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SARKOZY SEEKS PRESIDENCY AGAIN, PROMISING 'STRONG FRANCE'
Robert Marquand
The Christian Science Monitor
February 16, 2012 Thursday
French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who has presided over a deep economic
recession since taking office, formally threw his hat into the ring
to seek another term.
Trailing in polls and criticized by supporters for taking too long to
unleash his formidable campaign skills, Nicolas Sarkozy has finally
made his reelection campaign official, telling France, "Yes, I'm a
candidate in the presidential election."
During his television announcement last night, the French leader broke
briefly with his unapologetic style to say he will listen to voter
concerns about unemployment, and admitted falling short on sweeping
reforms he promised in 2007.
"If you want to make me say I haven't achieved everything, that is for
sure," Mr. Sarkozy said in a 45-minute talk watched by 10 million. "I
don't know anyone who has succeeded in everything."
Sarkozy mainly presented himself as the French protector-in-chief.
Facing Socialist Party frontrunner François Hollande amid a wrenching
debt crisis, Sarkozy said he has the necessary experience, is the
"captain of the ship" and will not "abandon his post" in the storm.
His re-election motto is "Strong France."
Can he present a fresh image?
The daily newspaper Le Parisian said Thursday that Sarkozy succeeded
in presenting a "fresh image." The first official Sarkozy Twitter
account was opened yesterday, along with the "La France Forte"
website. However, a "Sarko ca Suffit" Twitter hashtag - "Sarko we've
had enough" - was also trending last night.
The high-energy Sarkozy evokes fascination abroad as a leader who
launched French jets last spring in Libya and is married to a popular
model and singer. But his negatives at home approach 70 percent,
where he is often seen as too gauche for a president and more in tune
with the French "1 percent" than the 99 percent.
Unlike his successful 2007 campaign, Sarkozy must now run on a record
and a reputation. The longtime French observer Christine Ockrent wrote
in the Guardian this week that Sarkozy's strengths in 2007 have become
his weaknesses.
"The truth is that all the characteristics that made Sarkozy so
appealing to a majority five years ago have become his frailties:
his energy has turned into restlessness, his casual style into
tastelessness, his pragmatism into cynicism and lack of conviction.
There is intense Sarkozy fatigue in France," she wrote.
French elections take place in two rounds, one on April 22 and one
on May 5. First round polls show Mr. Hollande at 28 percent, Sarkozy
at 24 percent, far-right National Front candidate Marine Le Pen with
an eye-opening 20 percent, and centrist Francois Bayrou at 13 percent.
But it is the second round polls - which show Hollande besting Sarkozy
by 12 to 15 points - that keeps the president's re-election staff up
at night.
Running against the economy
France lost its Triple-A credit rating last month and faces large
deficits. When Sarkozy took office in 2007 as France's youngest
president, promising a radical break with the past, unemployment was
5 percent. Today, after five years of a slumping economy, it is closer
to 10 percent.
Jobs will be the centerpiece of Sarkozy's reelection bid. He said last
night he will ask those getting unemployment benefits to be signed up
to job training, and will initiate a referendum to ask French voters
if those in training can be allowed to reject job offers they do not
like. It's a reprise of his 2007 strategy to appeal to a conservative
French working class, when he ran as the champion of the "The France
that gets up early to go to work in the morning."
"There's a part of France that no longer believes in anything," Sarkozy
said. "In my second term, I will give a voice to the French people,
through the referendum... For 30 to 40 years we have devalued work. I
want to protect the unemployed. Not just with benefits, but by giving
them a chance to do another job," he said.
Hollande, and Mr. Bayrou, who also ran in 2007, have characterized
the referendum as part of a Sarkozy-led culture war that will play
on emotions and divide France further.
Despite its image, France is essentially conservative. Sarkozy has
shifted from appealing to a broad center to to the political right. In
his TV address he alluded to the tradition of Joan of Arc, a figure
that is heralded by Ms. Le Pen. It's rumored that in the coming weeks
he will play further on the subject of immigration.
He alienated Turkey to gain Armenian voters by supporting a French
bill criminalizing denial of the Armenian genocide, and this week
said he supported a a proposed "Napoleon theme park" to be built on
the far outskirts of Paris.
Last night Le Pen, whose father Jean Marie Le Pen is known as the
architect of right-wing political parties in Europe, compared Sarkozy
to a magician, saying "but we already know the tricks...it will be
hard to pull off another magic act."
