Sources are reporting that center-right French Presidential candidate Nicolas Sarkozy has won the election by about ten points in France. The results mark the latest European government to make a rightward lurch in political orientation in the last several years.
Despite waging a dirty campaign that included a spam campaign suggesting riots and damnation should Sarkozy win, the voters came out in droves to elect Sarkozy. The attacks were reminiscent of campaigns in America, particularly dirty and deceptive campaigns against Barry Goldwater. Many people went to the airwaves to diagnose Sarkozy with mental illness, much like leftists in this country do against George W. Bush. Voters in France have rejected the fear-mongering campaign of the socialists, much like voters rejected similar attempts by Democrats to do the same in this country. Once again we see demonstrated that in the battle of ideas, socialists fight unarmed.
Sarkozy is most known for his previous post as interior minister by holding a tough law and order stand. The Paris riots by Muslim immigrants were considered stoked by Sarkozy who took a tough stand against such behavior. The fact that such a large turnout fell strongly behind Sarkozy indicates that France will not go silently into the night.
It is likely that France-U.S. relations will see a marked improvement with this election. Socialist candidate Royal not only ran a smear campaign, but was the latest socialist to run against George W. Bush and lose (a peculiar choice considering Bush wasn't on the French ballot). France for the past few years has been antagonistic towards the United States under Chirac including undermining the Iraq sanctions in the Oil-for-Food scandal which led to the ultimate renewal of conflict with Iraq. Sarkozy will likely end such antagonism and return to being a helpful international partner again.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Dave Nalle
Sarkozy is hardly Barry Goldwater, but this does seem like a positive sign.
Or maybe the French just weren't ready to elect a hot chick to the presidency.
Dave
2 - John Bambenek
Some how I doubt it was because Royal was a woman... and it's true Sarkozy is not Goldwater, but the response from the opponents was similar... for instance, having people who have never seen the candidate psychoanalyize them and come (to the prefabricated) conclusion that the candidate is insane.
3 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
Don't jump to conclusions just yet, guys. DeGaulle was no socialist or leftist and it was his model that I suspect was being followed here.
Just because Sarkozy is for maintaining law and order and French values does not mean a change for the better in Franco-American relations.
It does appear to indicate that Moslems in France who resent the country's values will have to watch their "p's" and "q's" while Sarkozy is President.
4 - alessandro Nicolo
First, Royal is hot.
Second, Sarkozy may not be a bowl of cherries to look at for us gents but he is indeed good for France.
The country is not on a good path. Sarkozy is conservative but does he have the courage to reverse the socialist mindset? That means many riots and grief. Will the concept of "l'etat, c'est la France" be challenged with Sarkozy? Will he set France on a newer and more dynamic path? Can Sarkozy be to France what Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan were to their respective countries? I don't know. After all, Chirac was supposed to be conservative yet look at his record. Pitoyable.
I watched the Royal-Sarkozy debate. Royal was ridiculous in her attacks. It reminded me, as the writer points out here, at how desperate and hyperbolic socialists can be. It's over. Time for new ideas.
5 - alessandro Nicolo
By the way, I know it's hard for Canadians to see this but Conservative leader Stephen Harper too made Canada respectable again.
6 - Phil in CT
France tacks to the right as the US tacks left... interesting; at least this gives the right wing in America some consolation after losing first in 2006 and again in 2008.
7 - Amrita
Whoever mentioned deGaulle is right on the money. French conservatism and American conservatism might have one word - conservative - in common but they're poles apart in other respects. Sarkozy isn't anti-American, but don't mistake that for pro-American.
8 - alessandro Nicolo
It wasn't just De Gaulle - most French politicians are this way. Except the ones who don't have a chance to get elected - then they stay true to their colours. Once you get to that second ballot, that means you have to go after the "centrist" vote and that means talking a little less conservative or socialist or whatever.
Conservatism in Canada is not the same is in Britain or the U.S. While I wondered if Sarkozy was going to radically change France this may not happen. He may disappoint. Since the 70s, leaders thus far traded socialist policies (and this is just an observation now) for social peace. As we all know, socialism only sweeps your troubles under the rug. But once the rug has to be changed or cleaned the dust is still there. What will Sarkozy do with it? Especially with the immigration issue.
9 - John Bambenek
considering Sarkozy's actions during the Paris riots, somehow I doubt he'll change tracks and move towards going along to get along. He might not move fast, but I think he'll move.
As far as him being pro-American... I could buy a French politician railing against the US to buy votes, I can't see a politician in France gushing over the US to buy votes... there just aren't American-lovers in large numbers in France. I would imagine most are neutral. Speaking pro-US won't buy votes, so unless he meant it, I can't understand why he'd say it.
Sure, he's environmentalist, he's European, but he's also for controlled immigration and already has that reputation when he was interior minister. There's a reason the left went bonkers over him running, it's because they saw a threat and I think that threat is justified. Goodbye 30 hours work week.
10 - Zedd
Why must any politician of another country gush over the US? That would be weird.
