will the civil society be able to stand up to Sarkozy?

I'll play the advocatus diaboli and ask: which civil society? The one which just elected him by a safe margin? At a huge turnout?

I think you guys should just accept the result and refrain from treating the winner as a tyrant, to whom the civil society should 'stand up'.

Royal was the simply less attractive candidate to the decisive 6% of voters and you should discuss the reasons why.