It was a vote of misery and desertion, an impulse moved by panic as well as anger.

The French vote mainly expressed a rejection of our ruling class and deep anxiety about our economic prospects. It was a vote of misery and desertion, an impulse moved by panic as well as anger.

Consumption, fueled by huge Asian demand for African commodities, is on the rise across the continent.

The widespread culture of impunity promotes the persistence of a generalized climate of intolerance and violence, which is also fuelled by the propaganda of hatred.

The failure of police forces to cope with crime, for example, had led to the privatization of security and the proliferation of security companies, a trend which thrived on insecurity and fear.

Grafted onto this is America Iranian enmity, fed by the nuclear issue, but also by disagreement in Iraq.

The development of new technologies and renewable energies will inevitably translate into new jobs, but there must be a recognition that decent jobs must be created, in the context of a well developed social and physical infrastructure, provided through a strong, well financed public sector.