Elections

It is local election time in France. This is our first election since we've moved back to Melle, and it's proved an interesting experience. In France, there is only ever one question on a ballot. Not like in America where you have to vote for tons of individuals for different offices as well as referendums and such. One question. Short and simple.

Because of the one-question principle, local elections are organized around "lists." There are not candidates, but lists of candidates. In Melle, they are lists of 27 people. Presumeably, the first person on the list is the mayoral candidate, the next couple are deputy mayor candidates, and the rest are city council member candidates. In Melle, there is sometimes only one list. What choice! In that case, it's a socialist list, because Melle is a predominantly socialist town. This year, there are the socialists (left), and also a second (farther left) list. The guys from the right are trying to put together a list, but they only have til Thursday, and as of this weekend they were missing 2 people. When you vote, then, you can't pick and choose individuals from the different lists. You choose your list and it's all or nothing.

This has affected our lives because Thomas is now scared to leave the house. Every time he does, he runs into at least two people who want to know if he's on a list, and who might ask him to be on one since he's not. He was active in politics before his little Parisian stint, and I guess people thought he might want back into the game. In France, protestants usually vote for the left (liberal Catholics, too; the conservative ones vote right, of course!).

We'll be glad when Thursday is past and the lists are official. Then Thomas can once again go on his daily walks in peace, and we'll keep you posted on how Melle's voting goes. At least, if it's interesting.