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A sigh of relief from France

By Alan Austin - posted Friday, 9 November 2012


Le Monde expressed concern over tensions likely to continue with Israel after PM Netanyahu backed Mitt Romney.

Laurent Zecchini's report from Jerusalem pondered "whether Obama will be tempted to take revenge, and if so, how". He quoted an Israeli diplomat troubled by Netanyahu's "bet on the wrong horse". Israel's "capital at the White House has been squandered".

Not surprisingly, Netanyahu was quick to applaud Obama's win and promise collaboration to "ensure the vital interests of the security of the United States and Israel".

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While the economy, global relations and the environment were causes for celebration, two election issues trouble Europeans. Both are present also in Australian politics.

Jacob Weisberg at Slate.fr was dismayed that personal moral and religious concerns such as marriage, contraception and abortion featured so prominently. "It is curious these are considered more critical than anything else by some people. More important than employment or public debt."

"The fact that you are pro-choice or pro-life is nobody else's business", wrote Jacky Terrasson in Newsring.fr. "Matters of private choice should not be at the heart of the debate. These should not be arguments to garner votes."

US specialist at le Nouvel Observateur Soufian Alsabbagh agreed. "Talking about rape and abortion in terms used by Mitt Romney's team is unacceptable for a segment of the population, including centrist voters."

Philippe-Joseph Salazar expressed bemusement at the place of religion in the election campaign. He noted Romney's concession speech: "I will pray for him [Obama] and our great nation."

"Seen from France this is so comical", the philosopher observed.

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Commentators were also disturbed by the extent of les mensonges flagrants – blatant lies – of the Republicans during the campaign. In Europe this is usually punished with shaming in the media and banishment from public life.

"Romney stacks lie upon lie", wrote Jacky Terrasson in Newsring.fr. Cécile Dehesdin at Slate.fr was shocked to see Romney "mentir si éhontement" – "shamelessly lying".

Pierre-Yves Dugua at Le Figaro referred to Romney false allegations that Obama planned to slash military spending "by hundreds of billions of dollars" and disarm America. "Military spending under Obama has increased slightly," he noted. "Democracy cannot come from waging this war of lies."

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About the Author

Alan Austin is an Australian freelance journalist currently based in Nîmes in the South of France. His special interests are overseas development, Indigenous affairs and the interface between the religious communities and secular government. As a freelance writer, Alan has worked for many media outlets over the years and been published in most Australian newspapers. He worked for eight years with ABC Radio and Television’s religious broadcasts unit and seven years with World Vision. His most recent part-time appointment was with the Uniting Church magazine Crosslight.

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