'Sarkozy Has Lost the Heart of France'

[marmar]

from Der Spiegel:



French President Sarkozy suffered a stinging defeat this weekend, losing his majority in the upper house of parliament. The loss of the previously unbeatable conservative stronghold should be a stern warning for Sarkozy to re-examine his policy, German commentators say on Tuesday.

For more than half a century, the French Senate has been dominated by conservatives. That reign, though, has now come to an end. On Sunday, control of the body, which serves as France's upper house of parliament, was handed to the Socialists for the first time since 1958, an election result which reflects widespread discontent with President Nicolas Sarkozy and his conservative Union for a Popular Movement (UMP).

Some 177 of the 348 Senate seats were up for vote on Sunday. The body is elected by 150,000 officials from throughout France.

Sarkozy's popularity has been sinking steadily amid economic uncertainty sparked by unemployment, slow growth and a huge budget deficit -- not to mention an ongoing corruption scandal recently linked to some of his aides. Though the UMP still maintains an edge in the National Assembly, the embarrassing loss of support in the upper house not only threatens the progress of Sarkozy's 2012 budget bill and a plan to insert a debt brake into the French constitution, but also casts doubt on his chances for re-election in presidential elections next spring. .........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,788608,00.html

[RZM]

1. Did he ever have it in the first place?

People have been talking about his impending decline for years now.

[JustAnotherGen]

3. He did

I was in France May 2007 when he won. Many of the 25/30 and unders (well the ones I spoke with) felt he was a racist who should not be in office . . . but other than that - He was considered to be a 'change candidate' at the time.

BTW - I cried during Chirac's farewell speech. He was so brave - he was one of the few 'so-called first world leaders' to stand up and tell Bush he's wrong on Iraq.

[reggie the dog]

4. plus chirac pushed france to make the death penalty unconstitutional

it was already illegal but that wasnt good enough for him so now it is unconstitutional, he also pushed for health insurance for everyone, not just those with a job.

[JustAnotherGen]

5. And the FIRST French Leader

To publicly aknowledge those sent to their death in the Holocaust . . . by France. I was watching his farewell speech with a group of people - included was my former boyfriend's mother. She's now what? 76? And she's still waiting for her father to come home from Montluc. :-(

[Overseas]

2. K&R.