Ou Est Mme. Sarkozy?

Wealthy, intelligent beauty not so different from Sarko's ex

(NEWSER) - Former supermodel Carla Bruni may be catching some flack from critics who think she's distracting Nicolas Sarkozy from leading France, but those who would dismiss her as just a model don't have the whole story, writes the New York Times. The award-winning singer is intelligent, cultured—and strikingly similar to the last Mme. Sarkozy. More»

...But François Hollande might be even more simpatico with Obama administration

(NEWSER) - France's election was something of a can't-lose proposition for the Obama administration. On the one hand, the US isn't pleased to see the backside of Nicolas Sarkozy, an ally so steadfast that in France he was sometimes called "Sarko the American." Sarkozy, after all, was in lockstep with the US on Iran, Libya, and other foreign policy issues. Incoming president François Hollande isn't likely to be nearly as accommodating in that arena, the New York Times reports. More»

President-elect has a packed first 40 days

(NEWSER) - Following last night’s victory over Nicolas Sarkozy , Francois Hollande will have to jump right in to his new role—he will be sworn in as France’s president next Tuesday, the BBC notes. What does his election mean?

• Hollande has vowed to renegotiate the eurozone budget treaty Sarkozy championed along with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, but the German government today is trying to cut that off at the pass, calling it “not possible.”
• Though Hollande's election has fueled hope among many French hungry for jobs, economic growth, and the end of austerity, he faces the same debt problems Sarkozy did. Der Spiegel notes that Hollande knows just how tough is the job ahead of him: Rather than appearing celebratory last night, the unsmiling victor “seemed tired, weak, and overwhelmed,” the paper reports.

No clear winner emerges from bad-tempered debate

(NEWSER) - Nicolas Sarkozy and challenger Francoise Hollande traded insults in a televised debate French media called the "Last Duel" and the "Final Confrontation." The event—the pair's only debate of the election season—ran to more than three hours long and while neither presidential candidate emerged as the clear winner, viewers were left in no doubt that the two dislike each other, the BBC notes. Both men repeatedly called each other liars during the debate, which focused on the economy. More»

Far-right leader doesn't get behind Francois Hollande or Nicolas Sarkozy

(AP) - Far-right leader Marine Le Pen is refusing to endorse either candidate in France's presidential runoff and says she will cast a blank protest ballot. Le Pen, who came in a strong third place in the first round of voting April 22, told her supporters at a big rally in Paris to "vote according to your conscience" and said, "I will cast a blank ballot," explaining that she could not endorse Nicolas Sarkozy or Socialist challenger Francois Hollande. Polls favor Hollande, but Sarkozy hopes to win over Le Pen's voters for Sunday's runoff. More»