History continues to be made in France following Nicolas Sarkozy’s election as president last month. Yesterday’s first round parliamentary elections were an absolute triumph for his centre-right UMP party, which annihilated the Socialists. Prior to Sarkozy’s election, the UMP party and government were deeply unpopular; the turnaround since has been truly remarkable and probably unprecedented in French politics.
There is one fact to take home from these elections: this is the first time since 1978 that a French government has been re-elected (usually, the opposition always wins). In a country that de Gaulle famously described as ungovernable, this is a major achievement by Sarkozy. If he continues to deliver more such miracles, there may yet be hope for France.
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