President On the Precipice

Finally ! I am so happy that finally the world is discovering how unhappy we can be in France with that president !
Thank you Newsweek !
Marie Gendron from France !

jbz7879, I would agree with you opinion of the average european vs. the average american male...unless, of course, you have a war and need someone to die for you. Even my wife agrees that, while I am generally useless, I am helpful on occassion. :-)

sarkozy is a strong sophisticated and suave man
he is a truly smart man and the natural choice to lead eec as a spokesman
i think he is a sure fire statesman according to modern comparisons with other european heads -far superior by far

I rarely see a politician leader shift [s]his face as a baby does!I thought this man made me holding a prejudice view on french. I doubt his atitude to other countries'affairs represents french people's opinion...even the entire western's

As a French person, I think it is always interesting to see how Sarkozy is perceived outside his own country. It is an appalling truth that there's hardly any opposition left. Political life in France is pretty depressing these days. Yet there are a number of sensitive issues that may prove tricky for the president. You mentioned the problem of media control, but there's also the controversial issue of work on Sundays (many conservative politicians are firmly opposed to this sort of practise) and the reform of the education system (the Education Minister had to postpone it because of student demonstrations). But do not make the mistake of thinking Sarkozy is popular. I think a lot of French people feel bitter and powerless about him - not to mention those who utterly dislike him and his ways. Many resent the fact that, for instance, one of the first things he did as president was to increase his own salary by more than 50% - how can he say that he wants people to have more purchasing power after that? (salaries in France do not increase; the current policy is to encourage people to work over hours - "travailler plus pour gagner plus" is the motto) Some may be impressed by his energy (frenzy?) and he certainly cannot be blamed for not trying to make things change. But is he making the right choices?

Permit me to say loudly that we, french don't like AT ALL Mr Sarkosy and we do not consider him as a sort of "king" ! Don't be mistaken please! Only 53)/° ppl have voted for him and now nearly most of those REGRET their vote!!!
WE DON'T WANT NOR HAVE A (FALSE) "KIING" IN FRANCE!!!

Now just let me tell you, as a french, that we -french ppl- don't AT ALL like Mr Sarkosy and he'll NEVER be any sort of "king" for us!!!

Regarding the photo accompanying the article, I discovered with you since I am currently in Canada.
What I see is that I am once again the head of state ahead for a slog on reducing gas emissions by ten percent in ... (I do not know the date but to bet, was certainly around 2050, which is surely a strong gesture to the ecology or may be a bad joke!)
Otherwise involve the face of Sarko, I see no interest, otherwise it has to tickle the family jewels.
In addition, such advertising can cause many television spots that were to appear on our screens in France last year to promote government policy. It calls for its propaganda and there is still a year it would not have done, but with its controversial our President does.
Pick next on the list of the axis of evil, it is our small national Sarkozy we played Dictator.
Anthony C.

Hello all, I'm French and I read this article. On the whole I agree. The fact that you have the personality of the Head of State, the situation of almost full power where it is and the implosion of the opposition orchestrated by itself is true. However, I think you ignored a phenomenon may be particularly strong in France, you give the impression that the French people'm Sarkozy as a single man. But it is not! You want to give us the impression that the French would be a kind of new De Gaulle or Napoleon, and it is true that a simple reading of the French media, which knows they are his boots, you might believe! Only him, he plays on the patriotic sentiments of my countrymen, it is not a heroic figure of France. He would like to believe but the strong sympathy it enjoys from a large part of the people is the result of its media strategy. It gives the impression of acting and is the only one to do something. But on the substance people are not necessarily agree with him. It's just that the media present it as the only alternative. However, Sarkozy is the only president to divide all France since a long time, the result of communitarian policy designed to divide the opposition, as saying, divide and conquer. But now that the institutional forces of opposition and their leaders have broken the steamroller Sarkozy, the people tend to unify in two camps around the person of the President. The pros and cons. The pros playing on nationalism and patriotism, against the urging against the absolutism of power to Sarkozy and liberal forces in an anti-capitalist. It is obvious that the pro-Sarkozy camp enjoys a certain serenity but I think as you in this article, it do not see this faceless force that comes from people who looked just popping a leader of a spark revolt to surge.
Sarkozy has reduced to silence the opposition of elite and middle classes but eliminating the illusion of democracy that this debate could provide the poor and middle class in France. I think it create a sense of frustration of the people, France is the land of the revolution and the challenge facing the government, I think a major social crisis is coming and it is serious because delivered to she and Sarkozy biting their fingers to have destroyed the credibility of his opposition and believe that its only person he can unify the country with gestures of hyperactive nerve and the use of partisan and patriotic feelings of the past as the commemoration of the Holocaust or World Wars.
That is, the precision that I wanted to give my reading of what is happening at home.
Anthony C.
Sorry if my text is not perfect in terms of language, I used a translator of the net because my English is not very good.

