In praise of … Anne Hidalgo

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jan/23/in-praise-of-anne-hidalgo-mayor-paris-fox-news

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Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, was born in Spain, yet this proved no impediment to the voters, who made her the first female mayor of their great city. Hidalgo explains her situation, quoting the writer Sacha Guitry: “Being a Parisian is not about being born in Paris; it is about being reborn there.” And, in keeping with the zeal of the convert, Hidalgo this week showed the lengths to which she will go to protect the reputation of the French capital. After claims by rightwing politicians on Fox News, the rightwing politicians’ mouthpiece of choice, that Paris is blighted by Muslim-imposed “no-go zones”, Hidalgo announced plans to take legal action. A possible target would seem to be Sean Hannity, one of Fox News’s best-known presenters. But Hidalgo may also be aware of the contribution from Nigel Farage, who concurred with Fox, on air, that parts of France were indeed off limits because of religious division. Lawyers question whether Hidalgo could be successful in such an unprecedented legal action, but she has nevertheless been applauded for her refusal to allow malevolent outside forces to render a difficult situation explosive. Rightfully so. In times of crisis, the serious politician leads from the front.