May 12, 2008

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The majority of people in France think their country will face major setbacks in the near future, according to a poll by CSA published in Le Parisien. 62 per cent of respondents think France will go through a serious crisis before the end of Nicolas Sarkozy’s presidential term in 2012.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The majority of people in France think their country will face major setbacks in the near future, according to a poll by CSA published in Le Parisien. 62 per cent of respondents think France will go through a serious crisis before the end of Nicolas Sarkozy’s presidential term in 2012.

Conversely, 30 per cent of respondents think Sarkozy will finish his five-year mandate without encountering any major problems.

In May 2007, Sarkozy, candidate for the centre-right Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) and former interior minister, won the presidential run-off with 53.06 per cent of the vote, defeating Socialist Party (PS) candidate Ségolène Royal.

Sarkozy came to power promising an overhaul of France’s economic system in order to foster open competition and a more dynamic growth. Students and workers have recently staged protests against the government’s planned reforms, such as loosening restrictions for companies to hire and fire employees.

The month of May always brings a reminder of the student and workers’ protests of May 1968 that left a deep mark on modern France. On May 9, Jacques Capdevielle, a co-author in a book about May ‘68, said that discontent among young people today is similar than in those years, declaring, "Young people are quite angry. It’s difficult for them to get a job. Unemployment among young people is quite high in France—higher than in Germany and in England."

Polling Data

When you think of France in 2012, which of these scenarios is more likely?

France will go through a grave crisis before then end of Nicolas Sarkozy’s term	62%
Nicolas Sarkozy will finish his term without any major problems	30%
Not sure	8%

Source: CSA / Le Parisien
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,002 French adults, conducted on Apr. 25, 2008. No margin of error was provided.