Hello all, I'm French and I read this article. On the whole I agree. The fact that you have the personality of the Head of State, the situation of almost full power where it is and the implosion of the opposition orchestrated by itself is true. However, I think you ignored a phenomenon may be particularly strong in France, you give the impression that the French people'm Sarkozy as a single man. But it is not! You want to give us the impression that the French would be a kind of new De Gaulle or Napoleon, and it is true that a simple reading of the French media, which knows they are his boots, you might believe! Only him, he plays on the patriotic sentiments of my countrymen, it is not a heroic figure of France. He would like to believe but the strong sympathy it enjoys from a large part of the people is the result of its media strategy. It gives the impression of acting and is the only one to do something. But on the substance people are not necessarily agree with him. It's just that the media present it as the only alternative. However, Sarkozy is the only president to divide all France since a long time, the result of communitarian policy designed to divide the opposition, as saying, divide and conquer. But now that the institutional forces of opposition and their leaders have broken the steamroller Sarkozy, the people tend to unify in two camps around the person of the President. The pros and cons. The pros playing on nationalism and patriotism, against the urging against the absolutism of power to Sarkozy and liberal forces in an anti-capitalist. It is obvious that the pro-Sarkozy camp enjoys a certain serenity but I think as you in this article, it do not see this faceless force that comes from people who looked just popping a leader of a spark revolt to surge.
Sarkozy has reduced to silence the opposition of elite and middle classes but eliminating the illusion of democracy that this debate could provide the poor and middle class in France. I think it create a sense of frustration of the people, France is the land of the revolution and the challenge facing the government, I think a major social crisis is coming and it is serious because delivered to she and Sarkozy biting their fingers to have destroyed the credibility of his opposition and believe that its only person he can unify the country with gestures of hyperactive nerve and the use of partisan and patriotic feelings of the past as the commemoration of the Holocaust or World Wars.
That is, the precision that I wanted to give my reading of what is happening at home.
Anthony C.
Sorry if my text is not perfect in terms of language, I used a translator of the net because my English is not very good.

He is nothing but appeaser to russia. Russia invades another country come day and he just go there and kiss ass. We dont need another jimmy carter but i guess he is french carter. europe is well known for appeasement and keep appeaseing russia while its on its path to dictatorship. Its passing laws to allow them to rule longer and stopping people from their freedoms. They bully neighbors and now they dont have freedom as long as putin's russia continues being appeased by europe. They appease hitler look what happend to that. Keep appeaseing europe and america not going to bail your sorry asses out this time. Russia is biggest threat to the united states. Ptuin is dictator and why treat him good.

Absolute power, well, we know where that usually goes...Let's hope not.

I see him as an admirable character who is willing to live by his convictions: I wouldn't shake the Iranian leader's hand either. I probably would spit on the ground between us. And I would definitely have met with the Dali Lama; and would not only have kissed his hand, but would have got down on my knees and kissed his foot.

"Leaders" love these crises. It gives them an excuse to excess, to control, to empower themselves while "saving" something.