New School Politics

Sarkozy aims to disappoint

Elizabeth | 9 01 2008

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Sarkozy seems to be having a rough week. It was discovered that his son is secretly involved in the French rap world - the very world that Sarkozy inflamed both as Interior Minister and President. The rapper that Pierre Sarkozy (Nicolas Sarkozy’s son) works with previously wrote a song calling for people to vote against Sarkozy in the election. On top of this newest drama, there is the older news of Sarkozy’s highly publicized relationship with Carla Bruni, a model turned singer. The opposition to what the French see as frivolous media-pandering in a time when the French economy is looking grim has been reflected in the recent drop in Sarkozy’s approval rating. Apparently many French feel that Sarkozy is spending too much time enjoying himself, and not enough time doing his job. (Ironic?) His approval rating currently stands at 48%, a sharp drop from the 65% approval rating he had in July, and his stock looks to continue dropping, courtesy of an economic announcement that he made today.

It seems that Sarkozy has gotten it into his head to tax the internet and mobile phones in France. This is clearly a bold move, considering that policy experts note that Internet access drives a country’s growth-clearly the fact that France’s economic growth is projected to lag behind that of the other Euro countries for the 3rd year in a row doesn’t faze Mr. Sarkozy. Sarkozy is proposing what he calls and “infinitesimal” tax on internet and mobile “telephony” in order to cover his other proposal: the removal of commercials from public television broadcasting. This measure is an attempt to save the television and other mass media industries that are quickly being outpaced by the internet.

France currently has cheaper internet access and a higher percentage of homes with high speed connections than the average for the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development). Sarkozy was widely welcomed in the US when he was elected last year because he was seen as having the financial skills to reverse what have been lackluster years for the French economy. However, he’s proven to do anything but this. His Internet Tax proposal would place undue burdens on the growth of an already struggling country. If the television industry is no longer able to provide and compete, consumers should not be forced to carry its carcass on their shoulders. But, as Sarkozy’s affair with Bruni has shown, he’s really just looking out for himself, not his country - a great idea for an investor, but not the leader of a country.

On one last note, Sarkozy announced also today that the 35-hour work-week must be abolished. He actually acknowledged that the severely restricted hours might be hurting France in the global market! Good job Sarkozy- and good luck!