#World news RSS feed France RSS feed Nicolas Sarkozy RSS feed Europe RSS feed Turn autoplay off Turn autoplay on Please activate cookies in order to turn autoplay off * Jump to content [s] * Jump to site navigation [0] * Jump to search [4] * Terms and conditions [8] Edition: UK * US Sign in Mobile About us * About us * Contact us * Press office * Guardian Print Centre * Guardian readers' editor * Observer readers' editor * Terms of service * Privacy policy * Advertising guide * Digital archive * Digital edition * Guardian Weekly * Buy Guardian and Observer photos * Subscribe Today's paper * The Guardian * Comment and debate * Editorials, letters and corrections * Obituaries * Other lives * Sport * Review * Travel * Family * Money * Work * Weekend * The Guide * Subscribe Subscribe * Subscribe to the Guardian * iPhone app * iPad edition * Kindle * Extra * Guardian Weekly * Digital edition * All our services The Guardian home ____________________ [UK and World news] Search * News * Sport * Comment * Culture * Business * Money * Life & style * Travel * Environment * TV * Data * Video * Mobile * Offers * Jobs * News * World news Sarkozy, man of voters' dreams and nightmares, takes crown Some welcome era of entrepreneurship while others fear return to rioting * + Tweet this + IFRAME: http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?app_id=17841205555826 7&href=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/may/07/france.ange liquechrisafis&send=false&layout=button_count&width=140&show_f aces=false&action=recommend&colorscheme=light&font=arial&heigh t=21 + [icon_reddit.gif] reddit this * Angelique Chrisafis in Bondy * The Guardian, Monday 7 May 2007 * Article history About this article Close Sarkozy, man of voters' dreams and nightmares, takes crown This article appeared on p12 of the Main section section of the Guardian on Monday 7 May 2007. It was published on guardian.co.uk at 01.56 BST on Monday 7 May 2007. As council workers begin taking down election posters this morning, Nicolas Sarkozy will no doubt be particularly keen on the removal of campaign pictures of him that have been adorned with Hitler moustaches and the word "fascist". At his final rally last week, he talked about "the writing on the wall", saying youths must stop hating France. But in suburbs such as Bondy, near Paris, where riots raged in 2005, it is not France but Mr Sarkozy who is the target of spray cans. Yesterday outside Bondy town hall, a poster of Mr Sarkozy had its eyes gouged out and was scrawled with: "He dirties everything, even our dreams." Well-dressed pensioners from the smart streets of semi-detached houses which nudge up against the high-rises tutted as they arrived to vote for the rightwing favourite. "I'm voting for Mr Sarkozy to put an end to the delinquency, and stop crime in this country," said one woman accompanied by a lap-dog with a bow in its hair. "These elderly people see you're black and think you're a criminal," said Arnaud Jardel, 23, who works for a water company and voted for Ségolène Royal. "There are two Frances. The France of the high-rise estates is in the shit, and it won't be easy to fix. There's so much discrimination and unemployment, kids are completely demotivated. "Sarkozy's language about cleaning up the place with a powerhose didn't help. Rioting could flare up again at any minute. If he wins, it will explode." More than 3,000 police were on stand-by last night in Paris and its run-down suburban estates. They lobbed tear gas and used water cannon to try to chase out of the Place de la Bastillethe anarchist youths and protesters throwing bottles and stones. A similar confrontation was reported in the south-east city of Lyon. As France's interior minister and "top cop" during the 2005 riots, Mr Sarkozy was seen by young people on the estates as enemy number one. They were offended by his lack of sensitivity over the incident which sparked the riots: the death of two teenagers electrocuted in a power substation while evading police. In the Seine-Saint-Denis region north-east of Paris, the centre of the 2005 rioting, authorities had yesterday refused all police requests for a day off. Elsewhere, around 6,000 riot police and gendarmes were on alert. At another Bondy polling station, many felt it was the most