Fortunately, France has a more progressive alternative: Jean-Luc Mélenchon, backed by the Left Front. He seems to be the only one in the race that understands the real economic choices faced by France and the eurozone. France does not need austerity — that would be its best chance of actually ending up like Greece. Mélenchon proposes instead that the European Central Bank (ECB) do its job and make loans to France and other European governments at one percent, as it does for the banks.