"The result was as symbolic for the right as it was for the left. Mr Sarkozy enters the history books as only the second president, after Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, in 1981, to fail to win a re-election bid under the Fifth Republic. His last-minute chase for the far-right vote of Marine Le Pen, with talk of “too many immigrants”, helped him to narrow the gap. But it was deeply distasteful to many others, and not enough to make a difference.
Despite throwing himself into a vigorous campaign, Mr Sarkozy failed to persuade enough voters that the inexperienced Mr Hollande did not have what it takes to be president—or to overcome a prevailing desire in France for change. His defeat now opens a new chapter on the political right, with an ensuing succession battle that could be bloody.
Mr Hollande’s first task will be to name a prime minister, which he has refused to do during the campaign. Jean-Marc Ayrault, the 60-year-old leader of the Socialist parliamentary group is a front-runner, as he is both a loyal party stalwart and has good links to Germany. The other favourite, whose nomination would send a stronger signal to the left, is Martine Aubry, the mayor of Lille, and one-time architect of France’s 35-hour working week.
Mr Hollande’s other concern will be to build trust with Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, who backed Mr Sarkozy for president. Mr Hollande has said clearly that he wants to “renegotiate” Europe’s fiscal pact, which she considers the cornerstone of stability in the euro zone, in order to emphasise growth over austerity. "
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http://www.economist.com/blogs/elysee/2012/05/frances-election
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