‘war’, which is precisely what the British Establishment and its minions did in relation to Jeremy and the left after he was elected leader.
And ALL fascists are Sociopaths/Psychopaths:
‘Indians, Slaves, and Mass Murder: The Hidden History’
https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2016/11/24/indians-slaves-and-mass-murder-the-hidden-history/
If you read Professors Howard Zinn, The Peoples History of America: Michael Parenti, History as a Mystery or Gerry Docherty, Hidden History these also aid in revealing the true nature of the Elites and how they distort history and events to brainwash the public.
http://pathocracy.net/
“The line between centrism and fascism seems to be a narrow one”
Well – apart from defining ‘fascism’ more precisely (totalitarian authoritarianism takes many other forms) – absolutely right. And it’s not news about Macron – he was absolutely unreservedly dictatorial it seizing the chance to locki up French society on the basis of the Panicdemic.
Which is why I’m dismayed at the blithe unquestioning acceptance of current marshal law experiments as the manufactured ‘crisis’ narrative falls apart under the weight of real evidence.
Watch your backs.