Stephen Lendman

No matter who becomes France’s next president, dirty business as usual will likely triumph - like in all US elections, other Western ones and most others elsewhere. Rare exceptions prove the rule.

Last November, choice for Americans was between death by hanging or firing squad. French voters face the same dilemma.

On election eve, over one-fourth of the electorate was undecided, more concerned about jobs and the economy (pocketbook issues) than terrorism. Many believe presidential aspirants are largely the same each time elections are held, no matter what they say campaigning.

Large numbers may vote with their feet and stay home, or go places other than to polling stations.

Hyperbole about Sunday’s election being one of the most consequential in recent times was way overblown. Calling the outcome unpredictable is right. Polls show it’s too close to call.

Anyone of four aspirants could win - Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron likely to be finalists in the May 7 runoff. Yet a surprise April 23 outcome is possible.

One voter said “France is divided in four. Whatever the result, three-fourths of the people will not be happy.”

Political/opinion research firm director Edouard Lecerf believes “(t)he mistrust of politicians is stronger than it has ever been.”

Given how deplorably ordinary people are treated no matter who holds top political posts, it’s clear voting is a waste of time accomplishing nothing - privileged interests served exclusively at the expense of most others.

Neocon/CIA-connected Washington Post editors support dirty business as usual in all elections - in America and abroad, saying:

“The mere possibility that…far-rightist Marine Le Pen and far-leftist Jean-Luc Melenchon…will be the country’s choice in the second round ought to be heart-stopping for anyone who hopes the West’s core liberal values (sic) will survive the wave of popular discontent that already has driven Britain’s vote to leave the European Union, as well as the election of Donald Trump.”

WaPo supports Macron, Francois Hollande’s deplorable economy, industry and digital affairs minister, an establishment favorite, a wealthy globalist supporting dirty business as usual.

What’s good for business is bad for the masses, so you know what he favors, hardline anti-democratic rule - WaPo’s favorite, calling him France’s “best choice” for president.

Its editors blasted Le Pen and Melenchon, saying they’re “anti-American and soft on Russia’s Vladimir Putin…likely to destroy the European Union…”

It’s in crisis, a sinking ship, self-destructing - troubled Greece the future of other EU states, notably Italy, Portugal and Spain, maybe France and others to follow.

Expect continuity no matter who succeeds Francois Hollande. Longtime French foreign policy analyst Alain Gresh believes France under any leader has “limited impact…on the management of Middle East foreign policy today” - unlike decades earlier.

He calls Le Pen slightly more pro-Israel” than other candidates. She’s concerned about radical Islamic militants and politicians, not Jews, so it’s unclear “how things would unfold” if she’s elected.

Her views are similar but not identical to Francois Fillon on Islamism. Melenchon calls for resolving Middle East conflicts diplomatically. He supports Palestinian rights.

Le Pen is conciliatory toward Assad, calling him a protector of secular rights, including Syria’s Christian minority.

Whoever’s elected would have to focus on “big economic interests,” Gresh stressed - linking France with America, other European countries and Arab Gulf ones.

He’s unsure who’ll emerge as May 7 runoff aspirants. At the end of the day, things could change but stay largely the same - the way most elections turn out.

Radical change like Bolivarianism’s triumph in Venezuela under Hugo Chavez is the rare exception, not the rule.

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at http://www.sjlendman.blogspot.com.

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.