I couldn’t be happier about this news.
I first wrote about Sarkozy here, during the riots in France. He seemed a fascinating character then, and even more so now, a breath of fresh air in a France that has been stagnating for quite some time. Sarkozy represents the desire for change; as Publius Pundit sees it:
There’s no doubt Sarko wants change. But he wants it for different reasons than leftists often do. Leftists want to create a New Man. Sarko wants to save France so that it can be France, not turn it into another cookie-cutter Berkeley or Ann Arbor, as has been happening. Sarko’s a flag-waver. He’s extremely passionate and energetic, and he will make a difference. His proposed economic programs to keep France powerful and competitive, will do just that, as French voters read it, because that’s a big issue that resonated.
This promises to be very interesting. Perhaps France will become an ally once again, and not just in name only.
[ADDENDUM: I didn’t realize Sarkozy was anti-boomer. Well, that’s okay; I forgive him, even though I’m a boomer myself. And, what’s more, I agree with him—the legacy of the 60s in France (and to some extent in this country) has been a destructive moral relativism that cries out to be corrected.]
Previously a lifelong Democrat, born in New York and living in New England, surrounded by liberals on all sides, I've found myself slowly but surely 
May 6th, 2007 at 9:39 pm
I understand they’re making it a gay old time over there already.
May 6th, 2007 at 9:43 pm
I would suggest that the boomers affect on the United States has been quite disasterous especially in the academic world which is busy multiplying the ignorance.
May 6th, 2007 at 10:32 pm
Hi: Saw your link on Memeorandum. I’m a former Democrat too, now pretty much a neoconservative, with Burkean inclinations. I thought I’d pass along my post I wrote this morning on an academic political science article making the case for an Israeli preventive strike on Iran’s nuclear development program. It’s very compelling! Check it out:
http://burkeanreflections.blogspot.com/2007/05/assessing-israeli-capabilities-for.html
I like your blog, by the way! Take care!
May 6th, 2007 at 10:55 pm
Last night more 80 cars were burned in French black ghettoes. By such vandalism Muslim youth were showing their dissatisfaction by election results. A good case to strip the vandals of citizenship and deport them to country of origin.
May 6th, 2007 at 11:11 pm
I hope this is 18 Brumaire for him. If true, this is a new page in European history.
May 6th, 2007 at 11:56 pm
Looks like Sarkozy’s first gesture to America was to ask us to sign Kyoto.
I doubt that will play well the oil and coal crowd.
May 7th, 2007 at 12:57 am
The choice between Sego and Sarko was clear-cut choice between archetypal Mother figure and Father figure. The first nurtures, comfortes, care; the second demands, punishes, judge. The message of the first: more of the same. Message of the second: you must change. The first is attractive to infantile, narcissistic individuals, for whom future does not exist, and no responsibility is admitted; they live in eternal “now”, their worst fear is to lose Mother; while she is here, everything is OK. The second is attractive to adolescent, obsessed with guilt and fear of inadequacy; this guilt can be absolved by punishment, and inadequacy compensated by wise and strong leadership. They are ready to endure pain to acquire manhood (as in initiation rites) and to obey to authority - this absolves original sin of disobedience. When a nation get tired of disorder and unrest, it readily embraces no-nonsense Sheriff. This is counter-revolution of some sort, or revolt against the last revolt. The last revolt was 1968; it is time to revolt against its legacy.
May 7th, 2007 at 2:11 am
France can easily satisfy Kyoto norms, because 80% of its electricity are generated by nuclear power plants, and railroads are electrified too. But in US this would lead to ecnomic stagnation. Switch to atomic energy can’t be made quickly enogh, capital investment are huge and time of recouping long (more 15 years).
May 7th, 2007 at 3:05 am
Hope springs eternal!
May 7th, 2007 at 7:18 am
Actually,this election isn’t over yet. There’s still the third round, which is held in the streets. Sarko will have his work cut out for him winning that one. And it may take many whiffs of grapeshot.
May 7th, 2007 at 7:50 am
Sarkozy would like us to be at the kyoto table, which is a place we haven’t thought of going since 2000. If you’re not at the table, you can’t ask for less taters and more meat.
I think Sarkozy is a good change of climate in france and I look forward to seeing his economic polices.
May 7th, 2007 at 8:16 am
Armchair pessimest, If there was a turnout of 85 percent, and 53% voted for Sarko, why does he still need to win “the streets”? It sounds to me as if you are saying that the voters represent some kind of elite but not the common man (the man of the streets), yet this is clearly not the case unless the majority of the French are part of its elite. If that is not what you meant, please clarify.
May 7th, 2007 at 8:42 am
Jen,
I mean that this next round will be about the barricades, not the ballot box
France has a long history of the mob taking to the streets to impose its will on the duly elected government–for that matter on the rest of France. Usually, but not always, the government backs down.
Hopefully, the French people have given Sarkozy permisson to give the troublemakers one serious asswhuppin’. We’ll find out.
May 7th, 2007 at 10:26 am
“The choice between Sego and Sarko was clear-cut choice between archetypal Mother figure and Father figure. The first nurtures, comfortes, care; the second demands, punishes, judge. The message of the first: more of the same. Message of the second: you must change.”
Is it worth pointing out that Sarko’s victory entails the incumbent party remaining in power?
May 7th, 2007 at 10:41 am
y would make a great revolutionary.
May 7th, 2007 at 11:45 am
Yay!! We’ll have to wait and see how he does — but nonetheless, this is definitely a positive development! 12 - years to be exact which in France is the presidential time line.
May 7th, 2007 at 12:09 pm
If this is a beginning, it is no more than that. A great leader brings a great movement with him, but Sarko only appears good against the backdrop of French illusions and delusions. That is not a movement, but a reaction.
There are signs even in his recent past that Sarko is not a principled visionary, or that the French would want one. They will need to be closer yet to the roar of the falls to pull their heads out of their asses.
May 7th, 2007 at 1:20 pm
For those of us who were concerned about a leftward lurch in Europe–especially after Zapatero’s election in Spain and the subsequent removal of Spanish troops from Iraq–this is extremely good news. Sarkozy has plans to do a lot of positive things for France. Most importantly for Americans, and America’s image abroad, Sarkozy will do much to mend the frayed trans-Atlantic relationship between our two countries. This is all very good news.
But Armchair pessimist is correct as well. Sarkozy is aware that he’ll be facing opposition in the streets including riots by immigrant youth in the suburbs and more organized protests and demonstrations by workers and farmers organizations in the core of Paris. The French people clearly are not united behind Sarkozy’s view for the future of France. The political atmosphere there, as here, is extremely polarized.