SARKOZY READYING ANOTHER ELECTORAL VICTORY

UK INDEPENDENT:

The French centrist politician François Bayrou split with the majority of his own members of parliament yesterday and launched a new political party, the Mouvement Démocrate.

M. Bayrou, 55, who had once seemed capable of springing a surprise in the presidential election, said that he was creating a "new, independent political force" of "free men and women".

By a show of hands at a conference in Paris, grass-roots members voted overwhelmingly to dissolve M. Bayrou's old party, the Union pour la Démocratie Francaise (UDF).

However, 21 out of the 29 UDF deputies in the national assembly repudiated M. Bayrou. They have bowed to pressure from France's president-elect, Nicolas Sarkozy, and agreed to join a "centrist" section of his centre-right party, the Union Pour un Mouvement Populaire (UMP).

As I posted three days ago, Sarko needs a compromise-proof majority in the National Assembly to govern effectively and institute the necessary reforms. AND AS I FURTHER POSTED, the first crucial step for him would be to consolidate voters from Bayrou.

I think this news-item proves that he's taken the steps necessary to do just that.

THE SARKOZY INTIFADA CONTINUES - DAY THREE

YAHOO/AFP:

France saw a third consecutive night of angry protests on Tuesday in the wake of the weekend election victory of right-winger Nicolas Sarkozy as president, but on a smaller scale than on previous days.

In eastern central Paris, around 150 protestors tried to block access to the Bastille district but were dispersed by a large number of police. Police said they arrested several people.

On Monday night, around 500 youths shouting "Sarko, fascist!" had gone on a rampage in the same area, burning 10 cars, looting two stores including a supermarket and smashing windows, police said.

More than 200 people were rounded up that night during four hours of clashes in which protesters threw stones, beer cans and bottles at police, one of whom was injured.

AP:

The leader of France's defeated Socialists appealed for calm Tuesday after a second night of post-election violence left cars burned and store windows smashed.

While the unrest has been small-scale, it sent a message to Nicolas Sarkozy: He may have won the presidency, but he hasn't won over the many French who consider him - and his free-market reforms and tough line on crime and immigration - frighteningly brutal.

YEAH - I LOVE THAT! THAT'S RICH!

SARKO WANTS TO REFORM FRANCE, AND SOMEHOW, TO THE LEFTISTS, THAT'S "BRUTAL"; WHEREAS THEIR RIOTING IS SOMEHOW... BENEFICIAL!?

THE LEFT TODAY: IDIOTS & DUPES, LIARS & HYPOCRITES. DID I LEAVE OUT TRAITORS?

BTW: IN ANOTHER STORY ON THE MATTER, AFP - IN TYPICAL LEFTIST/MSM/PROPAGANDIST-STYLE - MADE A BIGGER ISSUE OF SARKO'S VACATION, THEN THE RIOTS!

HERE'S WHAT PRESIDENT SARKOZY MIGHT HAVE IN STORE FOR FRANCE IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS

UK TELEGRAPH:

After taking a few days off to "meditate" on his election, the former interior minister is planning to name a slimmed-down caretaker government, with just 15 cabinet ministers, ahead of legislative elections on June 10 and 17 in which he hopes to secure a solid majority in France's parliament, the National Assembly.

Two names are said to be in the running for prime minister: François Fillon, Mr Sarkozy's chief political adviser, who has barely left his side during the campaign, and Jean-Louis Borloo, 56, the employment and social cohesion minister who is regarded as the social conscience of the Right.

... Mr Sarkozy has promised that half of his ministers will be women, among them his star recruit and spokesman Rachida Dati, 40, a former judge of North African origin.

Françoise de Panafieu, who will run for mayor of Paris next year, may also get a post.

RTWT.

THE ROAD AWAY FROM SERFDOM WON'T BE EASY: UK GUARDIAN:

And though Royal's claims last week that a Sarkozy victory would lead to 'violence' were dismissed as scaremongering by her opponent's media team, significant social strife is likely if he wins. Many local mayors in areas where tensions are already high - Sarkozy is hated in many of the poorest housing estates in France for having described delinquents as 'scum' - are planning heavy police deployments tonight.

There is talk too of a 'third round' of the election in the streets. France's powerful unions last week vowed a trial of strength with Sarkozy who, through his plans to modify France's legally enforced 35-hour week, labour laws and expensive welfare model, is seen as the living incarnation of 'the excesses of American-style capitalism'.

'If Nicolas Sarkozy thinks that if elected he will have the right to push through all the reforms that he has announced, whatever the unions think of them, then he is making a big mistake,' said Bernard Thibault, the general secretary of the CGT, France's biggest union.

