Sense of crisis keeps life sweet for Sarkozy By Dominique Moisi For political as well as business leaders the worst of times can also be the best of times. This has been particularly true lately for Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president. It should come as no surprise given his unique combination of energy and pragmatism. (...) A view frequently heard in relation to Mr Sarkozy is: "I may not like him personally but I am glad he is there as my president and as president of Europe. If Ségolène Royal were in his place in France and Czech president Vaclav Klaus in Europe (which will be the case as of January) we would have been in an even bigger mess. At least there is a pilot in the plane." (...) The fact that the French European Union presidency coincided with the crisis in Georgia and "Black September" in the financial world provided Mr Sarkozy with a golden opportunity. He was everywhere, impressing his fellow citizens with his energy and pragmatism, transforming himself in the process from a remarkable politician into a respectable statesman. He was the good lawyer acting as the fixer with Russia in the Caucasus; the pragmatic leader quick to grasp the gravity of the financial crisis and to seize on the urgent measures devised by Mr Brown, the UK prime minister; the creative thinker pushing for a rejuvenated international system that would integrate the new leaders of the world in the Group of 20 summit in Washington. The French, be they for or against their president, can give only a positive assessment of this new Sarkozy; someone is in charge whom they trust more than anyone else
For political as well as business leaders the worst of times can also be the best of times. This has been particularly true lately for Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president. It should come as no surprise given his unique combination of energy and pragmatism.
(...)
A view frequently heard in relation to Mr Sarkozy is: "I may not like him personally but I am glad he is there as my president and as president of Europe. If Ségolène Royal were in his place in France and Czech president Vaclav Klaus in Europe (which will be the case as of January) we would have been in an even bigger mess. At least there is a pilot in the plane."
The fact that the French European Union presidency coincided with the crisis in Georgia and "Black September" in the financial world provided Mr Sarkozy with a golden opportunity.
He was everywhere, impressing his fellow citizens with his energy and pragmatism, transforming himself in the process from a remarkable politician into a respectable statesman. He was the good lawyer acting as the fixer with Russia in the Caucasus; the pragmatic leader quick to grasp the gravity of the financial crisis and to seize on the urgent measures devised by Mr Brown, the UK prime minister; the creative thinker pushing for a rejuvenated international system that would integrate the new leaders of the world in the Group of 20 summit in Washington.
The French, be they for or against their president, can give only a positive assessment of this new Sarkozy; someone is in charge whom they trust more than anyone else
Gah. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
Surely it should be less than anyone else. Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed. Gandhi
Where have I heard that before?
Oh yes! - all those people who where so relieved that there was a republican in the Whitehouse after Sept. 11. That sure worked out well.
