Now that the No B-day is over, that the purple flags have been put aside, and some political controversy have been stored, well now the mass gathering technique moves to France. French bloggers were impressed by the success of the Italian demonstration, excited about the photos (not only in Rome) showing thousands of people in the streets. And they would like to do the same against Nicolas Sarkozy.
It's not an easy time for the French president, in office since May 2007. Nicolas Sarkozy, according to a survey conducted by the magazine Paris Match, would have reached the highest level of discontent among the French since the beginning of his term, five years ago. As many as 61% of his countrymen, in fact, are not satisfied with his work. According to the Ifop survey, the consensus of the Head of State is at its historic low level.
That's why it was born the idea of the No-Sarkozy Day: a mobilization for the 20th of March, on the eve of the second round of regional elections, a protest that will be able to match the Italian one. "Are the French happier than their Italian neighbors? Are they satisfied with the policy of their government? Do they think that the president is fulfilling his function and meet his commitments? "
"Not at all" is the obvious answer. So the net started to move. It was created a website, Ensemble Contre Sarkozy, that is organizing the event and also on Facebook, where now all the protests seems destined to pass by, were born several groups calling for the resignation of the French President, but also attracting people to the streets on 20 March 2010.
On Facebook there is the group No-Sarkozy day which until now has 2.568 fans, there is the group Contre Nicolas Sarkozy, which lists nine reasons why you should join it as well as finding new ones, and then the largest group: the N0 SARKOZY DAY ! March 20, 2010 Objective 1 million.
Italy and France, therefore, are united by popular revolt. If in Italy the left seems to be in crisis, with some parties now out of parliament and others that sometimes seems to forget about their voters, in France the left is not doing better. The basic difference between the two protests is the attention of media. In Italy the newspaper La Repubblica had been taken over the rebellion of the internet almost forcing the other newspapers to talk about it. In France, however, only the website Marianne2.fr has so far dealt with the protest. "The similarities between Sarkozy and Berlusconi are numerous," is written on the website, "beginning with their desire to erect themselves as messianic leaders and advocates a system of government that deftly combines economic liberalism and national security."
Well, it is not sure that this mobilization will reach the same success of the No-B day. And the article in the weekly magazine Marianne says it clearly. Even because Sarkozy, after all, has no many weak spots like Berlusconi. The demonstration against the designation of his son Jean to direct the business center of the Defence (designation later withdrawn) had gathered only a bunch of people. But this time the challenge might be able to attract the French in the street, if only to match the Italian squares.
Marianna Lepore
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