[gondramB]

This is gonna show how ignorant I am of French politics...

but

Which one is which?

is it true that one is a ultra right anti-semitic and the other is an avowed socialist?

If that is true, why is either a cause for celebration?

[RightWhale]

a ultra right anti-semitic

The ultra right is about where Rudy is.

[Cincinna]

Sarko succeeded in knocking the Ultra Right, neo-Nazi , racist and anti-Semitic Jean-Marie le Pen out of French politics once and for all.

For that alone he deserves to be congratulated.

[rogue yam]

is it true that one is a ultra right anti-semitic

No. Sarko is not antisemitic. He has Jewish ancestors and is accused by the leftists of being overly pro-Israel.

[romanesq]

“Ultra-right, antisemetic?

You obviously are either being fed propaganda or just don’t know better.

Szarkozy is the moderate pro-business, pro-freedom candidate of Hungarian Jewish extraction.

Here he would be considered a liberal Republican. To the communists and leftists ilk, he is exactly as you cited.

[M203M4]

The ultra-"right" anti-semite is Jean Le Pen, defeated by Sarko in the first round. Sarko is economically conservative, socially moderate, and doesn't have his head in the sand wrt the Islamonazis. The latter is one good thing that Le Pen shared.

Le Pen is not right-wing by American definitions. He is a rapidly America-hating populist, totally against the free market, for government control of the economy, and is a protectionist. His party proposed to pay women not to work, proposed evicting all non-Europeans (citizen or otherwise - lily white Christians only) using only "non-violent" means, expansion of government censorship...the only conservative qualities he has are strong law and order views - his brand of 'social conservatism' is of the totalitarian kind; it is to morality what communism is to equality.

[Joan Kerrey]

If that is true, why is either a cause for celebration?

---

I suggest you read more on Sarkozy. He not radical right wing. LePen, who also ran, was the far right guy. Sarkozy however is non compromising in his confrontation with the radical Islamists and the trouble makers in the project areas around France. He says it like it should be said and doesn’t tremble in his shoes everytime the radicals make threats. He is also U.S. friendly but makes it clear that he doesn’t always agree with us. But this is mild compared to Chirac’s open hostility to the U.S., no matter what the subject was. Sarkozy has the backing of French moderates which says it all to me.
France is falling apart at the seams and now there is at least hope that things will change. Be prepared for lots of strikes and riots though as the socialists aren’t going to accept any change at all. They want the welfare state to go on forever.