在法国总统萨尔科齐上任一年之际，他面临着国内支持率的下跌和日益增长的经济问题，与他一年前以53%的支持率赢得总统大选及上任初期赢得61%的支持率形成了鲜明的对比。
CSA政治问题专家列维说，民调下降比并不是一个好兆头，特别是当全球经济危机并没有很快显示出随时好转的迹象。
“他经历了一个比较好的短暂时期，那时他在他的妻子的陪同下去拜访英国女王。但现在，又回到了棘手的问题上，法国人对这位总统及其政治方案和改革进行质问。这些方面引起了法国人对他的质问。”
4. (SOUNDBITE) (French) JEAN DANIEL LEVY, CO DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC OPINION
CSA, SAYING:
" He experienced a brief moment when it did get better, when he went
to visit the Queen [of England] accompanied by his wife. But now, returning to
the crux of the issues, under the interrogation of the French on the President
of the Republic and his political projects and reforms, due to this aspect,
he’s reincited interrogation."
萨尔科齐曾经一度被视为一股新鲜的活力，要把生命注入到萎靡不振的经济当中，正如他的竞选口号“多劳多得”所宣称的那样。但一些法国人现在对粮价的飞涨和购买力的急剧下降感到十分的灰心和失望。
法国越来越多的经济问题已引发了一系列的抗议活动，其中比较重要的就是2007年10月由法国铁路和地铁系统举行的罢工。这是对萨尔科齐推动艰难经济改革的决心的第一次重大考验。
但列维认为，造成萨尔科齐支持率下跌并不是因为他的政治上的失误而造成的，而是因为过分暴露他的私人生活，尤其是他与模特出身的歌手布努尼的婚姻。
在萨尔科齐曾担任市长的巴黎市郊讷伊—塞纳市（Neuilly sur Seine），一些人说他们发现自己越来越质疑萨尔科齐的中间偏右政府。
“我对萨尔科齐先生的工作一点都不满意。我觉得他一直不够严肃。” 12. (SOUNDBITE) (French)
越来越多的法国人说，萨尔科齐一直过于关注他的私人生活，这使他无法把精力集中到解决法国一系列紧迫的问题上来。
EUROPE-MAY07-FRANCE-SARKOZY
EUROPE: STORY 344
SARKOZY
PARIS, FRANCE; PETRA, JORDAN; VERSAILLES, FRANCE; NEUILLY-SUR-SEINE (OUTSKIRTS
OF PARIS), FRANCE
FILE, APRIL 2007 FILE, MAY 2007 FILE, JANUARY 2008 FILE, FEBRUARY 2008 MAY 5,
2008
NATURAL WITH FRENCH SPEECH
DURATION:04:28
SOURCE:REUTERS
FEED HISTORY:+NEW EU (1515GMT)
INTRO: French President Nicolas Sarkozy reaches first year with much
discontent among the voters who elected him.
TV AND WEB RESTRICTIONS~**PART NO ACCESS FRANCE**~
French President Nicolas Sarkozy reaches his first year in office with a
huge challenge ahead if he is to pull out of record low popularity among the
French and gain back the ratings that will keep his presidency afloat and
avoid potentially paralysing strikes.
SHOWS: (EU) PARIS, FRANCE (FILE-MAY 2007) (TF1 POOL – NO ACCESS FRANCE)
1. VARIOUS OF NICOLAS SARKOZY’S PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION
(EU) PARIS, FRANCE (FILE-APRIL 2007) (UMP POOL – ACCESS ALL)
2. VARIOUS OF FRENCH PRESIDENT NICOLAS SARKOZY WITH UMP PARTY
SUPPORTERS
(EU) PARIS, FRANCE (MAY 5, 2008) (REUTERS – ACCESS ALL)
3. JEAN DANIEL LEVY, CO DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC OPINION CSA, SITTING IN HIS
OFFICE
4. (SOUNDBITE) (French) JEAN DANIEL LEVY, CO DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC OPINION
CSA, SAYING:
“The moment [when his approval ratings are at their lowest] is
right now. It’s now that his popularity is decreasing, by two to three points
per month. He experienced a brief moment when it did get better, when he went
to visit the Queen [of England] accompanied by his wife. But now, returning to
the crux of the issues, under the interrogation of the French on the President
of the Republic and his political projects and reforms, due to this aspect,
he’s reincited interrogation."
