Last update - 01:39 07/05/2007
Sarkozy triumphs / Immigrants are the challenge
By Daniel Ben-Simon
PARIS - One cannot help but envy the democratic process that the French had the privilege of experiencing during the last two weeks. Not only the voter turnout was impressive, but also the active participation of millions of youths and teens, who threw themselves into the electoral process as if their lives depended on it.
At a time when democracies tend to petrify and sink into despair or indifference, the French proved their democracy has a future.
His triumph stemmed from his ability to contain several conflicting traits. On the one hand, he boasted of three decades of political involvement; on the other, he managed to come off as a fresh and youthful.
Sarkozy promoted a conservative agenda, but is still perceived as a reformer. With immigrant blood running through his veins, he is able to represent the aristocracy and the oligarchs. He advocates getting tough on Muslim immigrants, while proposing affirmative action to expedite their absorption into French society.
The French capital markets breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing the news of his probable victory. France's neighbors in the European Union were also delighted by the news, as were Washington and Jerusalem, which regard Sarkozy as having positions and interests that are close to their own.
The toughest challenge awaiting Sarkozy can be found in the lower rungs of French society, the "other" France. The Muslim immigrants have not forgotten the iron fist he employed against them during the 2005 riots.
To address this challenge, he delivered a message of reconciliation and belonging in his victory speech.
Another challenge, of the parliamentary variety, awaits Sarkozy, in the form of the elections to the French National Assembly next month. Unless he manages to attain a decisive majority, he will be forced to invite the socialists to share power.
He might have to resort to cohabitation with the rival party. In that case, he will have to appoint Segolene Royal as his prime minister.
Even so, he managed to secure a tremendous achievement - worthy of someone considered by his colleagues to be especially brilliant and daring. Sarkozy is among the few who spoke clearly, and uttered what was on their minds. He has remained averse to the circumlocution so characteristic of French culture, and opted to approach the ailments of his country with a scalpel.
He ended up negotiating all the hurdles placed before him both within and outside of his own party, by instilling trust in the hearts of millions of Frenchmen and women, old and young.