On the beachside, this Friday, August 24, 2007, in Cannes (06), where the sand covers the sidewalk, sits a rather special caravan. The sides of this caravan are adorned with images of children from the back, wearing swimsuits, sitting on a beach looking at the word “TOGETHER” against a blue backdrop, like the sea. This word, “TOGETHER,” as if to invite vacationers to build their France. This caravan, as you might have guessed, belongs to the UMP.
The UMP is the only political party touring the beaches of France to provide what they jokingly call “after-vote service,” as the young activists explain to intrigued passersby. The purpose of this caravan is to explain Nicolas Sarkozy’s party objectives and inform about legislative and governmental news (such as promoting university reform) while also recruiting new members. To do this, they have four types of key tools: frisbees, postcards, lollipops, rugby balls (the replacement for the famous flip-flops), and the legendary condom. The young Populaires, as they are called within the party, know well that staying in front of their caravan won’t fulfill their informative and promotional missions. So, with frisbees and condoms in hand, they go out to distribute flyers. A group of young people tells them, “Sarkozy is Le Pen!” After a brief discussion, they part ways; the young Populaires have successfully convinced them. The initially hostile young people change their position, saying, “You’re right, Sarkozy isn’t racist.”
What is the secret of these young activists? It becomes apparent when you follow them: motivation and commitment. It’s certainly easier to convince others when you are yourself convinced. “It’s a way to realize our commitment,” explains Antonin, 18 years old. “We’re here to show people that we don’t abandon them after the elections.” The last element of this success: cohesion. If you forget about their T-shirts, promotional gadgets, and flyers, you’d mistake them for other groups of young people: joking, laughing, and united. “We’re here to bring people together,” clearly explains David-André Darmon, a young UMP blogger and activist (
During this day, the young activists managed to convince, unite, entertain, tan, walk, distribute flyers, and debate institutional reform… a very busy day indeed. Two days remain before the operation concludes, and tomorrow, Rachida Dati, the keeper of the seals, the Minister of Justice, is coming to congratulate the young activists. The deputy secretary-general of the UMP, Dominique Paillé, explained to me in more detail the UMP’s desire to meet the French through this caravan: “We are the only truly structured party functioning in French political life. We look around, measure what the Socialist Party is doing, and realize that apart from a campaign of navel-gazing and continuous self-questioning, it never addresses the French. We, we don’t have that method; we believe a political party should reach out to the population, converse with it, and obviously bring it in to nurture debate because democracy is debate. This caravan contributes to this idea, of going into the field, especially on the beaches, to meet the French and show them that politics can be practiced everywhere, it’s a noble activity, and it needs the population to be effective.” To summarize: the UMP caravan is a “cool operation,” as explained by the youth leader of the Côtes-d’Armor, meant to “show that we’re not giving up,” according to the youth leader of the Alpes-Maritimes, Jérôme Viaud.
Tanguy HUGUES
