BBC: Nicolas Sarkozy: Why is the French president so disliked?

[pampango]

"There is an irrational hatred of Nicolas Sarkozy among much of the public, and it is playing a major part in this election," says Jean-Sebastien Ferjou who edits the news website Atlantico.

"I say 'irrational' because that is what it is. Polls show that if you ask people about this or that policy of Sarkozy's - but don't mention his name - they will tend to support it. "But they're still not going to vote for him."

For Ferjou, the main reason for the hostility is that Sarkozy was the first French leader to declare himself unashamedly on the political right.

"It is ironic because in fact he is ideologically totally unstructured. ... But he sent out a message very clearly that he was not embarrassed about saying he was on the right - and this set off a huge backlash of hostility.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17775249

Looks like Sarkozy will finish in the top 2 (polls show him at #2 behind Hollande, the Socialist candidate) this weekend and move on to the second round of the presidential election in May. If the left than unites against him, he will lose then and be the first one-term president in France in 30 years.

[dipsydoodle]

1. As far as I'm aware

Hollande will easily beat him.

[Blue_Tires]

2. Could have something to do with the ditching of the 35-hour week?