«Power: when testosterone titillates the proletariat and the intelligentsia

The silent majority and the Parisian elite no longer understand each other. In the thick of it all, a providential politician makes promises, stirs up the crowds, and charms them. A powerful critique of populism—and even of democracy itself. Discover Power.

He is charming, charismatic, almost magnetic. The archetype of the demagogue who «says out loud what people are thinking to themselves.» This main character is described in the novel Power Philippe Testa from Valais could be a sort of Jordan Bardella, the leader of France’s National Rally: a young prodigy from a rather modest family, a dynamic, well-groomed young executive, outspoken, always with a charming smile that highlights his cheekbones. Depending on your preferences, a Sebastian Kurz or a Matteo Salvini would also fit the bill.

The main character in this novel is therefore of that type, but on a higher level. A presidential hopeful who represents that sometimes fantasized-about «silent majority,» and whose populist rhetoric is so captivating that it could unite both fascists and anti-globalization activists alike. And indeed, this story unfolding in the streets of Paris is told, on the one hand, by a working-class man—a laborer from the suburbs—and, on the other, by an intellectual, a representative of the elite, a disillusioned writer. Two perspectives on the rise to power of this man of destiny.

Free-range or cage-free farming

The first, though skeptical, buys into the politician’s rhetoric, hoping that his job in the food industry will be saved by his devotion. He wants to take action on the ground, get involved, and finally regain control of his own destiny and that of his nation. The second, outraged yet unsettled by this inspiring figure, is researching him for a book. His own stance is theoretical, inevitably detached from reality. He is nonetheless aware that he is dealing with a symbol of our time. No, this candidate is not just another crackpot ranting in the political and media landscape. He matters.

Accustomed to describing the excesses of our time, Philippe Testa—a former punk who is now a teacher and author—has made it his mission to Power to represent the divisions within the population—in this case, the French population. A divide made evident by the total absence of dialogue between the worlds of the «working class» and the «intellectuals.» The former harbors a virulent anti-elitism; the latter, a disconcerting class contempt. 

Jesus in Politics

At the center stands the talented politician—an almost Christ-like figure. He is successively described as a savior, a prophet, and a messiah. This is author Philippe Testa’s way of addressing that very human need to believe, whether in a leader or in conspiracy theories. Along the way, he questions democracy: what if it were merely a transitional system? And what about freedom—is it an idealized concept rather than a genuine reality? The writer also tackles the concept of masculinity, directly examining the current state of manhood. 

For the two male characters in the novel have a unique relationship to their position as men in society. This politician, described as extremely attractive, serves as a kind of role model. «His sex appeal is powerful and seems to transcend gender,» observes the story’s author. He appears to be just as attractive to women as he is to men. So much so that he awakens the libido of the «working-class guy’s» wife, restores the worker’s own physical confidence… and makes the intellectual forget his paid sexual escapades.

Philippe Testa’s novel offers what some consider a panacea: a return to testosterone-fueled power—the kind embodied by a Bardella, a Kurz, a Salvini, or even a Putin. A future steeped in patriarchal nostalgia, embodied in the form of a promise: the political party «Vers l’Avant.» A well-researched and psychological exploration that confronts us with our intimate and fantasized relationship with power.

Write to the author: diana-alice.ramsauer@leregardlibre.com

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Philippe Testa 
Power 
Editions d'en bas
2022
192 pages 

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