Rockin' the Establishment

The excitement is palpable among the crowd gathered in the Café Puerto Habana, a brick-walled restaurant atop the banks of the Canal du Midi in the southwestern city of Toulouse (voting pop. 400,000). Though weary from five months of volunteer work, this group of teachers, social workers, civil servants, artists and unemployed are meeting to continue preparations for a revolution: breaking the decades-old lock that traditional parties and career politicians have had on political life in Toulouse. "The aim of this goes far beyond seeking power, or the upcoming election," says Salah Amokrane, 37, head of the Motivé-e-s list of "citizen...