April 1, 2007
Nicolas Sarkozy in the flesh
Some politicians have got it, and some don’t. On Friday I watched Nicolas Sarkozy give a speech at a hotel in Paris – and he definitely has it. Sarko – who is leading in the polls for the French presidential election (the final round is on May 6th) – was masterful. By turns he was funny, rousing, aggressive and engaging.
Of course the audience - a group of young French entrepreneurs – was tailor-made for Sarkozy. This above all is the group that is crying out for change and reform, and that is totally receptive to Sarko’s famous call for a “rupture” with the old way of doing things. But one of the impressive aspects of Sarkozy’s performance was the way in which he didn’t totally truckle to his audience. At one point he attacked the use of “golden parachutes” (he used the English term) for chief executives leaving companies. His audience was initially fairly guarded in its response. But Sarko spotted one man in the audience who was applauding - singled him out - and said that this man had understood that the argument for capitalism could not be won, unless the French people knew that the system was just. Cue thunderous applause.
Sarko also rather skilfully dealt with the argument that in this campaign he is departing from the liberal economic ideas with which he used to be associated. This is certainly true – in the past week he has endorsed industrial policy and state intervention to prevent foreign takeovers, as well as attacking the independence of the European Central Bank. But, as he told his audience, “France is not a blank page.” A purely liberal candidate – (presumably Alain Madelin) had run for the presidency once and got just 3 per cent. “If you are more liberal than me, you’ve got a death wish,” he told his audience to much laughter.
The implications of Sarko’s new found illiberalism should disturb those who are guardians of the European single currency and the global trading system. As well as lambasting the ECB, he also floated the idea of imposing a tax on imports from countries that flout the Kyoto treaty – presumably China (although the US could also qualify).
But that is all part of the excitement of Sarko. He is bright, egotistical, energetic and fizzing with ideas – many of them bad ideas. I have lost count of the number of French people who have told me that he is “dangerous” - with the strong implication that he is a dictator in the making. One analyst told me that Sarko’s election could instantly spark fresh riots in the deprived suburbs, thus provoking the new president to assume emergency powers under the constitution. Another, who has worked closely with the man, says that he is brilliant and open to ideas – but dangerously erratic when put under stress. Just Google the words “Sarkozy and migraine”, he advised.
Helas, he is all we have. The alternative, Royal, would be so disastrous it is not even worth considering. We French just have a very bad collective karma.
Posted by: Dominique | April 1st, 2007 at 11:24 pm | Report this commentFrance, alone amongst advanced nations, is politically opaque and no well meaning attempt at external analysis makes any difference. Subliminally hinged, but where?
Posted by: David | April 2nd, 2007 at 2:08 am | Report this commentSarko is the son of a Hungarian immigrant yet he’s bashing the immigrants. Self-hate? Masochism?
Posted by: Ferrand | April 2nd, 2007 at 8:23 pm | Report this commentThis guy the only one who could save France. You are talking about a country you are not living in. We need Sarkozy.
Posted by: Ludovik14 | April 3rd, 2007 at 8:06 am | Report this commentAngst essen Seele auf
So hieß einst ein traurigschöner Film von Rainer Werner Fassbinder: Angst essen Seele auf. Frankreich hat Angst: Vor der Globalisierung, dem Liberalismus, dem Markt, den Migranten, vor Europa, dem Rest der Welt und wohl auch vor sich se…
Posted by: EUblog | April 3rd, 2007 at 10:39 am | Report this commentIs Sarko really more liberal than Bayrou?
Posted by: cerebus | April 3rd, 2007 at 11:25 pm | Report this commentto lead Europe in the next millenium, Sarko is Da Man in De House…Sarko is indeed a modern Napoleon, UK and Turkey both enemies of France beware, da man is gonna kick some butts!!!
Posted by: Occident | April 7th, 2007 at 4:35 pm | Report this commentwhy can’t you just defend your positions/country/politician without blaming Turkey, UK for once?? this is similar to facists who blame others for their problems, insecurities, inferiority complexes.
Posted by: Avci U. | April 8th, 2007 at 9:26 pm | Report this commentI agree with one post saying “Sarko is the son of a Hungarian immigrant yet he’s bashing the immigrants. Self-hate? Masochism?” Also his great grandfather was an Ottoman. self hate indeed.
Sarkozy is the only hope for a Country that has been falling down through the useless policy of previous politicians from the “Gauche Caviar” to the fake Gaullistes.
He is a son of emmigrants as I am but we are part of those who for decades and decades helped to build the Country,integrated, went to school, univesity, paid taxes, accepted the worst jobs and bared all the prejudices of having a foreign name.
It should be interesting for example, to check the conditions offered to the Portuguese community when they arrived in the late 50s and early 60s. Remember the Nanterre bidonvilles? Where are the Portuguese now? They were almost one million in the late 70s. Why did they not feel victims? Why don’t they burn cars and train stations? Simple: their choice has been the choice of work, integration, effort and determination. Sarkozy parents share the same story. Some facts may not sound PC according to the present standards. But they remain facts.
Posted by: Livia Caetano | April 9th, 2007 at 2:52 am | Report this commentSarko is the best alternative France has. Somebody should shake the French into resuming their role as a leading nation in everything from arts to technology and not just as the capital of the good life.
Posted by: Haim | April 9th, 2007 at 5:48 pm | Report this commentI don’t know the etiquette of commenting on a colleague’s blog. But we all know what happened to both Napoleons.
Posted by: Martin Wolf | April 11th, 2007 at 9:52 am | Report this commentwell also have you noticed that Napoleon, Hitler were all short man with inferiority complexes, Sounds like Mr. Sarkozy is sensitive with his height too.
I bet that since his parent was an immigrant he feels a little insecure about being French from his childhood, in return he wants to prove he is French and maybe overdoes it in life and politics. Just a little observation from far away.
By the way, immigration/integration might be a real problem in France that needs to be fixed.
Posted by: Avci | April 11th, 2007 at 9:21 pm | Report this comment