France's young Socialists back François Hollande to reignite fires of 1968

new fervor to the left led Mr. normal pole position in the final round of presidential primaries

The Bataclan club celebrated the 11th district of Paris avant-garde was stifling, and even by their own rules, which was stirred.

a crowd of young people in the audience cheered, screamed, clapped and whistled -. A racket is not unusual in an avant-garde that was once a stranger Edith Piaf and, more recently, Pete Doherty

art rock bands and worship them out of here. After the music, young people fill the streets and talk inevitably turn to night parties and go.

Last week, however, held a ceremony led Bataclan improbable: a bald man with glasses and a dunk function whose nickname is Mr. Normal. And the speech was excited to political parties, which together with France, and the triumph in the second round to decide the primaries of the Socialist Party, held today.

"Francis, president. Francis, president," shouted the crowd, supporting their favorite presidential candidate, François Hollande. On the sidewalk, others on a TV screen set up in a hurry.

When the Socialists of France announced months ago that was first held in the U.S. primaries to elect a presidential candidate, the process promised to be decent, even admirable, but boring. On the contrary, seems to have turned the fire policy in a new generation of voters.

helped that among the six candidates were two relatively new faces rather young: Arnaud Montebourg, 48, runner surprise, beating the 2007 presidential candidate Socialist Ségolène Royal, who ranks third in first round last Sunday, and Manuel Valls, 49, who finished just behind Royal. The injection of new blood into the party once said to run in the "elephants", combined with deep disappointment in the current leadership of the country, especially the unpopular Nicolas Sarkozy, seems to have inspired a wave of young left. After 17 years of common law, are ravenous for change.

the generation of their grandparents took to the streets, erecting barricades and calling for educational reforms and the ouster of the "old" company in May 1968 student revolts.

their parents' generation to adulthood under the direction of 14 years of socialist François Mitterrand, the socialist president of the Fifth Republic only.

socialist youth of today are the hope of its own revolution in the presidential election next May. They were also interested in education and environmental issues that have arisen in the 1980s, but mostly are galvanized by the worsening economic crisis and fears of how it will affect your chances of getting a employment and provide a place to live.

Florence

Assan, 21, a medical student who has campaigned for Holland's main rival for the party nomination, Martine Aubry, according to the primary Socialist gave youth a voice.

exceptionally, the primary vote was open to any adult who pays ? 1 for the Socialist Party and pledged to uphold the values ??of the left, but also for adolescents aged 15 to 18, if the young people were registered with socialist organizations. "Most of our lives what we know is the right ruling," said Assam. "Now we want to change people, including youth policy -. -. in your heart "

Sylvain
• Lobry, 20, an engineering student, agrees. "They said we were the generation that had turned their backs on politics, but we proved that wrong. The primaries proved that wrong. Even if you do not win [the elections], we did something extraordinary. "

Hanry Hugo, 17, a high school student, says he is excited and confident in the outcome of the second decisive round of voting. He plans to vote for Aubry. "There is a case of renewal. Young people are becoming more interested and more involved in politics. The Socialist Party primaries were a great exercise in democracy," he said.

last Sunday at a polling station in the 3rd arrondissement of Paris, and left residents waiting to vote in the first round, the atmosphere was almost festive. Families with young children were in tow, while jovial young socialist activists was about looking for an excuse to start a conversation.

asked about participation or forecasts, which struck with fury on the BlackBerry and iPhones before producing the right answers to two decimal places. "It's the home run," said a young man.
order or presidential primary? "I hope the two," he said.

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