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Robert Marquand
The Christian Science Monitor
February 16, 2012 Thursday
French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who has presided over a deep economic
recession since taking office, formally threw his hat into the ring
to seek another term.
Trailing in polls and criticized by supporters for taking too long to
unleash his formidable campaign skills, Nicolas Sarkozy has finally
made his reelection campaign official, telling France, "Yes, I'm a
candidate in the presidential election."
During his television announcement last night, the French leader broke
briefly with his unapologetic style to say he will listen to voter
concerns about unemployment, and admitted falling short on sweeping
reforms he promised in 2007.
"If you want to make me say I haven't achieved everything, that is for
sure," Mr. Sarkozy said in a 45-minute talk watched by 10 million. "I
don't know anyone who has succeeded in everything."
Sarkozy mainly presented himself as the French protector-in-chief.
Facing Socialist Party frontrunner François Hollande amid a wrenching
debt crisis, Sarkozy said he has the necessary experience, is the
"captain of the ship" and will not "abandon his post" in the storm.
His re-election motto is "Strong France."
Can he present a fresh image?
The daily newspaper Le Parisian said Thursday that Sarkozy succeeded
in presenting a "fresh image." The first official Sarkozy Twitter
account was opened yesterday, along with the "La France Forte"
website. However, a "Sarko ca Suffit" Twitter hashtag - "Sarko we've
had enough" - was also trending last night.
The high-energy Sarkozy evokes fascination abroad as a leader who
launched French jets last spring in Libya and is married to a popular
model and singer. But his negatives at home approach 70 percent,
where he is often seen as too gauche for a president and more in tune
with the French "1 percent" than the 99 percent.
Unlike his successful 2007 campaign, Sarkozy must now run on a record
and a reputation. The longtime French observer Christine Ockrent wrote
in the Guardian this week that Sarkozy's strengths in 2007 have become
his weaknesses.
"The truth is that all the characteristics that made Sarkozy so
appealing to a majority five years ago have become his frailties:
his energy has turned into restlessness, his casual style into
tastelessness, his pragmatism into cynicism and lack of conviction.
There is intense Sarkozy fatigue in France," she wrote.
French elections take place in two rounds, one on April 22 and one
on May 5. First round polls show Mr. Hollande at 28 percent, Sarkozy
at 24 percent, far-right National Front candidate Marine Le Pen with
an eye-opening 20 percent, and centrist Francois Bayrou at 13 percent.
But it is the second round polls - which show Hollande besting Sarkozy
by 12 to 15 points - that keeps the president's re-election staff up
at night.
Running against the economy
France lost its Triple-A credit rating last month and faces large
deficits. When Sarkozy took office in 2007 as France's youngest
president, promising a radical break with the past, unemployment was
5 percent. Today, after five years of a slumping economy, it is closer
to 10 percent.
Jobs will be the centerpiece of Sarkozy's reelection bid. He said last
night he will ask those getting unemployment benefits to be signed up
to job training, and will initiate a referendum to ask French voters
if those in training can be allowed to reject job offers they do not
like. It's a reprise of his 2007 strategy to appeal to a conservative
French working class, when he ran as the champion of the "The France
that gets up early to go to work in the morning."
"There's a part of France that no longer believes in anything," Sarkozy
said. "In my second term, I will give a voice to the French people,
through the referendum... For 30 to 40 years we have devalued work. I
want to protect the unemployed. Not just with benefits, but by giving
them a chance to do another job," he said.
Hollande, and Mr. Bayrou, who also ran in 2007, have characterized
the referendum as part of a Sarkozy-led culture war that will play
on emotions and divide France further.
Despite its image, France is essentially conservative. Sarkozy has
shifted from appealing to a broad center to to the political right. In
his TV address he alluded to the tradition of Joan of Arc, a figure
that is heralded by Ms. Le Pen. It's rumored that in the coming weeks
he will play further on the subject of immigration.
He alienated Turkey to gain Armenian voters by supporting a French
bill criminalizing denial of the Armenian genocide, and this week
said he supported a a proposed "Napoleon theme park" to be built on
the far outskirts of Paris.
Last night Le Pen, whose father Jean Marie Le Pen is known as the
architect of right-wing political parties in Europe, compared Sarkozy
to a magician, saying "but we already know the tricks...it will be
hard to pull off another magic act."
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress