At the “ELLE-SciencesPo” forum on the 5th April, François Hollande, François Bayrou, Nathalie Arthaud, Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, Marine Le Pen and Eva Joly reaffirmed their commitments on women's rights... but not Nicolas Sarkozy, who cancelled at the last minute.
Article source: “Nicolas Sarkozy a annulé sa visite au forum "Elle-Sciences Po", les autres candidats ont planché”, Anne Brigadeau, France Télévisions (francetv.fr) (05/04/2012)
"Are the candidates ready to change the lives of women... and men?"
The weekly magazine Elle interviewed the candidates for the presidential elections on this theme on the 5th of April, in Paris... all except for Nicolas Sarkozy*, who cried off at the last minute, giving student demonstrations at the front door of Sciences Po as a pretext. And yet, FN candidate Marine Le Pen had also faced hostile demonstrators just two hours before, and had not cancelled her visit.
To make up for the absence of the Head of State, his spokeswoman Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet spent a few minutes trying to defend his presidential track record, to a chorus of boos.
Faced with such a hullabaloo in the crowd, Sarkozy’s spokeswoman spoke of an “ambush”: “When I see your attitude, and the directors’ attitude, I can’t help thinking that Nicolas Sarkozy was right not to come,” she announced while surrounded by activists from the feminist collective La Barbe (The Beard), who had come (in vain) to question the President of the Republic.
Two interviews cancelled
So two of the candidates cancelled their interviews, Nicolas Sarkozy and Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who should have spoken via video link from Toulouse (but, unlike the Head of the State, the Front de Gauche candidate had come to the La Cigale theatre on March 7th to debate with a feminist group).
But these unexpected events did not prevent the six other candidates from being given a grilling in the “Richard Descoings” lecture theatre, freshly renamed in honour of the director of Sciences Po who died on the 3rd of April in New York. Here is the report of the various interviews given throughout the day.
Hollande confirms that he will form a “government of gender parity”
9.30 am: The first to take the test was François Hollande, who made several commitments:
Parity: “There will be as many women as men in my government, and the women will have key responsibilities.”
Contraception: “There will be a contraception package” introduced for minors, including “not only free access to contraception, but also to a doctor and aftercare.”
Equal pay: Hollande will “give companies one year to ensure their compliance with this principle. At the end of this year, tax exemptions will be suspended for the companies” that do not comply.
“I am in favour of allowing parental leave to be divided… between men and women.”
What woman will François Hollande be thinking of on election night, if he is elected? “Of my wife, who is present, Valérie. Of my mother.”**
François Hollande at the Elle-Sciences Po forum (April 5th, 2012) © AFP
Bayrou in favour of a "Ministry of Equality"
10.05 am:François Bayrou, when asked about the fact that he is prepared to introduce different swimming-pool schedules for men and women: "I know some women who are heavier than others and who do not want to be exposed to the gaze of men at the swimming-pool."
Involuntary part-time work: "I believe the standard contract of employment should be a full-time permanent contract."
Discrimination: "I am in favour of a Ministry of Equality, every type of equality" (but not for a specific ministry for women's rights).
Child care: Bayrou is "in favour of houses for child minders."***
Equality in politics: "There is only one way to achieve genuine electoral equality, that’s proportional representation. "
What about the women he will think of if he is elected? "A lot of them!" And he starts listing his wife, his mother, his daughters, (his political deputy) Marielle de Sarnez...
François Bayrou © AFP
Nathalie Arthaud: "And why not prison?" for those who don’t observe equal pay
10.55 am: as a teacher of management and economics in an educational priority zone (ZEP), Nathalie Arthaud paid homage to Richard Descoings: "I know he made a difference for young people in disadvantaged neighbourhoods."
"He showed that, when you put enough resources into it, you can help these young people go a long way in life. But only a minority have access to those resources. What we see, in working-class neighbourhoods, is education being sacrificed, and I'm outraged by this. The right to knowledge must be a right available to the whole youth of this country," she went on.
When asked about the penalties against those who do not observe equal pay, Nathalie Arthaud replied: "And why not prison?" "Well, that’s the first time I’ve heard that one," answered a surprised Valerie Toranion, editor of Elle. Nathalie Arthaud’s response: "Isn't it worse" than many crimes that lead "to prison?"
The Ministry for women's rights? "It reminds me of the committees formed for burying problems."
About free condoms for minors: "I’m speechless. Is anybody against it?"
