L'Ifri dans les médias - France wants to feel safe – whatever it takes. But what if it takes too much?

After the terrorist attacks in Paris last November that left 130 people dead, there was intense pain and fear in France, but also a spirit of unity and resilience. But since the Bastille Day massacre in Nice, in which an attacker barrelled a truck into a crowd and killed more than 80 people, the dominant feelings seem to be impotence and anger.

The French are frustrated and anxious. They want to feel safe again – whatever it takes. These feelings are entirely understandable, but they don’t necessarily contribute to effective decision making.

The “whatever it takes” is the problem. If people feel that their leaders are failing to protect them, they may turn to more radical alternatives; already, populist and overtly racist political parties are gaining traction in France and elsewhere. Urged on by such forces, people may decide to take the law into their own hands.

Read the full article here : http://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/france-wants-to-feel-safe-whatever-it-takes-but-what-if-it-takes-too-much/article31143023/