The National Post (Canada): Nicolas Sarkozy - Can this man save Europe? - by Conrad Black
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Sarkozy - Can this man save Europe? - by Conrad Black
France's Fifth Republic, founded by Charles de Gaulle in 1958, has been the most successful system of government in French history. That's because de Gaulle designed a constitutional but authoritative monarchy, and called it a republic. The president had a seven-year, renewable term; and could dissolve the national assembly and rule by decree in what he defined as an emergency. There has been a gradual, tottering, downward movement in the quality of French leaders since then.
Europe is in a torpid dyspepsia, with a shrinking population, and the problems of trying to replace the unborn with immigrants, many of them enemies of the venerable cultures of Europe.The Gaullist candidate in the French election, Nicolas Sarkozy, has been criticized, as interior minister, for spying on his opponents and deploying a massive dragnet to recover his teenage son's stolen motor-scooter. He is a lawyer, which in France, is considered preferable to the graduates of the oppressive schools of administration that have infested government for generations.He is in better odour since his wife ended a very public affair with another man, a frequent occurrence that French manhood requires be treated with discretion; unlike male affairs. Sarkozy's opponent is the fetching Segolene Royal, whose candidacy for the leadership of the Socialist party surged past that of the party leader, her companion of many years with whom she has had four children.
This could be a decisive moment in the current history of Europe. Only the French can lead Europe out of its despondency. The British are respected but are not considered European, by the Europeans or by themselves. The Italians are liked but not taken seriously politically. Germany is self-conscious, and it has no panache to lead.
Labels: Political
