Presidency of Nicolas Sarkozy

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Nicolas Sarkozy, candidate of the conservative Union for a Popular Movement (UMP), was elected President in May 2007, and became the sixth President of the French Fifth Republic on May 16, 2007. He nominated François Fillon as Prime minister, who formed a composite government, a bit modified following the UMP's relative victory during the June legislative election.

Contents

[edit] Transfer of power

The official transfer of power from Jacques Chirac took place on 16 May at 11:00 am (9:00 UTC) at the Élysée Palace, where Nicolas Sarkozy was given the nuclear codes of the French nuclear arsenal and presented with the Grand Master's Collar, symbol of his new function of Grand Master of the Legion of Honour. At that point, he formally became president. Leyenda, by Spanish composer Isaac Albéniz was played in honour of the president's wife. Both Sarkozy's mother Andrée, and his formerly estranged father Pal — with whom Sarkozy had reached a reconciliation — attended the ceremony, as did Sarkozy's children.[1] The presidential motorcade, with the President on board the presidential Peugeot 607 Paladine[2], then travelled from the Élysée to the Champs-Élysées for a public ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe. Then the new president went to the Cascade du Bois de Boulogne of Paris for a homage to the French Resistance and to the Communist resistant Guy Moquet — he proposed that all high-school students read Guy Moquet's last letter to his parents, which was criticized by a number of leftists as a cynical form of reappropriation of French history by the right [3][4][5][6].

In the afternoon, the new president flew to Berlin to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

[edit] François Fillon's cabinet

Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin was replaced by François Fillon. [7] Sarkozy appointed Bernard Kouchner, the left-wing founder of Médecins Sans Frontières, as his foreign minister, leading to Kouchner's expulsion from the Socialist Party. In addition to Kouchner, three more Sarkozy ministers are from the left, including Eric Besson, who served as Ségolène Royal's economic adviser at the beginning of her campaign. Sarkozy also appointed seven women to form a total cabinet of 15; one, Justice Minister Rachida Dati, is the first woman of Northern African origin to serve in a French cabinet. Of the 15, only two attended the elite Ecole Nationale d'Administration (ENA) .[8]. The ministers were reorganized, with the controversed creation of a Ministry of Immigration, Integration, National Identity and Co-Development — given to his right-hand man Brice Hortefeux — and of a Ministry of Budget, Public Accounts and Civil Administration — handed out to Éric Wœrth, supposed to prepare the replacement of only a third of all civil servants who retire.

[edit] Foreign relations

Further information: Foreign relations of France

Shortly after taking office, President Sarkozy began negotiations with Colombian president Álvaro Uribe and the left-wing guerrilla FARC, regarding the release of hostages held by the rebel group, especially Franco-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt. According to some sources, Sarkozy himself asked for Uribe to release FARC's "chancellor" Rodrigo Granda. [9].

[edit] Release of Bulgarian nurses

Further information: HIV trial in Libya#Terms of release

During his investiture speech as President beginning of May 2007, Sarkozy had alluded to the Bulgarian nurses detained in Libya, declaring: "France will be to the sides of the Libyan nurses [sic] detained since 8 years... [10]"

He announced on 24 July, 2007, that French and European representatives had obtained the extradition of the Bulgarian nurses detained in Libya to their country. In exchange, he signed with Gaddafi security, health care and immigration pacts — and a $230 million (168 million euros) MILAN antitank missile sale [11][12]. The contract was the first made by Libya since 2004, and was negotiated with MBDA, a subsidiary of EADS. Another 128 millions euros contract would have been signed, according to Tripoli, with EADS for a TETRA radio system. The Socialist Party (PS) and the Communist Party (PCF) criticized a "state affair" and a "barter" with a "Rogue state" [13]. The leader of the PS, François Hollande, requested the opening of a parliamentary investigation [11].

Additionally, President Sarkozy pledged to sell Libya three civil nuclear power stations as part of a package of trade and assistance that will boost the role of French companies in the oil-rich country. During his visit to Libya on July 25, 2007, Sarkozy signed an agreement of cooperation on civil nuclear technology. He decided to build three civil nuclear power stations to the Libyan state [14][15][12]. According to Paris, the nuclear power stations are meant for desalinization of sea water [16], but Le Monde has pointed out that the Libyans quickly bypassed any reference to desalinization [17]. This deal was criticized by the French left-wing and also by German governmental sources, including Deputy Foreign Minister Gernot Erler, Greens leader Reinhard Buetikofer and SPD deputy Ulrich Kelber [16]. And during Tony Blair's visit end of May 2007, the British group BP signed a natural gas contract for 900 million dollars [15].

