France on the brink of presidential race: every choice is a bad one

France is approaching a presidential election that presents its citizens with a deeply challenging choice, potentially between the far-right leader Marine Le Pen and the Trotskyist Jean-Luc Mélenchon. This looming prospect has been described as a "devilish alternative," forcing voters to confront a historical dilemma.

Recent political developments indicate a significant rise in support for Marine Le Pen, challenging the long-standing "sanitary cordon" intended to isolate her National Rally party. Simultaneously, Jean-Luc Mélenchon is promoting a revolutionary agenda that could dramatically alter France's position within NATO and the European Union. The fragmentation of the political center and the left-wing parties further strengthens the position of these two extreme candidates.

Adding another layer to the complex political landscape, Raphaël Glucksmann, leader of the social democratic group Place Publique, announced his candidacy. Glucksmann proposes a platform centered on taxing large inheritances while simultaneously increasing minimum wages. He argues that France has become a class-based society, reminiscent of the pre-Great Revolution era, citing a shift where only one-third of income now comes from work, compared to two-thirds previously.

The article suggests that warnings about these political trajectories are being ignored, with personal ambitions taking precedence. The upcoming election is framed as a critical juncture for France, with the choices made potentially reshaping the nation's domestic policies and its international standing.

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30 years ago, 2/3 of income came from work, 1/3 from inheritance. Today it is the opposite. We have become a class society, like before the Great Revolution.