Also we should be grateful for Frances stance against us when we loose our minds. If they weren't so expressive in their disdain for our cockiness, attitudes against the West would be far worse. We probably would have more to contend with than the Islamic extremist. So thank you France for keeping things sane and balanced.
I still blush about the freedom fries thing. It was stupid on so many levels. To think that legislators actually spoke about it in the halls of Congress (flush).
11 - handyguy
If a politician in the US were identical to Sarkozy in left-right credentials and policy stands, he/she would probably be a 'moderate' Democrat and John B and company would be excoriating him/her instead of singing praises. In fact, an equivalent candidate might well be...Hillary Clinton.
Or possibly Giuliani before he started pretending to have new opinions on social issues like abortion, gay rights and gun control. Sarkozy's tendency to shoot his mouth off first and ask questions later would support this comparison.
12 - John Bambenek
Except Hillary isn't a "controlled immigration" type, or a "anti-welfare state" type. And it's not just things he made up on the campaign trail, he has a record to back him up.
13 - handyguy
My point was that "anti-welfare state" in France is far, far from the meaning that phrase would have in this country. Sarkozy is from the same party as Chirac and the changes he makes will still look socialistic from our rather more laissez-faire perspective in the US.
His hot-headed rhetoric about immigrants may come back to haunt him...we'll see. That too is a very different issue in Europe from the immigration debate here.
I'm not attacking him. But I do find it amusing that red-meat conservatives are praising him.
14 - bliffle
If Sarkozy is such an exemplary 'conservative' does that mean he's going to break up the monopolies that totally control French mass marketing? Does it mean he'll get rid of the onerous fees that an entrepeneur must pay, if he can get approval, to start a business? Does it mean he'll attack the French corporations that openly exercise monopoly power in markets and vertically control both their suppliers and their retailers?
I don't think so. I don't think Sarko is a conservative at all, but a royalist who will be quite happy to let traditional powers rule as long as he can make a few symbolic gestures.
Would Royal have been better? Not a chance. She was chosen (by the people who make such choices) as a foil for Sarko. She never had a chance, and she knew it.
Ho hum. More of the same.
15 - alessandro nicolo
"So thank you France for keeping things sane and balanced."
Zedd, if you're looking to France for sane and balanced perspectives you're looking in the wrong place. The French can be every bit realpolitik and cynical as any.
16 - Clavos
Franco says:
"The French can be every bit realpolitik and cynical as any."
More so than most, in fact.
17 - Zedd
Sarkozy wants to go back to the 40hr work week when it was proven that the French were just as productive in 35hrs, making them the most productive people/hr in the world. I suppose they will go back to not being as productive?
18 - alessandro Nicolo
It's true the 35hr work week worked - notbaly in creating jobs but it doesn't necessarily mean or translate into better productivity. Not sure if it made them the "most productive people in the world." I think this is specious at best. France's present GDP and unemployment figures are right in line with the Euro Area.
I know that the Spanish economy basically doubled in five years since 2003 and unemployment rate tumbled to acceptable levels - it stands at around 8% down from 22%. Does that mean they were suddenly "productive?" It's amazing what cutting siesta can do.
In any event, I trust Prof. Bambenek can speak to this better than I.
Clavos, I said it!
19 - John Bambenek
I think you basically made the point, alessandro.
If France was the most "productive" nation in the world, they'd have far different economic numbers.
20 - Clavos
Re #16:
I'm sorry, Alessandro, you did indeed say it.
Must have had a senior moment...:>)
21 - Screen Rant
Considering the political bent of the overwhelming majority of commentors on this site, I'm not surprised that there's been no mention of the left-wing riots in response to his win:
Post Election Riots
Ah, those peace-loving leftists. :-)
Vic
22 - joe
John Bambenek #9
there just aren't American-lovers in large numbers in France.
correction John-there just aren't American-lovers in large numbers in the world.
23 - Zedd
Alesandro
The 35hr work week did not create new jobs. Because the workers were just as productive working 35hrs as they were working 40hrs, the employers did not hire more workers as predicted.
What makes them the most productive is not the fact that the output changed but that the amount produced per hour is better than any country in the world.
Hope that helps clear things up for you.
24 - Zedd
Sarkozy's reign is not anticipated to be all that revolutionary. We forget that they are going from one centrist conservative to another centrist conservative.
Listening to his acceptance speech it became even more clear that France will remain France. While is style is considered more American however I don't think it would resemble anything we know to be conservative.
Remembering that the Europeans have a respect for the welfare state. Also Sarkozy is actually considering an Affirmative Action like proposal for the second and third generation French who cant seem to get hired because of prejudices (racial/religious).
His comments on how he welcomes the relationship with the US and that friends can tell each other when they are wrong was also telling that he will remain French (thankfully).
His focus will be domestic. I suspect that all of the fervor about a new France will die down once he encounters the reality of office. The good thing for him is that he has an ally in Germany's leader.
25 - Christopher Rose
Productivity is over-rated. viva la siesta!