Furthermore, Le Parisien alleged on 13 August 2007 that the agreement concerning nuclear technologies did not concern desalinization of sea water, but focused on particular on the ERP third-generation nuclear reactor, of a worth of $3 billion [18]. The Parisian newspaper cited Philippe Delaune, the deputy of the deputy director of international affairs of the CEA atomic agency, which is the main share-holder of Areva, the firm which products ERP reactors [18]. Although the French President denied any relationship between the deal with Areva and the liberation of the Six, Le Parisien points out a troubling chronology: Areva was called to present its products to Libya end of June 2007, a short time before the release of the Six [18]. The French Socialist Party, through the voice of Jean-Louis Bianco, declared that this deal was "geopolitically irresponsible. [18]" The German government also denounced the agreement. Through Siemens, they detain 34% of the shares of Areva's subsidiary in charge of building the ERP (Areva NP) [18].

These informations from Le Parisien were immediately denied by Areva [19]. Areva's spokeman did admit that negotiations had taken place early June 2007, but that no particular technology transfer had been agreed upon [19]. Furthermore, Philippe Delaune, the CEA's spokeman, added that in any case, any transfer concerning the ERP technology would take at least ten or fifteen years [19].

While Areva did admit that general negotiations had taken place, Nicolas Sarkozy formally dismissed all of the story, claiming it was "false. [20][21]" Bulgarian President Georgy Parvanov also claimed that the arms and nuclear agreements were not related to the release of the nurses [22].

[edit] NATO

Sarkozy plans that France will send 1,000 additional troops to Afghanistan, it was reported March 22, 2008. He wants to demonstrate his commitment to the NATO alliance's Afghan mission during his two-day visit to London, starting March 28, 2008[23]

[edit] European Union

Sarkozy said March 14, 2008 he won "unanimous" backing for his plan to forge closer political ties with Europe's North African and Mideast neighbors on the Mediterranean Sea. The agreement came at the end of the first day of a two-day EU summit.[24].

[edit] Global warming

On June 8, 2007, during the 33rd G8 summit in Heiligendamm, Sarkozy set a goal of reducing French CO2 emissions by 50% by 2050 in order to prevent global warming. He then pushed forward the important Socialist figure of Dominique Strauss-Kahn as European nominee to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) [25]. Critics alleged that Sarkozy proposed to nominate Strauss-Kahn as managing director of the IMF to deprive the Socialist Party of one of its more popular figures[26].

[edit] June 2007 legislative election

Main article: French legislative election, 2007

The UMP, Sarkozy's party, won a majority at the June 2007 legislative election, although by less than expected.

[edit] Domestic policies

In July, the UMP majority, seconded by the Nouveau Centre, approved one of Sarkozy's electoral promise, which was to quasi-suppress the inheritance tax.[27][28] The inheritance tax used to bring eight billion euros into state coffers.[29]

Furthermore, Sarkozy cut with the custom of amnestying traffic tickets and of releasing some prisoners from overcrowded jails on Bastille Day, a tradition that Napoleon had started in 1802 to commemorate the storming of the Bastille during the French Revolution [11]

Fillon's government issued a decree on 7 August, 2007 to generalize a voluntary biometric profiling program of travellers in airports. The program, called Parafes, was to use fingerprints. The new database would be interconnected with the Schengen Information System (SIS) as well as with a national database of wanted persons (FPR). The CNIL protested against this new decree, opposing itself to the recording of fingerprints and to the interconnection between the SIS and the FPR [30].

In November 2007, Sarkozy will face his first real domestic test when workers from the public sector will go on strike to protest his domestic reform policies.[31][update needed]

[edit] August 2007 vacations

Sarkozy then went in vacation to the United States, taking his family to Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire. He was expected to stay in the 11-bathroom shorefront mansion of former Microsoft executive Michael Appe [11]. However, he interrupted his vacation for a one-day trip to France after the death of Cardinal Lustiger, former archbishop of Paris, whose funeral he was to attend [32].

He then visited President George W. Bush in Kennebunkport, Maine.

[edit] French local elections 2008

Sarkozy's conservative party braced for a possible setback as voting got under way in March 16, 2008 local elections which was seen as the new conservative leader's first electoral test and a barometer of the strengh of his Union for a Popular Movement-party, which was hoping to hang on Marseille and Toulouse. Ten months after his election, France's economy remains sluggish and Sarkozy had backed off from many of the sweeping reforms that he promised on the campaign trail. A UMP loss March 16, 2008 could weaken Sarkozy's bid to live up to his promises of economic, social and institutional reforms. The municipal elections coincide with a recent plunge in Sarkozy's popularity. His ratings steadily slipped in the wake of a series of angry public outbursts, a widely publicized divorce, and a quick courtship and marriage to former model and singer Carla Bruni. The first round French municipal elections, 2008 on March 9, 2008 gave the rival Socialist Party a modest lead: 47.5 percent of the vote compared with 44.4 percent for the UMP. [33]

