Sarkozy Gone?

Today, the French choose who will be their president for the next five years. The polls suggest that the Socialist Hollande is a narrow favorite to frustrate Sarkozy's attempt at re-election. Things are worse than when Sarkozy took office, but to be fair that seems true of most every European country. Just as it is not obvious that God belongs to any religion, so it seems that global recessions have no regard for political philosophies or parties. Still, it seems little surprise that after years of trumpeting the benefits of free markets there would be a reaction against them after a major, prolonged recession that has left swaths of Europe in double-digit unemployment.

Still, Sarkozy got to be president of one of the most powerful countries in the world. And let's not forget that it was only after he became president that he won Carla Bruni. There is no suggestion but what he'll get to keep this crown jewel of France. In fact, if voters thought that he became president merely to win her hand and then was caught up in a global recession, they might be more inclined to vote for him.