Island Elections

NO, this blog is not going political - and even if you think it is so, I can assure you it will be absolute political incorrect anyway! But being in French Territory during election was quite interesting, at least. So let me share our very regional enlightening findings: 

Lately, we learned that Hollande made over 70% in the French Overseas Departments, except for St. Barth which was Pro Sarkozy. That's understandable: St. Barth is made from Millionaires for Billionaires or vice versa. So anyone who wants to scare the rich guys off with higher taxes or so will do a bad thing to the little island. They voted for Sarkozy - comprehensible.

But why did Hollande win so clearly in the other territories? I mean with 20% or so more votes than in the mainland? That's easy to explain too: 

Take the shop/bank opening hours for example; It's somehow from 8:00 -12:00 and from 14:30 - 16:30, maybe a bit longer if it is high season. But otherwise the days are pretty relaxed in paradise. Sometimes it's really hard to tell which ones are tourists and which are not: I needed a break from my hard boat life this morning and went for a coffee ashore. The guy next to me was chatting with his friends for two hours while smoking his Gitanes in this very nice coffee bar. Nothing unusual, if he wasn't wearing his bright orange working vest. But at least his fellow co-workers have been kind enough picking him up with the city truck so he would be at home on time for lunch. It's the same everywhere, people are very relaxed. I mean very. If you like to buy a baguette at the boulangerie you need to call the owner from the next bar table where he's having his early afternoon glass of vine. Or if you'd like to pay that coffee you just had, you need to ask the lady to interrupt the chat she's just having across the street.

So put that lifestyle now in perspective of the presidential elections, and imagine Europe with all its problems on the other side of the planet: There is one guy which tells you that you should work more and the government needs to save a fortune. On the other hand there is this new guy who basically says: we take the money from the rich and you still have the right to retire early. Even if I can't see any difference here between being retired and actively working it's clear to me: Anybody who is threatening this paradisiacal lifestyle should go to hell! 

So whoever you think was or is the better guy - it's all a matter of perspective. In particular if you live a few thousands miles away from Paris, Berlin or you name it :-)