important election for years in a state which over 25 years has known only two presidents, François Mitterrand and Jacques Chirac, now 74. Faced with a younger leader, there was what one voter called "a real obsession" with politics. By 5pm the turnout across France was more than 75% - the highest at that stage of a presidential run-off since 1965. It went on to reach 85%, the highest since 1981. Sadia Ben-Farh, 36, a mother of three, voted for Ms Royal, and said the next few days would be difficult if Mr Sarkozy won. "That's it! Cars will go up in smoke, the estates will flip, and it will be the start of a vicious circle - because Mr Sarkozy will then be able to say to the nation: I told you so, these areas are out of control." Her friend, Elodie Poisson, 25, a health technician, felt torn. "I didn't vote for him because of what he has said about neighbourhoods like ours, but I feel divided. The fact that he's offering people the chance to work more to earn more, doing better paid overtime, definitely appeals." Outside a polling station on the edge of the gentrified streets of the Marais in Paris, some voters in their 30s said they looked forward to waking up this morning to a France run by Mr Sarkozy with "a new flavour of entrepreneurship". One fashion designer said: "Creativity in this country needs an economic boost. I employ skilled French artisans, I want to take on more of them. Mr Sarkozy gives me hope. He also wants to tax Chinese imports, which is very important for the fashion industry. "I don't think our system of social protection will be rolled back. Chirac has been in power for years and never axed our social security." Sunny, 30, a Martiniquan living in Paris who works for an insurance firm, said: "Mr Sarkozy is dynamic, he's already made concrete his plans for his first 100 days in power. I'm looking forward to France strengthening its position in Europe." The CV Nicolas Paul Stéphane Sarkozy de Nagy-Bocsa Age 52 Childhood Born in Paris, son of a Hungarian minor aristocrat. Deeply affected by his parents' divorce when he was five, he grew up in the home of his maternal grandfather, a Jewish doctor from the Greek city of Salonika. Said to have been motivated by feeling like an outsider with a foreign-sounding name; he once told a biographer: "I don't want to be president. I must be president." Family Divorced, remarried to Cécilia Ciganer-Albeniz. Three sons, two stepdaughters Education Trained as a lawyer 1983-2002 Mayor of Neuilly. Elected at 28, youngest mayor in France. Media attention in 1993 as he negotiated to end a nursery school siege. 1988 Became an MP 1993 Became budget minister 2002-07 Interior minister, for two spells; closed Sangatte refugee centre 2004 Became head of ruling UMP. As finance minister, poured state funds into saving the ailing firm Alstom * Print this Printable version * Send to a friend * Share * Clip * Contact us * larger | smaller Email Close Recipient's email address ____________________ Your first name ____________________ Your surname ____________________ Add a note (optional) _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Send Your IP address will be logged Share Close Short link for this page: http://gu.com/p/jdb7 * StumbleUpon * reddit * Tumblr * Digg * LinkedIn * Google Bookmarks * del.icio.us * livejournal * Facebook * Twitter Contact us Close * Report errors or inaccuracies: reader@guardian.co.uk * Letters for publication should be sent to: letters@guardian.co.uk * If you need help using the site: userhelp@guardian.co.uk * Call the main Guardian and Observer switchboard: +44 (0)20 3353 2000 * + Advertising guide + License/buy our content World news * France · * Nicolas Sarkozy · * Europe Related * 9 Jul 2007 Fear of prison riots as Sarkozy rejects pardon * 29 Nov 2007 Sarkozy promises inquiry into teenage deaths that sparked riots * 8 May 2007 Warm words as White House greets new ally * 8 May 2007 Tale of two nations as voters size up new leader * Print this Printable version * Send to a friend * Share * Clip * Contact us * Article history Email Close Recipient's email address ____________________ Your first name ____________________ Your surname ____________________ Add a note (optional) _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Send Your IP address will be