Posted on 02/15/2012 7:31:15 PM PST by Cincinna
After weeks of teasing French voters, Nicolas Sarkozy fired the starting gun yesterday evening. He will, as expected, be a candidate for his job. The rest of the field is still unsettled. Marine Le Pen is having trouble securing the 500 signatures from elected officials. But we assume that, one way or another, her name will be on the ballot, along with the Socialist François Hollande, the Green Eva Joly, centrist François Bayrou, left socialist Jean-Luc Melenchon, Dominique de Villepin, and one or two representatives of the more exotic fauna of French political life.
Le Pen fille is doing even better than Le Pen père did last time at this early stage of the game. There is a nightmare prospect for the centre-right of a second round between her and Mr Hollande, especially if Mr Bayrou continues to eat away at Mr Sarkozy’s support. If that happens, the Socialists will win easily, as Jacques Chirac did when Lionel Jospin failed to make the cut. That precedent makes the nightmare less likely, so the assumption is still that Mr Sarkozy and Mr Hollande will be there for the face-off. The outcome of that confrontation is far from certain. That can be credited to Nafissatou Diallo. The polls show that if Strauss-Kahn had run, he would have won.
Hollande is the party’s second choice, and would have stood aside had Mr Strauss-Kahn been available. He has never been elected to a significant political office. Ségolène Royal, his former partner, has now decided to campaign, although she refers to the father of her children through gritted teeth as “le candidat”. But Angela Merkel seems likely to be a more enthusiastic supporter of the rear half of the Merkozy horse, which has kicked its European partners into line at a succession of summits.
(Excerpt) Read more at ft.com ...
Such Wonderful Pictures of the President and First Lady of the French Republic, they are a little bit more classy than ours don't you think?
Keep France in your Prayers, they are going to need it!
I bet their first stop is for a “royal with cheese”!
“Dominique de Villepin”
He’s at it again??? Must think a lot of himself.
“THE WOOKIE, THE COOKIE & THE ROOKIE”
I absolutely LOVE it! lol
In the picture right above your post, Carla was nine months pregnant. We haven’t seen any pictures of bébé Giulia yet. The Sarkizys are keeping her very protected from the press and paparazzi.
I didn’t see that picture. What a beautiful woman, made even more beautiful in the last term of her pregnancy. She’s glowing!
Good for them for protecting their, obviously, beautiful baby girl from the press.
Carla was absolutely Radiant, I envy the French for having such a wonderful first family, (and for having a leader who actually gives a #$%& about the future of his country)
Good for them for protecting their, obviously, beautiful baby girl from the press.
Right on, However didn't Odingbat mention something about their daughter to the press? He is such an embarrassment.
Thanks for the ping! You are very funny (The wookie, the cookie and the rookie). ;-)
An embarrassment, is right...for more reasons than this.
However, you are right that he mentioned the baby in the press.
“But Mr Obama added: ‘I’m confident that Giulia inherited her mother’s looks, rather than her father’s.’
He is a mean, vindictive, thin skinned, arrogant embarrassment.
Now THAT's funny!!!!
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