Sarkozy's the second youngest president of France (52) - only Giscard was younger (48), but Giscard - like Chirac - was of another... older generation.
Sarkozy grew up in the 1960's but was raised in the Gaullist right and was never sucked into the left-wing/postmodernist/nihilistic-anarchistic soixante-huitard movement. (He was never a Trotskyite, either - like Jospin!)
His election marks a break with classical neo-Gaullism and perhaps the emergence - along with Aznar and Berlusconi and Merkel - of a New Right of Europe - more than a DECADE after Thatcher and Reagan did the same in the USA and UK respectively.
(Unfortunately, the Tories have also slipped for the last decade. But Thatcher was so powerful, she transformed the opposition. Maybe Sarkozy will do the same thing to the French socialists? Reagan had a similar effect on the Democrats - though this was short-lived: Clinton ran as a centrist "New Democrat" and won, but now the McGovernites are back in control of the party.)
Alas, the right has also faded (temporarily) in Italy and Spain - and Merkel seems unable to be bold because of the VERY weak majority she has in the Bundestag.
So - IF SARKOZY WANTS TO ACCOMPLISH THE CHANGES HE'S PROMISED - it seems PARAMOUNT that he do really REALLY well in the upcoming National Assembly elections - this June. This next election will actually determine if Sarkozy will be a great transformational leader, or a terrific FAILURE LIKE CHIRAC.
Appointing a great cabinet - with perhaps a member of Bayrou's centrist party - the UDF - (most of whom endorsed Sarkozy, despite Bayrou's refusal) - will go along way to securing that majority.
So would internecine fighting on the Left.
Sarkozy grew up in the 1960's but was raised in the Gaullist right and was never sucked into the left-wing/postmodernist/nihilistic-anarchistic soixante-huitard movement. (He was never a Trotskyite, either - like Jospin!)
His election marks a break with classical neo-Gaullism and perhaps the emergence - along with Aznar and Berlusconi and Merkel - of a New Right of Europe - more than a DECADE after Thatcher and Reagan did the same in the USA and UK respectively.
(Unfortunately, the Tories have also slipped for the last decade. But Thatcher was so powerful, she transformed the opposition. Maybe Sarkozy will do the same thing to the French socialists? Reagan had a similar effect on the Democrats - though this was short-lived: Clinton ran as a centrist "New Democrat" and won, but now the McGovernites are back in control of the party.)
Alas, the right has also faded (temporarily) in Italy and Spain - and Merkel seems unable to be bold because of the VERY weak majority she has in the Bundestag.
So - IF SARKOZY WANTS TO ACCOMPLISH THE CHANGES HE'S PROMISED - it seems PARAMOUNT that he do really REALLY well in the upcoming National Assembly elections - this June. This next election will actually determine if Sarkozy will be a great transformational leader, or a terrific FAILURE LIKE CHIRAC.
Appointing a great cabinet - with perhaps a member of Bayrou's centrist party - the UDF - (most of whom endorsed Sarkozy, despite Bayrou's refusal) - will go along way to securing that majority.
So would internecine fighting on the Left.
:)
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