Sarkozy Taking the Helm of France

It's the changing of the guard on the French political scene today. Later on today, the son of a Hungarian immigrant, Nicolas Sarkozy, will take over as the next French President, taking over the reigns from the soon-to-be former President Jacques Chirac. Chirac, as the President of France, started out with France sporting a robust economy and a large role in world politics. But many pundits say that over the last few years of his tenure, Mr. Chirac has allowed France's economy to stagnate and its image tarnish on the world stage. So how much work does the man known both to his allies and his opponents as 'Sarko' have when it comes to revitalizing France?

Nicolas Sarkozy, the passionate, pugnacious son of a Hungarian immigrant, was elected president of France in May 2007, promising a break with the past, a new style of leadership, and a renewal of relations with the United States and the rest of Europe. [Photo: nytimes.com]

Ni hao, you're listening to People In the Know, China's only English-language political current affairs program, online at www.crienglish.com here on China Radio International. In this edition of our show, we'll be taking about Nicolas Sarkozy's ascension to the role of France's new President. A pair of experts on international politics will join us and give both a French and Chinese perspective on the issue. So let's get started.

Nicolas Sarkozy has pledged a "rupture with the past". To give us an on-the-ground assessment of Mr. Sarkozy's new policies and Chirac's legacy, we're joined from Paris by Dominique Mo?si, Senior Adviser at the French Institute of International Relations.

(Dialogue with Moisi)

And after we take a short break, we'll tap a Chinese expert for his thoughts on the issue.

Ni hao, you're listening to People In the Know, online at www.crienglish.com here on China Radio International. I'm Paul James in Beijing. In this edition of the show, we're talking about Nicolas Sarkozy taking over today as the new French President, succeeding Jacques Chirac, who has been in power for the last 12 years. To talk about what changes Sarkozy might bring to France on both the domestic and foreign policy front, we're joined now from Shanghai by Dr. Chen Zhimin with the Centre for European Studies with Fudan University.