I was in Paris recently as a guest of the left think tank, Terra Nova, and met politicians, advisors,

militants, experts, journalists and bloggers. I came away with some strong impressions. Firstly,
virtually everyone told me that President Sarkozy was hugely unpopular, and his ratings as low as
it was possible to go. Yet many of the same people told me he could still win. They know he relishes
a campaign. They suspect he may have learned from some mistakes. Incumbency is a powerful
weapon. A comeback is a powerful narrative. And they worried that with the President so
unpopular, the economy sluggish, social issues raw, and the left in power in many parts of France,
the PS should have been doing far better in the polls (to which, incidentally, French politicians and
media pay far too much attention.)

Of course this was pre selection of a PS candidate. Many of the Socialists agreed with my analysis
that once they had chosen the candidate, they needed to unite behind that candidate, resist their
historic predilection for factionalism, run a campaign that was fresh, energetic and based upon a
programme totally focused on the future and one which addressed people’s concerns. They agreed
too that the PS could no longer look down its nose at communication, but had to see it not just as
an essential element of campaigning, but a democratic duty at a time when people have so many
pressures on their lives and living standards, and concerns about the world around them. But
though they agreed with the analysis, some worried about the Party’s capacity to deliver upon it.
The fear of another defeat ought to be enough, surely, to deliver on the first and essential part:
unity. As someone on the progressive side of the political divide, I continue to think the French
left’s over intellectualisation of politics, its focus on never-ending debate instead of agreement
around big points and unity behind one accepted leader remains a problem.

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