logged Share Close Short link for this page: http://gu.com/p/jdb7 * StumbleUpon * reddit * Tumblr * Digg * LinkedIn * Google Bookmarks * del.icio.us * livejournal * Facebook * Twitter Contact us Close * Report errors or inaccuracies: reader@guardian.co.uk * Letters for publication should be sent to: letters@guardian.co.uk * If you need help using the site: userhelp@guardian.co.uk * Call the main Guardian and Observer switchboard: +44 (0)20 3353 2000 * + Advertising guide + License/buy our content About this article Close Sarkozy, man of voters' dreams and nightmares, takes crown This article appeared on p12 of the Main section section of the Guardian on Monday 7 May 2007. It was published on guardian.co.uk at 01.56 BST on Monday 7 May 2007. On World news * Most viewed * Zeitgeist * Latest Last 24 hours 1. [BBC-Persian-boss-Sadegh-S-003.jpg] 1. BBC Persian staff face Iranian intimidation 2. 2. Mormon Romney to win in Nevada and leave rest in scramble for delegates 3. 3. Iran 'trying to attack Israeli targets in retaliation for scientists' deaths' 4. 4. Costa Concordia: cruise ship rep's clothing found in captain's cabin 5. 5. Khamenei: Iran will help anyone confront Israel 6. More most viewed Last 24 hours 1. Eyewitness: Nudes float in the Dead Sea 2. Temperatures plunge in Europe â in pictures 3. Saving Spain's Socialists: ex-minister fights for control of a party in tatters 4. Fury over Homs massacre as UN security council gathers for Syria vote 5. BBC Persian staff face Iranian intimidation 6. More zeitgeist What is Zeigeist? What is Zeitgeist? Zeitgeist is an experiment in showing trending news, topics and articles from the Guardian. Find out more in our blog post. Last 24 hours 1. [An-anti-regime-demonstrat-001.jpg] 1. Fury over Homs massacre as UN security council gathers for Syria vote 2. 2. Bradley Manning: US general orders court martial for WikiLeaks suspect 3. 3. Syria: more than 200 dead after 'massacre' in Homs 4. 4. Man lost overboard from cruise liner off Mexico 5. 5. US politics live: Nevada GOP caucus, unemployment surprise 6. All today's stories Guardian Bookshop This week's bestsellers 1. 100 Simple Things You Can Do to Prevent Alzheimer's 1. 100 Simple Things You Can Do to Prevent Alzheimer's by Jean Carper £10.99 2. 2. What the Grown-ups Were Doing by Michele Hanson £14.99 3. 3. Complete Poems of Philip Larkin by Philip Larkin £40.00 4. 4. Perfect by Felicity Cloake £18.99 5. 5. Pure by Andrew Miller £8.99 Search the Guardian bookshop ____________________ (Submit) Search Bestsellers from the Guardian shop * Loose-top socks by HJ Hall * Loose-top socks by HJ Hall * Comfortable, light socks without elastic. Get 12 pairs in assorted colours and save over £20 off RRP. * From: £24.99 * Visit the Guardian reader offers shop * See all offers and services from the Guardian Sponsored feature guardian jobs Find the latest jobs in your sector: * Arts & heritage * Charities * Education * Environment * Government * Graduate * Health * Marketing & PR * Media * Sales * Senior executive * Social care Browse all jobs international_______ Search Chief Executive London | £70,000-£90,000 DISASTERS EMERGENCY COMMITTEE Related information World news * France · * Nicolas Sarkozy · * Europe Dominique Strauss-Kahn and Anne Sinclair out and about, New York, America - 25 Aug 2011 French Socialists fear the return of Dominique Strauss-Kahn 26 Aug 2011 Former IMF chief and onetime saviour of the left will not get a warm welcome at party conference on return from US * 21 Oct 2010 Nicolas Sarkozy in warning to pension reform protesters * 12 Feb 2008 Turmoil as 'Sarkoville' turns against French president in mayoral race * 16 Dec 2009 Language still a barrier in the banlieue * 20 Jul 2007 Head to head: Brown and Sarkozy - Did Sarkozy boost the Front National? 24 Mar 2010 Jim Wolfreys: By pandering to racism, Nicolas Sarkozy opened the door for the return of the Front National * Hot topics * US elections 2012 * Eurozone crisis * Syria * London 2012 Olympics * Oscars 2012 * License/buy our content | * Privacy policy | * Terms & conditions | * Advertising guide | * Accessibility | * A-Z index | * Inside the Guardian blog | * About us | * Work for us | * Join our dating site today * © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. Quantcast