D'aussi loin que je me souvienne, j'ai toujours voulu agir, Dans mon espirit la parole, les idees, la communication n'ont de sens que dans la mesure ou elles permettent et surtout facilitent l'action....
Nicolas Sarkozy, born Nicolas Paul Stéphane Sarközy de Nagy-Bocsa) is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on May 16, 2007 after defeating Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier.
Before his presidency, he was leader of the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP). Under Jacques Chirac's presidency he served as Minister of the Interior in Jean-Pierre Raffarin's (UMP) first two governments (from May 2002 to March 2004), then was appointed Minister of Finances in Raffarin's last government (March 2004 to May 2005) and again Minister of the Interior in Dominique de Villepin's government (2005–2007).
Sarkozy was also president of the General council of the Hauts-de-Seine department from 2004 to 2007 and mayor of Neuilly-sur-Seine, one of the wealthiest communes of France from 1983 to 2002. He was Minister of the Budget in the government of Édouard Balladur (RPR, predecessor of the UMP) during François Mitterrand's last term.
Sarkozy is known for wanting to revitalize the French economy. He has pledged to revive the work ethic, promote new initiatives and fight intolerance. In foreign affairs he has promised a strengthening of the entente cordiale with the United Kingdom and closer cooperation with the United States. He married Carla Bruni-Sarkozy on February 2, 2008 at the Élysée Palace in Paris.
A great milestone in my Master’s degree is reading this book. Nicolas is absolutely the man of his people, climbing the ranks of French politics with sincerity. I always remember his results-based policies as minister of several ministry. His humane approach to the people, and his ability to be a moderate rightist, is an exceptional spectacle.
He may havevlostvthevelection, but he may have the last laugh (not that he wants it, I'm sure).
France, and the French are complicated...no argument there. But the transition from a post WW II society to the 21st century France that, in spite of best efforts against it, is happening with chilling effects on her residents. Sarkozy's blueprint, aaIMHO, is just what France needs, rather than the 75% income tax his successor is putting on the wealthy, who appear to be leaving, with their assets, in droves...
I read this book to learn more about France without having to read a tome of French political history. Sarkozy focuses on several of France's modern problems, how he thinks they should be solved, and how he he has tried to solve them in his various government positions. Very interesting! The only problem is that it is outdated in terms of what has happened recently in France, such as Sarkozy becoming President.
The writing could be better and a bit tighter (it is repetitve in spots). But if you want to know the current French president's vision for his country, you should definitely read this book. No one should be surprised by what Sarkozy proposes because it is all laid out clearly in print.