Sarkozy, a U.S.-friendly conservative and an immigrant's son, defeated Socialist Segolene Royal by 53 percent to 47 percent with about 85 percent voter turnout Sunday.
The win gave Sarkozy a strong mandate for his vision of France's future: He wants to free up labor markets, calls France's 35-hour work week absurd and plans tougher measures on crime and immigration.
"The people of France have chosen change," Sarkozy told cheering supporters in a victory speech that sketched out a stronger global role for France and renewed partnership with the United States.
I've said it repeatedly, notwithstanding my occasional use of the term "cheese-eating surrender monkey"--my beef has been with the French government and elites, and not the French people. France should be an ally. And I avoid cheap shots about the French military--they are high quality when the French government lets them fight.
I don't expect a French division to be sent to Iraq or anything quite so dramatic (although I would not be surprised at all if the French participate in an operation against Iran's mullahs), but I do expect less bashing of our policies for the sheer pleasure of it. Steyn is rather more pessimistic than I am.
And as I wrote before, if we can make in Paris ...
UPDATE: The Taliban are demanding a French retreat from Afghanistan:
“Our first demand from the new government of France is that they must present an exact timetable for the withdrawal of their troops from Afghanistan,” Admadi said. He added that insurgents were also willing to trade the release of Taliban prisoners from Afghan jails for volunteer Eric Damfreville and three Afghan co-workers captured over a month ago.
This will be interesting given that Sarkozy isn't exactly gung ho about fighting in Afghanistan despite willingness to be more supportive in the war on terror. But being told to retreat might be a bit too much to digest.
And given how France's own little Taliban are reacting with riots over election results they don't like, I'm not so sure that retreating to France is a much safer option.
