French Lessons for Conservatives

By Michael Medved
Monday, May 07, 2007

The election of Nicolas Sarkozy represents good news for France, for America, and for the world. It also offers needed encouragement for US conservatives who ought to feel energized, inspired and reassured by this decisive triumph.

Most obviously, the Sarkozy election should help explode two cherished leftist myths about the current direction of world affairs –

First, that all nations and all peoples feel deep visceral hatred for America and Americans and,

Second, that a powerful tectonic shift in global politics is moving the whole world to the left.

On the first point, no Presidential candidate in French history had ever been so closely tied to the U.S. as President-elect Sarkozy. His political opponents gave him the derisive title “Sarko l’Americaine” (“Sarko The American”) and warned that if he won election he’d become Bush’s “French Poodle.” (to go along with the long-standing charge that Tony Blair – soon to leave office—has been a “poodle” or “lap dog” to President Bush). In any event, Sarkozy responded to the charges against him by traveling to Washington for a warm, enthusiastic meeting with George W. Bush, then returning home and speaking frankly and courageously against “reflexive anti-Americanism” by his countrymen. After the Bush White House meeting, aides said that no world leader since Japan’s ex-PM Junichiro Koizumi had impressed the President more, or hit it off as well with W. Relatively early in tonight’s electoral victory (by a margin of some 6% points), President Bush became one of the first world leaders to phone his congratulations to his new best friend. In his victory statement, Sarko even mentioned friendship with the U.S. and promised to “stand beside” America in the struggle against Islamic terrorism.

His election may not signal a change of heart from a nation where the intelligentsia and the elite have long harbored contemptuous attitudes toward American culture and policy, but it does show that even in Europe’s most famously ant-American society, a politician can win with a more pro-US attitude. In other words, the leftist conviction that “the whole world hates us” is obviously exaggerated. By the way, in addition to pledging a much closer French-US relationship, Sarko also promised much stronger French support for Israel – a pointed contrast to his hapless opponent, Segolene Royal, whose clumsy visit to the Middle East left French voters confused about her policy priorities.

The second aspect of the Sarkozy victory that ought to cheer conservatives and give pause to liberals involves the common claim that the whole world is turning to the left – opting for higher taxes, tighter regulation, more redistribution of wealth, a bigger welfare state. According to that theory, the U.S. would inevitably follow suit after the recent center-left victories in Italy and Spain (where the Prime Ministers of both countries openly endorsed Sarko’s opponent), and the outright leftist triumphs in Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador, Bolivia and Nicaragua.

In this context, Sarko’s big win may indicate an international change of direction – with his promises for less regulation, a less rigid welfare system, more freedom for business, and a determined effort to “rupture” and “shake up” the calcified, Paleolithic French socialist state. The Sarkozy victory should remind us of other recent significant successes for candidates of the center-right – in Germany, Canada, Sweden and even Mexico. Though each of those electoral margins was painfully thin, Sarkozy earned a decisive win. With two of the European Big Three (Germany and France) now in the hands of conservative reformers, and the other member of the trio (Great Britain) run by “New Labour” leadership that specifically accepts Thatcherite reforms, there’s little sign of a leftist wave in Europe. Flat-taxers and anti-bureaucratic reformers already wield powerful influence in Eastern Europe, and this new development could help conservative, free-market ideas develop continent wide (and world-wide) momentum.

Finally, the Sarkozy victory shows that female candidates aren’t always magic when it comes to winning serious elections. Segolene Royal repeatedly identified herself with Hillary Clinton and suggested how much she’d enjoy working with the first female US President. Unlike Hillary, “Sego” possessed meaningful governmental experience (as a regional official and cabinet posts), plus luminous beauty and undeniable charisma, but her gaffes and flashes of unpredictable temperament helped undo her campaign. The collapse of the Royal candidacy should remind Americans that eagerness for a female leader doesn’t necessarily bring victories to all female candidates; gender identity need not trump common sense, or policy preferences – even among women voters. Even among her most fanatical followers, Hillary’s 2008 victory must look a bit less inevitable after Sego’s clear-cut defeat.

All in all, a good night for worried Republicans and conservatives – providing a fine excuse to lift a glass of properly aged French wine (yes, we can drop all attempts at boycotts now) to toast our new friend across the ocean, “Sarko the American.”