The New Nation - Internet Edition

Eric S. Margolis

At the end of his first year in office, France's hyperkinetic president, Nicholas Sarkozy, finds himself in deep trouble with voters and opinion-makers.

Sarkozy's approval rating has dropped below 30 per cent, rivalling the abysmal standing of his new ally, US President George Bush. No French president in modern history has dropped so fast or so far in approval ratings.

French food prices are up a staggering 20-30 per cent. Inflation is 3.2 per cent. The deficit has risen sharply and the treasury is bare. Sarkozy's despatch of 1,000 more French troops to Afghanistan, his close ties to George Bush, and his decision to reintegrate France into Nato have proven highly unpopular here. Many French still see themselves as equals to the US, not its junior partner. There is also growing unhappiness with Sarkozy's dramatic change in France's traditional friendly relations with and support for the Muslim world. Sarkozy and his fellow French 'neocons' have close emotional links to Israel's rightwing parties and have threatened war against Iran. They also appear to have largely adopted Israel's view of the ongoing Palestinian crisis.

A big uproar awaits when the Defence Ministry reveals much of France's military equipment is outdated and must be replaced at a time when more French troops are headed to Asia, the Gulf, and Africa. No one has yet dared break this bad news to Sarkozy, who has demanded further spending cuts from his cash-strapped government.

But what has annoyed French the most about their new president is his aggressive personality, frequent lack of finesse, and tendency to show off. 'We wanted a president, and got a playboy, instead' complains one newspaper.

French keep their favourite restaurants and love lives secret. But Sarkozy splashed his embarrassing divorce from his former wife all over the media. His attempts to groom her as a second Jacky Kennedy backfired badly when she dumped him for another man. The French media now calls Barak Obama 'the black Kennedy,' while it complains of 'Sarkoverdosing.'

Sarkozy's very public whirlwind romance with the beautiful model/songwriter Carla Bruni dismayed many French as much as it fascinated them. French like their presidents regal, detached, and above gossip, like the great Charles DeGaulle.

'We are living in a cheap romance novel,' growls the press after Sarkozy's marital shenanigans, his Hollywood exhibitionism, and foreign luxury vacations. First Lady Carla wowed Londerners on a recent visit, but the snobby Brits made savage fun of the short French president and his painful eagerness to be accepted among the high and mighty.

The multi-lingual Carla Bruni is an important asset to Sarkozy, who does not speak English and requires social polish. Friends of hers tell me she is extremely intelligent, refined and level-headed - just what Sarkozy needs.

Last week, he went on national TV to answer soft questions from fawning journalists and to apologise to France for his public behaviour and failure to implement promised reforms. Few French were impressed by their 'American president's' contrition.

It's a pity the 52-year old Sarko's love life has gotten in the way of reforms France desperately needs. Sarkozy and his able PM, François Fillon, are challenging belligerent unions and trying to modernise France and make it more globally competitive.

France can no longer afford lush pensions and short working hours and still meet EU budget rules and Asian competitors. Too many people still work for the government, which gobbles up 55 per cent of GDP.

Sarkozy has rightly made modernising France, cutting taxes, and uprooting Socialist-inspired anti-business regulations his priorities. Unions and special interest groups are now gearing up for a major fight, threatening strikes to again paralyse France and make everyone miserable.

Sarkozy's goals are admirable but his methods often are not. His worst idea to date: a daft proposal to increase competition in the mass food trade by lifting restrictions on the size of supermarkets. This would allow France's retail giants to crush the remaining small food merchants who guard the justly-renowned quality of French food and help make this nation so very agreeable.

Promoting giant supermarkets in France where fresh, high quality food is held sacred, could prove a disaster for Sarkozy and make his next four years in office particularly difficult. Every time French eat rubber chicken, previously-frozen bread or plastic cheese they will blame 'Sarko.'

All in all, not a good start to year I of the Sarkozy Revolution.

Eric S. Margolis is a veteran American journalist and contributing foreign editor of The Toronto Sun