The campaign to persuade the former U.S. president, Barak Obama, to run for the French presidency, which is largely perceived as a joke in France and elsewhere, seemed to have gained some momentum in recent times.
The slogan “Yes we can” can be seen on posters plastered around the French capital. “Oui on peut” is the motto of the campaign “Obama 2017”, which is attempting to persuade the former U.S. president to run for the presidential elections in France.
The campaign was founded by four Parisian in their 30s, who have chosen to keep their identities hidden.
“It’s totally crazy, but the cool thing is that once you get past that, you start thinking that maybe it is possible. “Who cares that he’s not French? He’s Barack Obama”, one of the campaign organisers told to CNN.
Until now, more than 30,000 people have signed the petition which is a part of this campaign, and the main aim is to collect one million signatures until March 15.
Also, the website “Obama 2017” states that “Barack Obama has the best biography in the world for that job”.
These statements can be seen on the website: “The French are ready to make radical choices. That is good because we have a radical idea to propose to them”. They also point out that the aim of the campaign is the fight against extreme right parties in the country.
“At a time when France is about to vote massively for the extreme right, we can still give a lesson in democracy to the planet, by electing a foreigner as the French President”.
On the “Obama 2017” website, you can also read the following arguments.
“To launch this sixth Republic, we wish to strike a blow by electing a foreign president as the head of our beautiful country. Barack Obama completed his second term as President of the United States on January 21, why not hire him now as President of France?”
The first round of presidential elections in France will be held on April 23 this year.
If none of the candidates manage to get the majority of votes, the next round of presidential elections in will be held on May 7.
The current French President, Francois Hollande, took office on May 15, 2012.
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