Nicolai Sarkozy has become the first président de la république française not to win re-election since M Giscard three decades back, and the Elysée’s new incumbent is the socialist candidate – the father of the previous socialist candidate’s children, as is the way with these Gallic sophisticates.
As to whether Marine LePen, who left her ballot blank, has succeeded in realigning French politics, we shall see. I was no fan of M Sarkozy, but François Hollande’s victory is a vote to postpone France’s and Europe’s reacquaintance with reality. Après moi, le delusion – yet again.