LA CANDIDATE

LE PROGRAMME

The interviewers exchanged glances to know whose turn it was to speak.

Matthieu took the lead, "In the same topic, we've seen many historical brands close post-COVID. Many accuse the Liberal concept of the open market of having fragilized French commerce."

"Who has been in power for the last decade? I lament the closure of these historical brands, but who is policing these websites that offer items at production cost? Mass orders allow these companies to make high profits. Can a household be blamed for wanting to buy cheap without looking into fabrication norms?
My program includes thorough control of all these external fast fashion and bulk wholesale platforms sales."

"What will you do about China?" Matthieu asked.

Unable to tame her natural quirk in front of what she considered an absurd question, Severine raised a brow, "Is China the problem? We've been outsourcing production for far too long instead of supporting local businesses, and France has lost the notion of handmade or made in France. People prefer buying cheap and often regardless of the quality.

My program offers a revision of taxation for local businesses, especially in the agriculture sector. We will favor companies with a biodiverse plan and sustainability resources. We will also support new degrees aiming to train experts who know how to work the land and industrial degrees in textiles. We want to valorize and export the made-in-France trademark."

"You're talking about education now. Education represents almost half of the state's budget. What are your plans for that?" Sofiane asked.

"We all agree education is essential. We must continue investing so our children have the best tools to face the future. Education in the ZEPs remains an issue. We need smaller classes and more teachers. We need to make teaching attractive."

"By attractive, do you mean you consider reevaluating pay?"

"Yes. Teaching is hard. Even one's vocation can wither. We must
remediate this and promote the job with the salary it merits. We can't have children coming out of the French educational system with illiteracy or Dyscalculia issues. I've been in small grocery stores where cashiers couldn't add twenty-five plus fifty in their mind."

"Are you saying our educational system is at fault?"

"No, our relisance on techology is. Imagine a nuclear catastrophe. We won't be able to say okay, Goggle, turn the heaters on. We want to inform youth of all the potential fields in which they can work.
Also, all scolarized children must have access to sports to elevate their mental and physical strength and gain endurance; to learn about teamwork and fair play. Many schools don't have teachers or equipment to offer quality courses."

Jean looked down at his notes. Severine derived the conversation, and the host sought to regain the lead, "You do sports, right, Ms.Lafarge."

"Yes."

"I read you do boxing and fencing, among other things," Jean said.

"Yes."

"Fencing is quite an elitist sport."

"Sports are sports. There's nothing elitist about fencing. The equipment is expensive and elitist because of its exclusive locations, which could make one think it's a strategy to prevent citizens from practicing it." Severine said and smiled.

The table was silent. Thus, Severine pursued. "It should be accessible to all."

"I have a question: How do you go from the 93 to studying in top universities in key cities like Boston, Dublin, Switzerland, and Cologne, to state a few?

"Scholarships, thanks to the high educational budget the French Republique provides."

"I hear you, but it isn't enough to study where you did," Matthieu asked.

"My dad helped. He sold his boxing club to buy back the house and pay my tuition. Thanks to my grades, dad, and scholarships, I got the opportunity to study abroad. I did the same for my sister when her turn came. I made sure she had the same to see more opportunities."

Pauline gave her a sorrowful look, "It must not have been easy. It's very competitive."

"Yes."

Severine knew what they wanted. They wanted her to pour the black girl power verse about working twice as hard as white people.

"For me, it's always been about working better, not harder. Knowing when to put my guard up and when to lower it, anticipating but also economising my energy, not letting myself be distracted. Boxing teaches one to focus. I can say Boxing sculpted my mindset."

"Aren't you afraid of the opposition?"

"No, opposition is necessary. Otherwise, it's a dictatorship. I don't need people to have the same opinion as me. I want the reciprocation of respect. Have you ever heard of political seasonality?"

"No."

"It's an article from an academic journal."

Jean nodded while he listened to what his team said in his earpiece before saying, "By Matisse Delacourt, former Democrat turned Republican."

A wave of goosebumps swept Severine's skin when she heard his name. She tried to maintain composure and pursued. "Yes, in his essay, he speaks of political decisions that can appear to be a leitmotiv of another party but are necessary to overcome the difficulty. The power in place has no choice but to borrow the concept from the opposition. Thus, it is essential to work with the opposition regarding certain fields."

"Does this mean that your government will include figures from other parties?"

"I shall seek the competence where it is," Severine replied.

"Isn't it a centrist way of thinking?" Sofiane asked.

"I won't defend my political cleavage. It's irrelevant."

Pauline tucked her hair behind her ears before throwing lifebuoy, "Your campaign slogan is making a difference."

"Yes."

"There's the absence of the word change."

Yes, I thought Paul, the night he spent with Pauline, was paying up as she asked the one question he wanted the French to hear the answer to.

"I didn't know the word change was mandatory. You see, a change is long. It might take a term or two to see a change," Severine said. I'm bad at lying, so I don't do it. I can't lie to the French by saying there will be immediate change. While one can make a difference now and see the immediate result."

"How will you make that difference, madame Lafarge?" Pauline asked.

"You'll have to vote for me to see it."

"Yes," yelled Paul, "She holds them."