Photo: Philippe Desmazes/AFP/Getty Images
It's being called a "humiliating" defeat. Nicolas Sarkozy lost the election today to François Gérard Georges Hollande. Hollande becomes France's first Socialist president in 17 years, since François Mitterrand left office. He won with 51.9% of the votes to Sarkozy's 48.1%. The French vote on Sundays and voter turnout was almost 80% in the first round of voting on April 22. I will be very curious to see the numbers for the final vote when they are published. That puts us Americans to shame, quite frankly.
A few personal facts (I can't speak much to his politics yet)-- He was born in 1954 in Rouen; lived in US during the summer of 1974, while a university student; Ségolène Royal, Sarkozy's competition in the 2007 election, was his domestic partner from 1973-2007; he is now with Valérie Trierweiler; he has four children. He will be the Co-Prince of Andorra, as well Président de la République Française, for the next five years, taking office on May 17. He will live in the Palais de l'Elysée, the official residence of the president in Paris. I have no photos. You can't leisurely stroll by and take them. There are really grouchy guards at the gate who hurry you along and growl Pas de photos, madame! It's not far from the American Embassy (where you can't take photos either), very close to the Place de la Concorde.
So, in the spirit of eating, I am posting a video I found about French state dinners held at the Elysée. Much more interesting than meetings anyway.
I do wonder who furnished the celebratory champagne? After the research I conducted in Reims in 2008, I can tell you firsthand that there are some lovely champagnes there.
Who knows? More research is required!
Bon appétit et félicitations, M. Hollande! Should you wish to invite moi, The Sabbatical Chef, to one of your little dinner parties, I would gladly accept!
2 comments:
The sacrifices you make for your research are so inspirational.
Isn't that the truth, ma chère BFF? Someone must, you know.
Post a Comment