The conservative candidate triumphs in France.

Nicolas Sarkozy, the combative son of a Hungarian immigrant, was elected president of France on Sunday, promising a new generation of leadership to transform the country, restore its self-respect and reinvigorate ties with the United States and Europe.

Sarkozy, a member of the ruling party and France's former top law enforcement officer, defeated Socialist Segolene Royal, who waged a determined battle to become France's first elected female head of state, by a 53 percent to 47 percent vote, according to final results. Voter turnout was a near-record 84 percent.

Now that seems to me to be a pretty significant mandate for Sarkozy to set about his plans to reform France.

Sarkozy is a rather interesting character, coming as he does from an unusual background.

Mr. Sarkozy is also a bit of an outsider, the first son of an immigrant to rise to the French presidency in a country struggling to integrate second-generation immigrants, the grandson of a Sephardic Jew who converted to Roman Catholicism in a country still riddled with anti-Semitism and a graduate of France’s creaky state university system in a country long governed by technocrats trained at a handful of small, elite “great schools.”

France, it would appear, is open to the rise of immigrants who are willing to take on French culture and fully participate in the French system.

Some folks object violently to Sarkozy's election.

CLASHES between police and protestors have been reported in central Paris and the southeastern city of Lyon after conservative leader Nicolas Sarkozy was elected French President overnight.

In the Place de la Bastille in Paris riot police fired tear gas and at least one burst of water cannon after hundreds of rioters – some wearing masks – began throwing bottles, stones and other missiles.

Earlier, a small crowd brandishing black and red anarchist flags set fire to an effigy of Mr Sarkozy before tearing it limb from limb and then stamping on it. Demonstrators chanted "police everywhere, justice nowhere".

Reports are that there is tension in immigrant neighborhoods as well -- particularly Muslim neighborhoods, where violent riots occurred two years ago. And there are predictions of more possible violence in the weeks to come, despite Sarkozy's decisive victory.

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Posted by: Greg at 10:29 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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