The first woman she will think of if she is elected? "Olympe de Gouges, Rosa Luxembourg ..."
Natahalie Arthaud at the "Elle-Sciences Po" forum (April 5th, 2012) © THOMAS SAMSON / AFP
Dupont-Aignan wants to release 3 billion euros over 5 years to create 100,000 nursery places
11.40 am : Nicolas Dupont-Aignan. "I want action in support of women to flow through each and every ministry."
"We have to recreate a fair order of things, someone (Ségolène Royal) said this before me and she was absolutely right… Certain types of violent behaviour are tolerated, and women are the ones who are taking the brunt."
Gay marriage: "Two people in love have the right to authenticate their union, but I am against marriage."
And he’s also against adoption by homosexual couples.
Nicolas Dupont-Aignan wants to release 3 billion euros over 5 years to create 100,000 nursery places." And, as a quick reminder, in comparison: "France gave 50 billion to save the banks that lent money under outrageous conditions."
The eurosceptic candidate is in favour of the "contraception pass" introduced by Ségolène Royal (thus name-checking her for a second time).
On the night of the election, if he is elected, Nicolas Dupont-Aignan will think "of his wife."
Nicolas Dupont-Aignan (April 5th, 2012) © Thomas Samson / AFP
Marine Le Pen: "Having three or four abortions in a row cannot be supported the national community."
2.50 pm: Marine Le Pen confirms that she is "in favour of meritocracy" and "against enforced gender parity… The women who have made a difference in politics did not need a law on parity." And she goes on to quote Simone Veil, amongst others.
Like François Bayrou, she feels that the best way to achieve equality for men and women is through "proportional representation."
When asked about "abortions of convenience," an expression coined by her colleague Louis Alliot, she declared: "Having three or four abortions in a row cannot be supported by the national community."
Marine Le Pen says she is in favour of "pre-natal adoption… when a woman does not want to keep her child, but wishes to give birth, an organisation would put her in touch with couples who want to adopt. This could reassure mothers who do not want to have an abortion, for whatever reason." She supports giving 90% of the minimum wage (SMIC) to those on parental leave, and allowing this to be taken into account in pension calculations.
When asked about the prevention of sexism at school: "For the girls in the suburbs, that's where there is sexism. They cannot even wear a skirt."
On homosexuality: "I will not call the civil partnership (PACS) into question."
On the Ministry for women's rights: "We are not an endangered species."
And what woman will she be thinking of if she is elected President of the Republic? "Joan of Arc… and… Olympe de Gouges," like Nathalie Arthaud.
Marine Le Pen arriving at the "Elle-Sciences Po" forum (April, 5th 2012) © AFP / Thomas Samson
4.30 pm : Eva Joly, wearing dark glasses (she is recovering from her fall in a cinema): "What this campaign shows, is that if you don’t have 40 years of political experience, it's hard" to lead a presidential campaign.
The EELV candidate wants better support for young women students who want a child, especially through more nursery places (her programme plans to create an additional 400,000).
The former magistrate thinks that the secular principle should not be "overused," and that "women wearing the hijab" should not be forbidden from taking care of children.
When asked about elite grandes écoles (universities), she states that a lot of pupils are "left by the wayside" to allow this system to work. And she points out that Alain Minc "bankrupted De Benedetti," having "graduated top of his class from the ENA".
What woman will she be thinking of if she’s elected? "Of Aung San Suu Kyi."
Eva Joly, dark glasses and red coat (April 5th, 2012) © AFP / Thomas Samson
NOTES
* In fact, neither Philippe Poutou nor Jacques Cheminade appear to have been involved (or invited) either. And, as the article goes on to explain, Jean-Luc Mélenchon also cancelled. (Editor's note)
** The veiled assumption is that Hollande will actually also be thinking of Ségolène Royal, his ex-partner and the losing candidate in the second round of the 2007 presidential election. (Editor's note)
*** The French for ‘child minders’ is ‘assistantes maternelles’ which is gender specific on two fronts. Firstly it’s feminine and thus assumes that the child minders are women. Secondly, the function that they are explicitly performing is ‘assisting the mother’ (and not the ‘parents’). The mere use of the term probably makes Bayrou seem a bit sexist to some of the feminist interviewers, but the thing about ‘heavier’ women his real gaffe. (Editor's note)
Translation: Antoine Houzé and Samuel Florin
Editing: Sam Trainor