[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

However, its political implications are easy to summarize, because they illustrate the rivalry within France's main right-wing party between Chirac and de Villepin on the one side, and the ambitious Sarkozy on the other.

Huh? Chirac is left-wing.

[thoughtomator]

You're not going to believe this, but in France, Chiraq/de Villain etc. are considered right wingers.

[Atlantic Bridge]

Huh? Chirac is left-wing.

No. Absolutely not. He is a moron but not part of the French left. Besides "schadenfreunde" is not suitable here since this scandal could lead to Ségolène Royal as the new madame la présidente of France. She is the "Hillary Clinton of Paris".

Being a member of the Socialist party PS (that are REAL socialists - not only socialists by the broad US-definition) and being the concubine of François Hollande (the chairman of the socialists) she is a real pain in the a**. Do not be blinded by her pretty appearance. She is a intolerant hard-core socialist. The trans-atlantic relationship will freeze to antarctic temperatures if she comes into power.

It would be helpful to back Nicolas Sarkozy in the moment since he is the most reasonable voice in this madhouse.

[DB]

In France, Chirac is right wing.

That's how far left France is...

[The_Reader_David]

Um, no. In France left means Communist, right means Chirac and company (Remember they got picketed for a pro-business, pro-jobs move that would have allowed business to sack new workers during a training period? Think what the current state of labor law must be like for that to be a reform.), nationalists and fascists are called ultra-right.

If there were any analogs of the American right, they would be called liberals (because in continental Europe the word kept its original meaning--pro-liberty, free markets, minimal government, etc.--rather than being hijacked by socialists as it was in the US).

[printhead]

It's kind of like here where heavy-demo states are called blue states so we don't identify red with commies.