Posted by Jan den Breejen (195.121.226.147) on April 30, 2002 at 11:52:55:
Jean-Pierre Chevènement
Oldtimer French Gaullist politician from the old elite; ‘There is only one gaullist in France……….thats me’. He’s very self-confident about this and about his own abilities to save France from USA dominated ‘Big Mac’ culture. JPC actively promotes the ‘grandeur’ of Franche, a kinda nationalistic form of compensatory narcissism: ‘Vive La France!’, ‘la grandeur de la France’ etcetera. His current campaign radiates a narcissism and vanity that is hurt. He has been born in Belfort and was very succesful for a long time, being chosen again and again as mayor and member of parliament. Once, when he was only 33 years of age, he organized the Parti Socialiste which was so succesful that Mitterand felt threatend by JPC as a potential competitor for power and status in France. Very funny is that when he walks on the stage at political meetings he makes the V-sign, identifying himself with the great De Gaulle. The funny thing about narcissists is the disparity between their actual achievements and their confident and optimistic self-image. France is entitled to a special position in the world, cultural sophistication etc. and this all is embodies in Chevenement. Not really; he’s an old man and absolutely has no chance of winning anything significant in the current political arena in France.
Assessment; Self Confident Style (Oldham), Narcissistic Personality (Millon)
Jan