(EU) PARIS, FRANCE (FILE- OCTOBER 2007) (REUTERS – ACCESS ALL)
5. VARIOUS OF UNION PROTESTS
6. FRENCH METRO STATION DURING RAIL AND SUBWAY STRIKES BY TRANSPORTATION
UNIONS
(EU) PARIS, FRANCE (MAY 5, 2008) (REUTERS – ACCESS ALL)
7. (SOUNDBITE) (French) JEAN DANIEL LEVY, CO DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC OPINION
CSA, SAYING:
“Contrary to other preceding presidents, the chute [in Sarkozy’s
approval ratings] isn’t linked to a misstep in his political speech, the chute
isn’t linked to a political orientation or reform that didn’t satisfy the
French, the chute is linked to an overexposure of his private life, notably in
fact, from the moment of his voyage during Christmas time with Carla Bruni,
specifically in Jordan, and equally in Egypt. In this context, there’s an
interrogation by the French, who are asking if Nicolas Sarkozy is using this
form of communication as a mask of his political actions, thus a very
important distance marked by the French, brutally on this point just after the
media exposure of his private life, his personal relationships, his personal
vacations, vacations that seemed extraordinarily expensive, so that the French
are dealing with a moment of difficulty at this moment, at the end of the
month."
(EU) PETRA, JORDAN (JANUARY 5, 2008) (REUTERS – ACCESS ALL)
8. FRENCH PRESIDENT NICOLAS SARKOZY AND GIRLFRIEND CARLA BRUNI WALKING IN
TOURIST SITE
(EU) VERSAILLES, FRANCE (FEBRUARY 3, 2008) (REUTERS PICTURES – ACCESS
ALL)
9. VARIOUS STILL PICTURES OF SARKOZY AND BRUNI SITTING AT A CAFE
TERRACE
(EU) NEUILLY-SUR-SEINE (OUTSKIRTS OF PARIS), FRANCE (MAY 5, 2008) (REUTERS
– ACCESS ALL)
10. OLD COUPLE WALKING IN FRONT OF THE CITY HALL IN NEUILLY-SUR-SEINE
11. CITY HALL IN NEUILLY-SUR-SEINE
12. (SOUNDBITE) (French) DOMINIQUE, A RESIDENT OF NEUILLY-SUR-SEINE,
SAYING:
“I’m not at all satisfied by the work of Mr. Sarkozy. I find that
he has been too celebritised and has not been serious enough."
13. (SOUNDBITE) (French) GARY LOBERSTEIN, A RESIDENT OF NEUILLY-SUR-SEINE,
SAYING:
“There is a certain manner one should have when you’re the
president of the Republic, certain things you shouldn’t do, regarding his
personal life, his manners, the way he carries himself, how he attaches
himself to relationships with certain people and certain things, and
meanwhile, the things that a president of the Republic should do, he hasn’t
done."
STORY: French President Nicolas Sarkozy will mark his first year as
president with sinking opinion polls and facing growing economic problems that
many French and public opinion experts say will be a difficult wave to
ride.
Just a year after his triumphant election in May 2007, the climate has
changed starkly for his centre-right government and the anniversary is
expected to pass with as little pomp and circumstance as possible on Tuesday
(May 6) – a sharp contrast to the early days of his presidency when he enjoyed
61 percent voter confidence.
CSA political opinion expert Jean Daniel Levy says dipping opinion
polls are not a good sign, especially as the global economic crisis shows no
signs of a turnaround any time soon.
“He experienced a brief moment when it did get better, when he
went to visit the Queen [of England] accompanied by his wife. But now,
returning to the crux of the issues, under the interrogation of the French on
the President of the Republic and his political projects and reforms, due to
this aspect, he’s reincited interrogation."
The swashbuckling Sarkozy was once regarded as an energetic force that
could inject life into a stagnant economy, as publicised by one of his
election slogans, “Work more to earn more." But some French citizens
now find themselves disillusioned by soaring food prices and plummeting
purchasing power.
Mounting frustrations regarding the French economy have incited a
flurry of protests, including a notable strike in October 2007 by French rail
and metro services. It was the first big test of President Nicolas Sarkozy’s
determination to pass difficult economic reforms and also an examination of
union strength after his election last year on a platform of radical
change.
Yet according to Levy, it was not a political faux pas that caused
Sarkozy’s popularity to decline. Rather, it was the over-exposure of his
private life, especially his three-month whirlwind affair followed by a
heavily-scrutinised marriage to the supermodel-turned-singer Carla Bruni.
Some in Neuilly-Sur-Seine on the outskirts of Paris, Sarkozy’s home
town and where he served as former mayor, say they find themselves growing
more sceptical of his administration.
“I’m not at all satisfied by the work of Mr. Sarkozy. I find that
he has been too celebritised and has not been serious enough," said
Dominique.
A growing number of French citizens say the president has been focusing
too much on his private life, which has become a distraction, instead of
addressing the pressing issues in the country, such as rising prices and
flagging consumer confidence.
ENDS
