By Ali Rıza Taşdelen
Ever since French President Emmanuel Macron started to engage in warmongering against Russia, one of the former French presidents, the social democrat François Hollande, has re-emerged on the scene.
After reading an article by journalist Danielle Bleitrach on reseauinternational.net titled “Hollande, one of the funniest and undoubtedly despicable French presidents, gives advice (to Macron)”, I decided to write this article on the ex-leader of France that I had long intended to write. Hollande is indeed one of the weakest French presidents. A caricature of social democracy. A figure of leftist imperialists deceiving the people. And at the same time the “leader” who put the last stop to the collapse of social democracy in France.
Social Democracy’s lies about “rights”, “law”, “justice”
Social Democracy is unprincipled, spineless, it changes color like a chameleon. Manipulates the masses, exploits their desire for “democracy” and “freedom”. Presents itself to society as “leftists”, talking about “rights”, “law”, “justice”. There is a great illusion in society regarding social democracy: a large part of the masses regard social democracy as a left-wing system of views. In fact, the parties that claim to uphold these views are the leftist branch of the system in capitalist, imperialist countries and the leftist, non-national accomplices of imperialism in developing countries like ours.
In our time, the left possesses above all an anti-neoliberal, popular, etatist economic program based on anti-imperialist, national and anti-capitalist policies in favor of the workers. In other words, left national parties are parties with a popular, revolutionary and anti-imperialist program. It is impossible to become a left-wing party using only such fashionable notions as democracy, freedom, human rights, justice – this is nothing more than hollow talk and deception of the masses.
Hollande: Let’s break relations with Russia
Hollande, the most ardent supporter of Macron’s crusade against Russia, said at a meeting with the French leader, “We must give Ukraine more.” “And not only us,” he said. – “The Germans must act faster to ensure that their commitments are honored, the French must give the Ukrainians more equipment, including the most modern equipment.” Former President Hollande, a Social Democrat, last week also recommended the French government “not to have any contacts” with Russia.
François Hollande emphasized: “We must help, help and help Ukraine. (…) The more we help it, the better the chances of ending the conflict will be…. Peace is not brought by acquiescence, but by confronting authoritarian regimes.”
He was a supporter of military intervention in Syria
Hollande continued the aggressive policy of his predecessor, President Sarkozy, towards Syria. Expelling Syria’s ambassador to France, he told a traditional conference of ambassadors that “Assad is a murderer who is killing his own people and threatening peace in the region,” that he “must leave as soon as possible” and “face the International Criminal Court.” Hollande made his first visit after being elected to Germany, then travelled to the United States and in talks with President Obama said: “I saw that we have a lot in common. I hope this quality relationship between France and the United States will continue in the years to come.”
France’s Syrian policy, following in the footsteps of the United States, has from the beginning believed that all means are good to topple the Assad administration. Just as Macron today favors using all options against Russia in Ukraine. Those who spoke of the need to support, arm and train jihadist terrorists in Syria are today doing the same for Nazi gangs in Ukraine.
He was the aggressor and occupier in Africa
To break China’s resistance in Africa, the Social Democrat Hollande, together with the United States, carried out military operations, occupations and coups d’état. The attacks on Libya and Côte d’Ivoire began during the reign of Nicolas Sarkozy. Hollande continued this aggressive imperialist policy.
French warplanes, which has assimilated the American “concept of fighting Islamic terrorism,” began bombing Mali on 12 January 2013. The French concentrated thousands of military, first under Operation Serval and then Operation Barkhane. They subsequently intervened militarily in the Central African Republic, pitting Muslims and Christians against each other. These French actions were supported and endorsed by the United States.
National forces versus social liberals
Today, the ill-conceived and reckless plans to attack Russia put forward by French army commander and warlord Emmanuel Macron are most fiercely defended and supported, again, by the social democrats. A socially liberal war front has formed in the country.
Inside the French heartland, with its strong state and diplomatic tradition, today, as yesterday, there is a conflict between the hawks of war and the doves of peace.
Conservative, liberal and social democratic parties are shaping their policies according to the interests of the monopolistic bourgeoisie, that is, the system. When the United States abandoned and betrayed them, whether it was the defeat in Syria or the beginning of the Ukrainian crisis, they sought to develop relations with Russia. Washington has therefore tried by all means to keep these forces on its side by carrying out terrorist attacks on their territory in order to demonstrate how the situation is spinning out of control without it.
On the one hand, Macron is imposing an aggressive pro-war policy, while on the other, parties, politicians, national forces and even respected army officers and retired generals are appealing to the common sense of the state to counterbalance these floundering on the French Atlantic front.