The return of Nicolas Sarkozy and the obstacle course ahead
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been elected as leader of the conservative opposition party, the UMP. Sarkozy’s bid for the party leadership is the first step in his ultimate aim of standing for the French presidency in elections due in 2017. But the former president has got off to a lukewarm start, with a weaker-than-expected victory in the party leadership race. More importantly, as Ellen Salvi writes in this analysis article, he now has an uphill road ahead, implicated in a number of judicial investigations and with political rivals waiting at the bends.
WhatWhat was bound to happen has happened. Nicolas Sarkozy was elected president of the conservative opposition UMP party on Saturday, collecting 64.5% of votes cast, against 29.18% for his principle rival Bruno Le Maire, and 6.32% for the only other candidate, Hervé Mariton.
