Alain Juppé: The star returning to French politics

(Baonghean) - Many people may think Alain Juppé is a boring politician. In fact, the former Prime Minister of France is leading the race for the presidency next year. He could block the return of former President Nicolas Sarkozy to the Élysée Palace, and force current President François Hollande to retire.

Former President Nicolas Sarkozy will face off against Alain Juppé for the presidential nomination next year. Photo: Telegraph.

The unprecedented comeback

One summer morning not long ago, Alain Juppé visited Roger André, the butcher in the town of Perpignan, to try the paté there. Every time he put a slice of the paté in his mouth, Juppé could not hide his satisfaction and praised the shopkeeper with nods of approval.

But what was remarkable was that the thermometer read 30 degrees Celsius, while the former French Prime Minister was wearing a dark suit and a short tie. He was accompanied by a team of advisers and local politicians, all dressed very neatly. They were on a trip to the department of Pyrénées-Orientales, at the southern tip of France and bordering Spain. “Visiting the market” was part of the day’s itinerary, even though it was right next to a police station. Not many tourists visited the market, and Juppé’s delegation became the center of attention.

Was Alain Juppé’s visit to a small market in a remote province an over-the-top media stunt? The answer is no. It was simply a sign of the former French Prime Minister’s seriousness about returning to the country’s most powerful position next year.

Alain Juppé is the current Mayor of Bordeaux and a promising candidate for the Republicans in the upcoming presidential election. The 70-year-old politician is eager to win the party ticket, something he has failed to do many times in the November primary. The time and place seem to be on his side, after nearly half a century in politics.

Former President Jacques Chirac, Juppé's predecessor, will back him in the upcoming election campaign. Photo: france24.

“The best of us”

Butcher Roger André shook his head as Juppé and his delegation left. “He won’t save us, and he won’t help us,” André commented on the new visitor. “He’s part of the old guard. What this country needs is for the younger generation to take the wheel.” That was how the average citizen felt about a politician who had held the highest office.

Alain Juppé has been elected prime minister and party president. He has also headed the ministries of foreign affairs, treasury and environment. But there is one thing he has never achieved: absolute public support. A graduate of France's best educational institutions, Alain Juppé has always been considered exceptionally intelligent and surprisingly arrogant. His former teacher, Jacques Chirac, once called Juppé "the best of us."

Yet despite his prospects for next year’s election, Alain Juppé’s weaknesses are still evident. Despite leading the national polls for months, Juppé is still seen as a man of the past. It is a reminder of the difficulties France is facing in reinventing itself, and of the elite. His own rise has been telling. Having emerged in the late 1970s working for former Prime Minister Jacques Chirac, Juppé first rose to the position of minister in 1986, and to the premiership in 1995. But in 1997, Juppé was forced to resign amid a public backlash against his reforms. Since then, he has been regarded as one of the least popular prime ministers of the Fifth Republic.

Alain Juppé (second from right) when he was an assistant to former President Jacques Chirac. Photo: Lepoint.

Advantages of election strategy

Juppé’s approval ratings are still poor. Fortunately for him, his rivals in the upcoming presidential election are no better options. The incumbent, François Hollander, is unlikely to be re-elected. He is even less popular than his predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy, when he was ousted in 2012. Hollander and Sarkozy would love nothing more than to face each other again. Both politicians believe that the public dislikes the other more than they do. The biggest beneficiary of such a contest would be Marine Le Pen, the leader of the National Front.

In terms of the platform, Alain Juppé has a better chance than Sarkozy of winning the Republican nomination. Juppé’s priorities are considered much more reasonable, focusing on issues that people have long wanted solved. He wants a smaller government, with less spending. He wants the French workweek to be extended from 35 to 39 hours, and the retirement age to be raised to 65 instead of 62. He also promises to reduce burdens on businesses by lowering non-wage costs.

In a recent interview about his plans for France if elected, Alain Juppé appeared to be a very professional candidate. He expressed his views in a gentle way, in contrast to Sarkozy's fiery, passionate style to the point of aggression. "I want to restore confidence in France. People will be proud to be French again," Juppé said. Juppé mentioned three goals that he would have to achieve if he were president: better education for young people, a stronger and more decisive government, especially on security issues, and finally, more jobs. Juppé's statements, even on paper, have created some hope for French voters, who are tired of the country's many problems.

Thanh Son