Nicolas Sarkozy elected President

France 24 ^ | May 6, 2007 | France 24

[Maelstorm]

Video: Pro US Conservative Wins 53% to 47%

---

France 24

Nicolas Sarkozy, leader of the ruling conservative UMP, has won the second round of the French presidential election with 53% of votes, according to projections from TNS-Sofres Logica CMG for TF1, RTL and FRANCE 24. His opponent, Socialist candidate Ségolène Royal trailed behind with 47%ballots.

The 52-year-old conservative has promised to spur the country’s economic growth through tax cuts and market-based reforms. Maintaining a tough stance on immigration, he is in favour of skills-based selection for legal migrants, tougher rules of entry for their families and deportation for illegals.

Sarkozy was elected mayor of the Paris suburb of Neuilly in 1983. Since Jacques Chirac's re-election in 2002, Sarkozy has been a dominant force in French politics. The president made him interior minister and he also served briefly as finance minister.

A combative interior minister, Sarkozy famously said that he would clean out the “racaille” or rabble in the suburbs. His language during the 2005 riots in France's suburbs riled many. Sarkozy’s blunt remarks and desire for “chosen immigration” have led many of his critics to accuse him of pandering to the electorate of far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen.

The son of an exiled Hungarian aristocrat and grandson of a Greek Jew, Sarkozy was born in 1955 in Paris.

Ségolène Royal, regional President of the western province of Poitou-Charentes, emerged a year ago and challenged the bigwigs of the Socialist Party. She won the party’s presidential nomination in November 2006 despite internal opposition. She alone was considered to have the charisma to face rival Sarkozy.

•  

[Maelstorm]

This video is particularly good.

[sono]

I would hold off on the “Pro-US” designation for a bit. After all, Chirac ran as the “Conservative.”

[KavMan]

What is a Conservative in France and likewise in the U.K where they just won many many seats???

[Riodacat]

Finally, the French get another leader:

[gondramB]

Maybe they have changed the headline but your title does not now match the actual story title.

[SandRat]

Awaiting the world media to hurl insults at France for electing an uuuugggggghhhhh A HARD-LINER "Conservative" and not an enlightened Ultra Liberal/Socialist/Communist. How dare the Superiorly Cultured French be so stupid! < / sarc

[ComputerGuy]

...he is in favour of skills-based selection for legal migrants, tougher rules of entry for their families and deportation for illegals...
If only that platform were being offered to Americans.
Are you listening Fred ?

[Mercat]

Why did it speak of his wife in the past tense?

[John Jorsett]

The 52-year-old conservative has promised to spur the country’s economic growth through tax cuts and market-based reforms. Maintaining a tough stance on immigration, he is in favour of skills-based selection for legal migrants, tougher rules of entry for their families and deportation for illegals.

Sounds like what I had hoped for with George Bush.

[thinking]

Aye the French, finally awoke from an extended snooze....85 % turn out is impressive...there is hope...

[shove_it]

Monsieur Sarkozy, how do you like your Peugeot cooked?

[what's up]

Yes, is he still married to the that same woman? Never hear of her.

[Mark was here]

Monsieur Sarkozy, how do you like your Peugeot cooked?

On the car-b-que of course!

[CassieGOP]

Vive La France!!! As the police chief said to Rick at the end of the movie Casablanca, “Welcome back to the fight!!” As France goes, so goes all of Europe. This is a very positive sign for the west.

[SpaceBar]

Clearly a good thing.

[Altura Ct.]

When do the riots start? /s

[Jane Austen]

Yes, weren’t there supposed to be riots?

[ThreePuttinDude]

Marriages, divorce and separation from Wikipedia

[dawn53]

That’s why I came into this thread, to ask when the riots are scheduled to start? (end/sarcasm)