[edit] Main members of Sarkozy's staff

v • d • e
First Fillon Cabinet
Coat of Arms of France
v • d • e
Second Fillon Cabinet
Coat of Arms of France
  • General secretary - Claude Guéant [34]
  • Chief of the private military staff - Vice-amiral d'escadre Édouard Guillaud
  • Special advisor to the President - Henri Guaino
  • Advisors to the President - Raymond Soubie and Catherine Pégard
  • Diplomatic advisor and sherpa - Jean-David Levitte
  • Deputy secretary general - François Pérol.
  • Head of cabinet - Emmanuelle Mignon
  • Advisors to the Presidency - Georges Marc Benamou, Arnold Munnich and Patrick Ouart
  • Spokesman - David Martinon
  • Head of cabinet - Cédric Goubet

[edit] References

  1. ^ Radiant Cécilia puts Sarkozy in the shade
  2. ^ Peugeot 607 Paladine, Outrefranc, retrieved on May 17, 2007
  3. ^ La lettre de Guy Môquet à la veille de sa mise à mort, Le Figaro, 16 May 2007 (French)
  4. ^ Guy Môquet en toutes lettres, Libération, 6 June 2007 (French)
  5. ^ Guy Môquet – the Courageous Struggle, L'Humanité, 18 May 2007 (translated 1 June 2007) (English)
  6. ^ Nicolas Sarkozy has been busy manipulating the history of France, L'Humanité (translated 8 May 2007) (English)
  7. ^ Communiqué de la Présidence de la République concernant la nomination du Premier ministre. Élysée Palace, May 17, 2007
  8. ^ France New's Government - A study in perpetual motion, The Economist, June 23, 2007 (English)
  9. ^ Llama G8 a FARC contribuir a liberación de rehenes, La Cronica, June 8, 2007 (Spanish)
  10. ^ French language: "La France sera aux côtés des infirmières libyennes [sic] enfermées depuis huit ans…", Vidéo : Premier discours du président Sarkozy, RFI, 6 May 2007 (French)
  11. ^ a b c d Molly Moore, France's Sarkozy Off to a Running Start, Washington Post, August 4, 2007 (English)
  12. ^ a b Les coulisses de la libération des infirmières bulgares, Le Monde, 3 August 2007 (French)
  13. ^ Tripoli annonce un contrat d'armement avec la France, l'Elysée dans l'embarras, Le Monde, 2 August 2007 (French)
  14. ^ Christopher Dickey, The Politics of Blackmail - Libya's 'Immoral' Games with the West, Newsweek, 1st August 2007 (English)
  15. ^ a b Christophe Châtelot, Le chef du renseignement bulgare évoque un écheveau de contacts secrets, Le Monde, 1st August 2007 (French)
  16. ^ a b Germans attack Libya nuclear deal, BBC, July 2007 (English)
  17. ^ Natalie Nougayrède, France-Libye : les zones d'ombre de la libération des infirmières bulgares, Le Monde, 8 August 2007 (French)
  18. ^ a b c d e Marc Lomazzi, Nucléaire: les dessous de l'accord entre la France et la Libye, Le Parisien, 13 August 2007 (French)
  19. ^ a b c Areva: "pas de négociations sur l'EPR avec la Libye", L'Express with Reuters, 13 August 2007 (French)
  20. ^ Sarkozy denies Libya arms deal, France 24 (with AFP), 13 August 2007 (English)
  21. ^ Nicolas Sarkozy et Areva démentent tout projet de vente de réacteur EPR à la Libye, Le Monde (with Reuters), 13 August 2007 (French)
  22. ^ Report on reactor for Libyans ‘false’, Gulf Times (with AFP), 14 August 2007 (English)
  23. ^ Report: France to boost Afghan commitment, CNN, 23 March 2008
  24. ^ Sarkozy touts Mediterranean plan, CNN), 14 March 2008
  25. ^ FMI : Strauss-Kahn candidat officiel de l’Union européenne, Le Figaro, 10 July 2007 (French)
  26. ^ Reuters, "France's Sarkozy wants Strauss-Kahn as IMF head" Sat Jul 7, 2007 2:38PM EDT read here (English)
  27. ^ Les députés votent la quasi-suppression des droits de succession, Le Figaro, 13 July 2007 (French)
  28. ^ Les droits de succession (presque) supprimés, Libération, 13 July 2007 (French)
  29. ^ Droits de succession : pour une minorité de ménages aisés, L'Humanité, 7 June 2007 (French)
  30. ^ Généralisation du fichage biométrique volontaire des voyageurs dans les aéroports français, Le Monde, 8 August 2007 (French)
  31. ^ In November strikes, a direct test of the Sarkozy mettle. International Herald Tribune (2007-11-05). Retrieved on 2007-11-06.
  32. ^ Nicolas Sarkozy assistera aux obsèques du cardinal Lustiger, L'Express, 9 August 2007 (French)
  33. ^ Nicolas Sarkozy braces for election bruising, CNN, 16 March 2008
  34. ^ Arrêté du 16 mai 2007 portant nomination à la Présidence de la République Journal Officiel

[edit] See also