French Conservative, Nicolas Sarkozy, Wins French Presidency

What Does This Mean for France, the United States and the World?

On May 6, 2007, Nicolas Sarkozy won the French Presidency with 53% of the vote. His competition, Socialist Segolene Royal, only received 47% of the vote. Many around the world anxiously awaited the important outcome of the French Presidential race this past weekend. For the first time in years, France has a Conservative President who is intent on furthering a friendship with the United States as well as changing the entire face of French policy. The French and American people are collectively holding their breaths as they wait to see how this will affect them and the rest of the world.

Sarkozy's platform consists of many things including tax cuts, requiring the unemployed to take jobs, changing France from a welfare-friendly state to a state the rewards achievement, supporting human rights, tougher immigration laws and reducing the bureaucracy. His opponent, Segolene Royal, had supported raising minimum wage and enhancing state protection.

To see and hear Sarkozy's first speech as President of France, you can go here. Some excerpts from his speech are:

"I want to launch an appeal to our American friends to tell them that they can count on our friendship in the tragedies of history, which we have faced together. I want to tell them that France will always be by their side when they will need her. But I want to tell them as well that friendship is accepting that one's friends can act differently, and that a great nation like the United States has the duty to not obstruct the fight against global warming, but on the contrary to take the lead in this struggle because what is at stake is the future of all humanity. France will make this struggle its first struggle."

"I want to launch an appeal to all the Africans, a brotherly appeal to tell Africa we want to help it, help it to overcome illness, to overcome famine, to overcome poverty, to live in peace.
"I want to tell them that we will decide together on a controlled immigration policy and an ambitious development policy."