Waiting game as Sarkozy plans for changes
In the meantime, the trade unions, migrants in the suburbs and civil servants are expected to test his mettle with promised riots and strikes as they object to his plans.
If the centrists can follow up Mr Sarkozy’s victory in the two rounds of parliamentary elections in mid-June, he will be able to appoint his own prime minister whose support for his policies he can count on.
These include a virtual ending of the 35-hour working week with non-taxed overtime pay, a ban on replacing every second civil servant who retires, jail sentences for more offences, a stiffer “send them home” approach to immigrants, a ban on strikes in state services, and a 4% drop in tax over 10years.
Mr Sarkozy’s UMP party and the other right-wing groups will need to retain the substantial 577-seat majority they have in the national assembly in the June 9 and 16 vote.
However, by then the political landscape could have changed significantly with the creation of a new party, the Democratic Movement, next week by Francois Bayrou. He came third in the first round of the presidential election with the aim of bridging left and right with a mixture of business-friendly and social protection policies.
He refused to give his support publicly to either candidate at the weekend.
With the defeat of Ségolène Royal, many disgruntled Socialists are expected to join Mr Bayrou, which could turn his party into a force to be reckoned with for Mr Sarkozy.
Such a fast turnaround in French politics is not unknown. When outgoing president Jacques Chirac reorganised politics on the right, establishing the UMP after his election in 2002, that won one-third of the votes in the first round and led the assembly.
If the right does not take the assembly, Mr Sarkozy could find himself in the same position as Mr Chirac, who came to power in 1995 promising reforms to reduce unemployment and create a better climate for business. Forced into “cohabitation” with a Socialist assembly, he was confined to his presidential areas of defence and foreign policy, and had difficulty in these.
But even with the support of parliament, Mr Sarkozy could be forced to fight another battle, this time on the streets, as the country’s biggest trade union, CGT, has already put him on notice that it will not accept his plans for workers easily. The introduction of an “easy hire/easy fire” contract for under-25s last year was defeated on the streets despite a 20% unemployment rate among the youth.
The disaffected in the troubled suburbs he described as “scum” last year may also decide to take to the streets again.
Mr Sarkozy has proved himself an able politician so far, risking a lot to win over the far-right supporters of Jean Marie Le Pen and failing to debate Ms Royal on TV, choosing instead to sit back, take the battering and give her enough rope.
His promises of tax cuts, tax-free overtime and a firm “non” to Turkey could win him sufficient support to see off the opposition and push through changes.
Mr Sarkozy and his team were already working on forming a new government and planning how to introduce his legislation before polling stations opened yesterday.
He is not due to move into the Elysee Palace for another 10 days when Mr Chirac, 74, moves out after 12 years to a duplex near the Louvre.
Many EU leaders, especially British prime minister Tony Blair and the president of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, will greet his election with enthusiasm.
There has been much talk of a strategic relationship with Britain to include Germany’s chancellor, Angela Merkel, who likes his plan for a shortened EU constitution to be agreed in parliament rather than risk another referendum.
