Brazilia -
Brazilian presidential candidate Marina Silva threatens the re-election of Dilma Rousseff and the 12-year hegemony of the Workers Party (PT). Her election on October 5 could transform the South American giant relations with the region and the world.
Disturbing signs are emerging that the French, British and other European socialist parties are not convincing the people of their countries that they are still a plausible alternative to the right. If they don’t wake up soon they may become irrelevant.
The French were shocked to learn last week that its bitterly divided and acrimony-prone Socialist Party leaders had buried the hatchet and adopted a consensual approach to their upcoming primaries. But all ended well as the peace lasted just 24 hours.
French socialists seem to be doing everything in their power to help their arch-enemy Nicolas Sarkozy to win the next presidential election in 2012. With no program and a refusal to accept that the world has changed, they may well succeed.
Twitter has finally seduced French politicians, and yesterday’s use of the microblogging service during what was supposed to be an off-limits-to-press-and-public debate on controversial retirement reform plans caused eyebrows to raise.
The latest polls here show President Sarkozy at his second lowest level of popularity since he was elected almost two years ago. He’s at 36% and in freefall. Why is that?
