unity. Commentators assessing the televised head-to-head debate between French presidential contenders changes. Jacques Chirac (on the right, Gaullist, graduate of the elite Ecole nationale d'administration, ENA) and Lionel Jospin (Socialist, also graduate of the elite Ecole nationale d'administration) were struck by how polite it was compared to previous such confronta- ground. tions.
Symbol Responding to the deep anxiety aroused in the French establishment by the impressive votes for far-right and far-left candidates in the first round, both these "ÉNArques" wanted to appear as the sober symbol of national Explosive topics such as racism and immigration were hardly mentioned while much of the debating time was German currency. wasted discussing institutional reforms and minor tax Promises Despite ritual campaign promises from both sides of dynamic change, the debate showed what the new presifascism's fire. dency will be all about: continuity, but against an increasingly stormy backThe backbone of this continuity is the Europe of the Maastricht Treaty.
Internally, the road to Economic and Monetary Union has been paved with high and persistent unemployment.
The next stretch will, additionally, be built on drastic cuts in social programmes and further public sector job cuts. If Germany is to be persuaded to give up the D-Mark, then the French franc must at all costs be kept as strong as the The high score for the far right is a result of the fact that the right-wing programme the strong franc policy entails was first implemented by a supposedly left-wing regime.
Another Socialist President would mean more economic pain and more fuel for French neo-colonialism.
The votes for the far left, on Now the internal balance of the other hand, show that mil- power in Europe is moving lions are ready to open the towards. Germany, newly "third round" on the streets united and with an increasagainst whoever wins. ingly dependent north and Least European periphery.
Foreign policy The French response has There is also a growing cri- been to build up European desis of French foreign policy. fence and diplomatic structures Since its foundation the Euro- which it can dominate and tie pean Community or Union Germany firmly into these. has accepted French political However, that domination and diplomatic leadership and itself, which rests on France's financially underwritten status as a nuclear power Jospin: likely to fall foul of 'third round" of struggles on the streets led by the left backed up by a strong army, cannot be taken for granted.
Hence the high French military profile in Yugoslavia or Rwanda and French interest in defence cooperation with that other nuclear power, Debacle The debacle of European policy in the former Yugoslavia is a tremendous blow for France.
Furthermore, other European states, above all Ger-. many, have resisted new demands to cough up for French neo-colonialism in the recent negotiations over the renewal of the Lomé Convention.
Nor should we overlook the symbolism of bananas, with German consumers and importers chafing at Brussels' defence of the preferential treatment of small neo-colonial bananas over big free-market ones..