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1/16/07

Guardian Unlimited: Sarkozy's distorted vision

For the complete report in the Guardian Unlimited click on this link

Sarkozy's distorted vision

Yesterday Mr Sarkozy was elected as the official candidate of the centre-right UMP party. Yet, given that his was the only name on the ballot paper, he made strikingly heavy weather of his victory. Only 69% of the former Gaullist party voted in the election, significantly less than Mr Sarkozy had expected, and it showed in his face when the figures were announced. The result undermined his claims that yesterday's spectacular Sarko-fest showed the centre-right to be a united family. Mr Sarkozy had worked assiduously to capture the endorsement of all his potential rivals, most recently the defence minister, Michèle Alliot-Marie. But Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin refused to vote for him and made only a brief appearance at yesterday's congress, while President Jacques Chirac, who has not unequivocally ruled out another run for the Elysée, stayed away altogether. If Mr Sarkozy frightens many of his own voters, think what he may do to the public generally.

All of this is further proof, if any were needed after the way he behaved during the 2005 suburban riots, that Mr Sarkozy is an extremely divisive politician. He has his work cut out, not just to win the presidency against the left candidate Ségolène Royal (who is as undivisive as Mr Sarkozy is divisive) but also to rally the right around his own cause. This will be a difficult balancing act. Mr Sarkozy has to minimise the threat on the far right from the ever-dangerous Jean-Marie Le Pen, and minimise the challenge in the centre from François Bayrou's UDP, while simultaneously trying to prevent Mr Chirac or another more classical Gaullist from mounting a last-minute challenge. A false political move at any time could have damaging consequences for his cause. The polls currently show Mr Sarkozy and Ms Royal (on 33% and 32% respectively) as the two clear frontrunners for the first round of voting on April 22. For the second round, they are head-to-head on 50% each. So the stakes could not be higher.

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