@randahl
I'll tell ya what really worries me. If we don't manage to force Putin to give back everything he took through international pressure, Europe's gonna rearm... and then we're looking at another World War a few years down the road, right? Once they're all ready.

*"international pressure" IS NOT EQUAL West pressure: should include China, Iran, and other ones*

It's about territorial sovereignty.

@randahl Scary stuff, and one of the main reasons Canada is at the top of my list for emigration over France (and Germany).

@randahl polls are notoriously bad at predicting the outcome of french presidential elections, especially this far from election day

@randahl this is so way too early to say anything. Le Pen is in front because effectively she's unopposed. Melanchon is only a factor in his own head, and when the media are being lazy. Attal could beat Melanchon. I'm not saying it's impossible, but the woman served time for embezzling from the EU. She's deeply damaged. She's also a protest vote; that shapes the field, but works against her in the second round.

@randahl

Thats a figment of graphs. Its mostly true in pictures. They supported their candidate last election, last year, last month, next week, next election. Next year.

The "not psychopathic hate" part of the electorate is choosing from among a crowd of diversity. As it should.

One side has to protect and continue democracy by picking among policies and rizz, between plans and scandal. Between transit and wildfire.

The criminal party doesnt.

Altbot test:

@randahl

Especially after this summer. I suppose we can now add ‘flash-flood dementia’ to the list alongside ‘heatwave dementia’.

@randahl Welcome to Germa...oh...

@randahl

Pope Leo XIV will use the final day of his visit to France on Monday to pay tribute to Robert Schuman – a devout Catholic, former French foreign minister and one of the architects of European integration – in a message expected to focus on peace, unity and the principles that shaped post-war Europe.
#EU #Europe
https://www.rfi.fr/en/france/20260928-pope-leo-to-invoke-schuman-s-vision-of-a-united-europe-during-visit-to-metz

@randahl Well Macron, like so many others, chased the right wing, so his support is gone. He started out quite well but now... oh well.

@randahl

Robert Shuman is one of the founding fathers of the European Community, and the church is working on his canonization.

Discovering Robert Schuman's work for peace and unity as Pope arrives in Metz
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2026-09/robert-schuman-pope-leo-xiv-france-metz-europe-peace-borders.html

@randahl
Those polls were made before Pople Leon XVI visit. He came with a strong message pro EU and pro Ukraine.
About a million people went to the mass (in total), and a poll showed about 11 million more were going to follow the mass (tv).
So, maybe some people will change their voting intentions.

Ukraine, nationalisme, Robert Schuman... Le message pro-européen du pape Léon XIV attendu à Metz
https://lcp.fr/actualites/ukraine-nationalisme-robert-schuman-le-message-pro-europeen-du-pape-leon-xiv-attendu-a

@randahl It IS scary. However, whatever happens, the president in France is not all-powerful.