France’s First Round
The first round of voting for France’ next President has resulted in a run off between Nicolas Sarkozy and Segolene Royal. Sarkozy received 30.46% of the votes and Royal 24.41%. The remaining vote was split between Centrist Francois Bayrou with 18.28% and far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen with 11.46%. The remaining 15.39% of the vote was split between the minor candidates. The run off is set for May 6, 2007.
Sarkzoy is a right of center candidate with a belief in free markets while Royal is left of center who promises to uphold France’s current social model. Regardless of who wins, the next French President faces the daunting task of governing a nation “on the brink of an economic crisis, struggling with national identity and coping with a poverty-stricken immigrant community still reeling from the 2005 youth riots.” The question in my mind is can either candidate institute the necessary reforms required to rescue France from the looming crisis, or will the crisis have to occur before the public will accept the necessary reforms?
