No to change - Yes to no change

There were less than five percent of the French people who pulled the plug for the worst crisis in the EU in years. But crisis, for whom?

Raffarin perhaps, he lost his job. But for the French people? For the rest of the EU? I see nothing but winners. At least if you should trust the arguments from both sides.

The nay-sayers have argued they obviously want nothing to happen. Thus, they  have nothing to worry about for some time now.

The yes-sayers argued nothing will happen if there will be a yes. France will still be France and things will remain the same, don't worry. Well things are the same. You won as well.

Studying the arguments in the EU looks very much like what you see in food and nutrition. Change is bad for you. Act like now is good for you. Just loose some weight. Just add some wealth.

So, was the Yes-side doing something wrong when they pushed for status quo? In the short run perhaps not. In the long run, definitely.

Similar to how far too many new companies define their market from the perspective of the established actors, and fail by doing so, we never will see a strong support for a more integrated EU if it will be described as status quo. Who wants status quo in France with an unemployment rate around 10 per cent? But nobody gave them a choice. The choice were between YES and NO. The result in both cases were no change. Then also I would find a "no" a little more trustworthy.

I don't think people are afraid OF change. They are afraid TO change. And that's what probably will eventually sink this old ship.