elections

Everyone keeps asking me what I think of this year's elections in France, and I usually crib a line or three from my French friends, creating my own learnèd persona. I think, however, that it's time for a confession: I have no idea whom I'd vote for, were I eligible.

I don't think foreigners, even those who have lived in France for decades or those who have a comprehensive knowledge of French history, can fully understand the importance of this election or everything that has led up to it. We understand immigration struggles, anguish over unemployment, and questions about national identity, but we cannot understand these issues as the French do; we can only study them objectively, rather than internalizing them subjectively.

That being said, I'm having people over tonight to watch the Sarkozy/Royale debate (there will be wine and dessert, too, obviously; you know how I do). Mostly my guests will be American, but there will be a strong French showing, so, together, we'll maybe kind of hopefully get what's going on.