French Socialists are less than happy at the prospect of a new constituency map for France that will better reflect current demographic realities rather than previous ones. As with this great nation of ours, changes in constituencies rarely keep track with the pace of demographic change, and just like here, redistricting would favour the right, reflecting the depopulation of sundry Socialist fiefdoms. The rather unlikely figure of 577 is the s
acré numéro for deputies, with much of the rebalancing involving seats for overseas and DOM/TOM French, at the expense of the 'mainland'.
However, while our own dear Labour party may not particularly like the work of the Boundary Commission when it works against it (any more than would the Tories, LDs or come to that, Kidderminster Hospital Concern if in the same position), there is at least
some recognition that equal constituency sizes are an important part of a tolerably fair democracy.
Meanwhile, if current plans Outre Manche go ahead, the Socialists would lose 23 deputies and the Gaullists nine.
And what are they calling this? '
An attack on democracy', in the reckoning of Pierre Moscovici, National Secretary of the PS, and inevitably yet another Enarque. His reaction is merely the most over the top, with others denoucing '
meddling', '
a manifest lack of impartiality' etc etc.
While I would accept that it would perhaps exhibit better govenance to have a greater degree of distance between constituency mappers and government, the figures on population by
département are indisputable facts on the ground, no matter how much rankly hypocritical grandstanding Moscovici enages in.
Anyway, what's the French for
Old Sarum?
Labels: France, hypocrites, the Left
