by Pauline ETIENNE

Soon after the results of the French presidential elections, the socialist party almost immediately said it would draw the conclusions of its defeat. Both the party?s opponents and its leading members did not hesitate to say that it should rethink its strategy and review the way this left-wing party had been doing politics for the past few years after three successive defeats in general elections. The Mauritian parties from the opposition and government may have to do exactly the same before the next general elections. They all have three years to rebuild their structures and their image that, for a reason for another, has been marred. All parties boast about being left wing with a high concern for the fate of workers in Mauritius. Although the Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM) may have been the incarnation of such fights when it was created, no political party is really left wing today ? at least not those that normally win most votes during elections. But they all refuse to admit it and all want to show how close they are with workers. But changing the way they make politics and themselves would not necessarily mean that they are over-capitalist. The world is no more a place where two major sides are confronting their views. It is becoming increasingly global and all parties have to adapt to this new context on pain of disappearing through a slow death. Political parties should not be demagogic and defend the interests of workers with the only objective of winning a few votes in two and a half years. Such behaviour will not prove profitable. The French example has shown it. Opposition parties here should understand that their main objective is not to object systematically to all development projects of the government. Just ask the present government how tough it was to speak the truth when it reached power after five years of demagogy on the opposition bench! Now that it has to face reality and people?s discontent, it might have some regrets as to some promises made. It might also regret the many criticisms made against IRS projects ? which have since then become its priority. But, the MMM, formerly in the government and now part of the opposition, does not hesitate to make the same mistakes. Just take the example of Tianli industrial park in Riche-Terre. Such a project promises to bring Rs 17 billion into the country in terms of investment without even mentioning the number of jobs it will bring along and the potential development of the region in the long run. T he MMM does not have to applaud to such a project ? they would be seen as a future partner of the Social Alliance in that case anyway. But they could at least refrain from taking part in protests by inhabitants of the region. The latter say they do not agree to be given another plot of land in Côte d?Or. Sometimes, they say it is because they do not have any written agreement from the government and sometimes it is because the plots of agricultural lands in Côte d?Or are not as ?profitable? as in Riche-Terre. In fact, they may not know the exact reasons why they do not want to move, they may even not realise that the whole country ? and its inhabitants ? would benefit from this project even if it is a foreign one. But there is one certainty: as long as politicians will support them in such a battle, they will be convinced that they are right.