Just yesterday France came out in historical numbers to elect Union for a Popular Movement (UPM) candidate conservative Nicolas Sarkozy over Socialist Party candidate Segolene Royal. Ms. Royal was able to garner 47% of the vote and more women actually voted for Sarkozy with 80% overall turnout from French voters. French political pundits have described this election as being historical and a clear sign that France is moving to the right of the political spectrum.

To understand where France has been and why it is taking this direction one must go back in history. Fortunately your author will give the quick version for the reader.

It is post World War II and for the most part France has been wrecked by the Socialist Nazi army led by Adolph Hitler. Like many European countries France is shell shocked from nearly succumbing to Germany’s domination. Recovery from the War is slow. In May 1968 the country’s government under Charles de Galle is suffers intense criticism led primarily by student radicals wearing shades of communism and socialism. Essentially these were hippies that wanted entitlements-free education, free love, free healthcare, guaranteed jobs, free handouts, etc. Hundreds of workers decided to join the students with labor strikes, demanding much the same and wanting ‘someone’ else to flip the bill. Although de Galle was able to end the civil unrest, the merging of leftist organization would eventually spill into the political arena and have a long lasting impact on future elections. The unification of the left allowed strength in numbers, classic socialist thought if it ever existed, resulting in capturing many regional elections during the 1970s-80s and climaxing in the 1981 Presidential election win by leftist Francois Mitterand.

In just a dozen or so years the left wing had dramatically impacted the French life and political culture. This, by the way, would come to equally climatic grinding halt when Mitterand’s Prime Minister Pierre Mauroy retired from office in the wake of the Socialists party’s collapse.

And now France is ready to make a turn. They said in droves that they want this right wing figure to address their immigration problem, which has seen countless undocumented members establishing residency in ghettos. On such area, Clichy-sous Bois, was the site of rioting in October and November 2005.

The constituency has said that they want the 40 hour workweek as opposed to the 35 hour schedule that is in place now. They don’t want their businesses to be forced to employ unproductive workers, which is currently in place due to the influence of unions. The reader must also consider that despite this job protection stance that France has had chronic unemployment higher than many of their European neighbors.

Segolene Royal was heralded by many in the international press, if she had won, as being the first female French president. This is all that seemed to matter to some. Her campaign addressed none of the issues, at least not as in depth as Sarkozy’s camp and instead opted to make comments in favor of Canada’s French province Quebec becoming a sovereign nation. Her comments were denounced by Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Quebec Premier Jean Charest. Then she proceeded to remind everyone that Sarkozy would be a mere Bush Administration tool, while she offered nothing of substance to address the significant problems facing France and their role in international politics.

Reader your author isn’t fully convinced that France will do a complete about face but this recent election is definitely an important event. In fact following Sarkozy’s win 700 people were arrested in and around Paris for rioting, protesting his victory. This tells your author that at least some take his intentions seriously and are none too happy.