Fear is the last refuge....

For a failing candidacy. Taking a page from many campaigns here in America, a candidate for the presidency of France played the fear card:

Socialist opponent Segolene Royal said on Friday that France risks violence and brutality if her opponent right-winger Nicolas Sarkozy wins Sunday's presidential election.

On the last day of official campaigning, opinion polls showed Sarkozy enjoyed a commanding lead over Royal, who accused the former interior minister of lying and polarizing France.

"Choosing Nicolas Sarkozy would be a dangerous choice," Royal told RTL radio.

"It is my responsibility today to alert people to the risk of (his) candidature with regards to the violence and brutality that would be unleashed in the country (if he won)," she said.

As I noted in a previous post, it's the hope for a better future that truly resonates with an electorate. Royal hasn't been able to articulate a new future for France, continuing to rehash and update the old government statism of the past. Facing defeat at the polls, the only tool left is a last-minute gasp to try to instill fear.

We've seen this here in America with the accusations that blacks will be killed, grandmothers will freeze in the winter, and gays will be systematically persecuted -- all if a Republican is elected. Nice to see that the left has a multi-cultural playbook that gets used in both America and in Europe. I just wish they would find some other argument to try to advance their agenda.

Thanks to Reuters for the report.