PARIS — During his first three-day state visit to China, French President Nicolas Sarkozy called on Chinese leaders to join a global New Deal on environment in a speech he delivered at Beijing’s Tsinghua University. He urged counterpart Hu Jintao to play a greater role in promoting sustainable development and to go in-depth on energy and environment issues. To promote the idea, the French president wants to create a comprehensive partnership between the two countries within a framework of mutual confidence. This would mark a new phase in French-Chinese relations, which is the long-term goal of this visit.

But beyond this visit to China, the issue of environment has become, in the past months, one of Sarkozy’s main initiatives in France. Know as the “Grenelle de l’Environnement” (an analogy for the multi-party negotiation on Labor — called les Accords de Grenelle — during the May 1968 riots at the French Labor Ministry, located on the Rue de Grenelle in Paris), this unprecedented event brought, from July to October 25, “all the civilian and public service representatives together around the discussion table, thus forming 5 colleges: the State, unions, employers, NGOs and local authorities.”

As Sarkozy mentioned during the conclusion of this initiative, the Grenelle “is calling for a revolution in the way we think and the way we take decisions; a revolution in our behavior, in our policies, in our objectives and in our criteria.” For the next five years, a first set of measures were decided to push on new environmental reforms : France will promote energy saving, renewable energies (without putting an end to nuclear power), and adopt a biotechnologies law by the end of spring 2008. A halt in building new highways should be balanced with an increase in railway transport. The president will also launch a “carbon tax” on fossil fuels and will revise the Penal Code.

This initiative was supported by Al Gore and Jose Manuel Barroso, who will hold a conference on energy in January 2008.

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PARIS — According to a poll by TNS Sofres released by Le Figaro on August 27, 2007, French President Nicolas Sarkozy received a 71% favorable opinion, and 69% said they believed that there was a real change in the way politics were handled in the Elysée. The most significant approval ratings were about France’s position in the world (75%), the renovation of French political life (71%) and nearly 70% for security issues and the turning point in the European construction.

During his first three months in office, Sarkozy pushed through a variety of reforms in the way that French society seemed to be expecting. It wouldn’t mean much to try and draw a conclusion at this point, however it is relevant to go into the details of this action-packed 100 days.

Diplomacy and International affairs
It is undeniable Sarkozy has broken new ground in French diplomacy, such as underlining the importance of a strong Franco-U.S. relationship. But, he has also insisted that friendship means that Paris can disagree with its friends. It is also undeniable that since he came to power, the French President seems everywhere. He helped lead the negotiation on the so-called “mini European Treaty”, but this is just a first step, the difficult issues remain. He secured the release of the Bulgarian medics in Libya but he is now facing critics. During the XV Conference of Ambassadors, he made it clear that this was just a beginning. At the Conference, he called for a “strong Europe”, a strengthening of European defense and a vital reflection on Europe’s borders. He described Iran’s nuclear program as a major crisis and that a nuclear-Tehran was “unacceptable”. He definitively showed that he wanted France to be back on track, in Africa, in the Middle East, etc.

Domestic affairs
As Sarkozy promised a “rupture” with his predecessor Jacques Chirac, he also made some key changes in French domestic affairs. Immediately following the newly elected Parliament, he launched four major reforms. First, he made it his priority to change the law on repeat offenders and in late July, a law was passed to introduce tougher treatment on this aspect. Second, on August 1^st a law was voted (Tepa and so-called “paquet fiscal” in France) which allows different measures especially cutting taxes on overtime pay, in other words, the weakening of the 35-hour work week without abolishing it. Third, on August 2^nd he finally managed to have the Public Service guarantee a minimum service during strikes and have a secret ballot system after eight days of strike to determine who wants to continue it or not. The first step of this measure is expected to be implemented in January 2008. And finally, he reduced State control on universities in an effort to give them greater autonomy in different fields, especially in raising money.

If it looks like the transition is on its way and that his energy is appreciated, Sarkozy also knows that the economy remains the biggest concern of the French people, in particular the high level of unemployment. This should be one of his next major tasks with important discussion expected to take place in the fall on the reform of the labour laws. Furthermore, if he managed to respect most of his promises, he is now facing judgments. Transparency is being asked with respect to the Bulgarian prisoner crisis, France’s economic growth is not as high as expected, the constitutional court refused one of the promises of the President, and job creation has bashfully increased in the second semester.

If Sarkozy is to impress, he will have to show off more than what was ionized by the press as the “Sarko-show”, he will have to go more in-depth and take the time given €“ four years and a half €“ to fulfill his vision of France.

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