If Sarkozy wins, his likely Prime Minister is Francois Fillon, a former minister and senator reviled by the left for his controversial pension reforms five years ago.

France needs at least as much reform now as the UK did in the 1980's. WILL SARKOZY BE AS GOOD FOR FRANCE AS THATCHER WAS FOR GREAT BRITAIN? I HOPE SO... WE'LL SOON SEE - I HOPE!

Sarkozy takes aim at the French left, and scores a bullseye

From Le Monde, my translation:

"I want to turn the page on May 1968".

"Between Jules Ferry (1) and May '68 (2), the Left chose May '68...It has preached welfarism, egalitarianism, a levelling down and the 35 hour week. It has turned its back on the ordinary working people of this country".

And why doesn't he like the Soixante Huitards? (The French term for the near revolutionary Left of '68):

"Their intellectual and moral relativism. [suggesting] There is no difference between good and evil, between beautiful and ugly, between true and false and that Jack's as good as his master".

Good stuff. However, the track record of politicians appealing to the 'silent majority' (yes, he did - 'la majorité silencieuse') is not very encouraging.

And elsewhere, Le Figaro notes that at the same rally Michèle Alliot-Marie (the defence minister) accused Ségolène Royal of 'changing her convictions as often as she changes her outfits'. Catty, Michèle, very catty.

FOOTNOTES:
1 - More at Wikipedia, but Ferry was the father of French state education, and a contemporary of Gladstone and Disraeli in the UK, or Grant and Hayes in the US.

2 - There is no real equivalent to the iconography of May '68 for the British, but think general strike meets counter culture etc etc. The '68 demonstrations could be compared to the troubles on campuses in the US and the urban riots, if without the equivalent of Kent State. They came up with some inspired slogans though - 'Be realistic - demand the impossible' and 'Beneath the paving slabs, the beach!'

NICOLAS SARKOZY GIVES FRANCE HOPE

The Astute Bloggers have been on top of what is going on with the French Elections. Reliapundit alone has done 5 recent posts just within the past couple of days. He has pointed out how Muslims are overwhelmingly for the Socialist candidate Sego.

I did some research myself and am pretty encouraged by the possibility of the Conservative Candidate Sarkozy having a good chance at winning. It gives me hope for the future of France.

Jacques Chirac is now on his way out and France is set to elect a new leader. This past weekend France narrowed it down to 2 candidates:

"Conservative Nicolas Sarkozy and Socialist Segolene Royal appeared headed Sunday to a presidential runoff, according to preliminary results and pollsters' projections, setting up a stark choice between one of France's most intensely ambitious politicians and a liberal who would be the country's first female leader."

The election to decide between the two candidates is set for May 6th. Pajamas Media Paris Editor, Nidra Poller had very favorable things to say about the Conservative Nicolas Sarkozy:

"Contrary to what many foreign journalists have written, Sarkozy is perhaps the only candidate who is running on a platform instead of a personality cult. His commitment to results is sincere and if he fails to produce, which is quite possible, he will still deserve credit for his courage and straight talk. He is the candidate who has most clearly defined France’s problems and most convincingly pointed to the right path out of the sand trap where this country has been stuck for three-decades. Of all the twelve candidates, many of whom are irresponsible charlatans, Sarkozy is the only one who has been smeared, spattered, and verbally slashed.

That’s why I think Sarkozy will win. Targeted by an underhanded mass media demolition campaign and a forthright banlieue blackmail blitz, he still comes out the winner in every single poll. This must be a mark of citizen determination."

You know a Conservative has won over the masses when he can stay ahead in the polls despite being trashed by the media. Granted a Conservative in France is probably not the same as a Conservative in the U.S., but I also found some favorable things about Sarkozy in my own research:

"He is generally recognized by the right and left as a highly skilled politician and striking orator. Supporters of Sarkozy within France emphasise his charisma, political innovation and willingness to "make a dramatic break" amidst mounting disaffection against "politics as usual"; Some see him as wanting to depart from traditional French social and economic principles in favour of American-style economic reform. Overall, he is generally considered to be somewhat more pro-US than most French politicians."

"Towards the end of his first term as Minister of the Interior, in 2004, Sarkozy was the most popular conservative politician in France, according to polls conducted at the beginning of 2004. His “tough on crime” policies, which included increasing the police presence on the streets and introducing monthly crime performance ratings, were popular with many."

The woman that Sarkozy is running against sounds like your average French socialist. My prayers and best wishes for the best future for France and for French/American relations would be for a Sarkozy win on May 6th.

Hat tip: Michelle Malkin