As Expected, Right Winger Sarkozy Wins French Election

As could be expected from the polls, and the simply awful campaign from the opposition French Socialist candidate, Segolene Royal, right wing candidate Nicolas Sarkozy was able to win about a 53-47% edge in the French runoff election on Sunday.

Socialist candidate, Segolene Royal had a perfect opportunity to exploit the serious economic problems under the current conservative President, Jacques Chirac, such as stagnant wages, an economy that failed to benefit those in poverty, especially in the immigrant neighborhoods, and other working class issues, but instead was best known as a marginal candidate who had focused on silly issues such as attacking TV violence or some fringe issues without a base of populist appeal.

Sarkozy was also a bad candidate as well, with a loose cannon style that is sure to be troublesome over a number of issues with the U.S., although Sarkozy was once a an early supporter of the curent war in Iraq, and has a few similiar views as George Bush politically.

It's too bad that the working people of France had no good place to turn. But Royal was such a lightweight Socialist Party candidate with her seriously watered down and lame version of socialism that really failed to address the needs of the working people. Royal made it easy for another bad candidate like Sarkozy to look good by comparison to a slender majority of French voters. Too bad.