Saturday, February 10, 2007

Socialist reform in France?

Sources:
“Royal unveils 100 ideas to make France strong" - CNN.com
"Royal signals shift to the left" - Reuters

France’s socialist presidential candidate, Segolene Royal, issued 100 proposals this weekend that she believes will improve France’s economic and geopolitical situation. Included among the proposals was a promise to increase pensions and the minimum wage, as well as a host of reforms that would help keep firms from relocating to lower-cost countries.

Royal would be France’s first woman president, but critics have labeled her “participative debates” as nothing more than “political karaoke,” but Royal shrugs off such criticism and claims to be able to see the real problems afflicting France. The next president will be challenged to try to reform the country, which has lost substantial economic and diplomatic power in the last decade.

Royal plans to tackle these problems head-on with reforms that will “defend France” against the effects of globalization and “economic liberals.” Such reforms would include anti-globalization changes at the IMF and World Bank.


Question:

- What type of reforms would a candidate like Royal suggest the World Bank and IMF implement?
- Would her suggestions have much influence?

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