France elects its president this year. The first round of balloting will occur on April 22. If no one wins a majority, a second round will be held on May 6.
The campaign probably will attract more than 10 candidates. Although he is expected to run for re-election, President Nicolas Sarkozy has not officially announced his plans. Nominees for other parties have been making their cases, although the national contest has not formally begun. The electorate will decide after several weeks of campaigning.
Mr. Sarkozy confronts a difficult landscape. France’s bond rating suffered a downgrade similar to the one awarded the United States. Its banks are troubled. It belongs to a European community that has yet to restore economic confidence.
Americans would consider Mr. Sarkozy a left-wing statist. The French place him on the right. He represents a coalition that traces its roots to Charles de Gaulle, who asked, “How can you govern a country which has 246 varieties of cheese?” We endorse bleu d'Auvergne.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch
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