President Sarkozy May 7, 2007; Page A14 Voters yesterday handed Nicolas Sarkozy a mandate to revive France. The next President of France is 52 years old and of Hungarian and Greek-Jewish descent. He can make history -- and carve out a new role for France in the world -- by moving fast to meet his countrymen's expectations of a new direction.The window of opportunity for any new leader to bring change never stays open long. Even before yesterday's runoff, trade unions and the Socialists threatened street violence and strikes at any hint of serious reform. The biggest risk for Mr. Sarkozy and France would be to hesitate. Fortunately patience and a reluctance to ruffle feathers aren't his vices.During the campaign, Mr. Sarkozy introduced to France the discourse of the possible. Many European countries -- Denmark, Sweden, Ireland, the U.K. -- have "full employment," he has noted. Why can't France? The French used to work hard, he says often, but the 35-hour workweek made them lazy and sent the best and brightest looking for a better life in New York or London.The new President's biggest challenge will be to focus his campaign motto -- to "rehabilitate work, authority, respect, meritocracy" -- into a governing agenda. To that end, his plans to loosen labor regulations, cut the size of the state and the tax burden, and overhaul pensions would seem the more pressing task than his call for a new push on the Kyoto treaty. By proving that free-market policies yield results, Mr. Sarkozy can reconcile the French to the idea that growth isn't an "Anglo-Saxon" plot to destroy their comfy lives.Europe and the U.S. have a lot riding on the new President's success. Without putting France's domestic house in better order, Mr. Sarkozy can't claim a strong leadership role in Europe and create better relations with Washington. Mr. Sarkozy, a vocal anti-anti-American, brings the promise of closer trans-Atlantic links. Speaking to Americans in his victory speech last night, he declared, "You can count on our friendship." It was an unusual statement for a French victor.France's new President isn't always ideologically consistent. Though friendly to business, he proudly calls himself "a protectionist" on trade and industrial policy. During the campaign, he turned hedge funds, Turkey and immigrants into useful bogeymen. Perhaps, as his aides suggest, this is what it takes to win in France.Even so, the French voters, in their wisdom, couldn't have come up with a more different man to replace President Jacques Chirac. Mr. Sarkozy brings energy, youth and daring to the Élysée. Better buckle up for the ride.//en.yabiladi.com/topics/mandate-revive-france-44-1820280-1820280.html#msg-1820280 Fri, 05 Jun 2026 21:25:09 +0200 Phorum 5.2.15