Sarko On The Rise

This is interesting:

French politician Nicolas Sarkozy has declared that he will break with the culture of entitlement and the legacy of the 1960s in his upcoming election against Socialist Segolene Royal for the presidency:

A French politician railing against the entitlement mentality would have done so only to commit political suicide, even just a few months ago.

Why has this occurred? Perhaps it comes naturally from his opposition, the Socialist nominee Royal. Sarkozy may have decided that he needed a clearer delineation between Royal and himself. However, the weeks of riots that took place earlier this year, first with Muslim youth in the ghettoes and then with students regarding employment contracts, may have convinced more French than just Sarkozy that the 1960s have turned into a plague on the French body politic, and not just in terms of economics.

We'll see what happens. But, it's kinda shocking that the French (of all people) would consider electing someone campaigning to diminish their entitlements.