Customer Reviews

Testimony: France, Europe, and the World in the Twenty-First Century

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"This book presents my analysis of the difficulties France faces," Nicolas Sarkozy says in Testimony. "It outlines my proposals for putting France back on the path toward economic growth, social justice, and modernity. And it addresses many of the common domestic, international, economic, and social challenges that advanced democracies like France and the United States must confront."

Sarkozy (1955) is the current President of France, elected in May, 2007 after defeating Socialist Party rival Ségolène Royal. He has had a long political career, which began at the age of 22. Before his presidency, Sarkozy was the leader of the Union for a Popular Movement right-wing party. He served as the Minister of the Interior under Jacques Chirac's presidency, and was appointed Minister of Finances in Jean-Pierre Raffarin's last government (March 2004-May 2005), and again Minister of the Interior in Dominique de Villepin's government (2005-2007). Sarkozy is known for his tough-on-crime, law and order stance, and for his desire to revitalize the French economy. In foreign affairs, he lacks an Anti-American attitude and has promised to work with the United States.

Sarkozy is known to control his public image. (He was named the 68th best dressed person by Vanity Fair; he allegedly forced the director of Paris Match to resign following an article on his wife's affair; and he reportedly asked Paris Match to retouch a photo by erasing a love handle.) His attempt to control his image is also readily apparent in Testimony. Although his book has been criticized for its "American-style" political spin, it nevertheless offers frank insights into Sarkozy as a unique French politician, while providing readers with his outspoken critique of contemporary French society and politics. Sarkozy is as much an anomolaly as a visionary. Did the French really elect this man? He is a proponent of radical changes in France's economic and social policies. He admires the U.S. hard-work economic model in comparison to France's 35-hour work week, high minimum wage, unfair tax system, its "social safety net" of entitlements, and its high unemployment rate. He disapproves of the US invasion of Iraq, but is equally critical of the way Jacques Chirac and his foreign minister Dominique de Villepin expressed France's opposition to the war. He believes every French citizen should be bilingual. While Sarkozy is a member of the French political right, he would be considered left of center by American political standards. He opposes the death penalty and promotes affirmative action for French minorities.

Accused by his political opponents as being a "candidate for brutality," Sarkozy is no stranger to controversy in favoring immigration reform, affirmative action, working overtime, and for opposing same-sex marriage. He has been accused of a willingness to sacrifice civil liberties for political gain, and not only does he lack an anti-American attitude, he actually enjoys vacationing in New Hampshire.

Testimony is an engaging read for anyone interested in French politics and social issues, and should be considered required reading for every candidate running for presidential office. Sarkozy demontrates more faith in American society than most Americans do these days. "America's strength," he observes, "is that it was able . . . to identify its own weaknesses, and decide together as a society to remedy them, and then to take action without useless nostalgia about the past."

G. Merritt

A middle-class friend of mine, making 45K a year was talking seriously about moving to France. After I got her to read this book she quickly changed her mind. For the American reader, who typically knows very little about France beyond wine and museums, this book gets into the nitty-gritty of what it's really like to live in France. Even if you're not political, this book is excellent for simply understanding the French mind. Understanding the political and culture struggles going on in France makes the French people real, not just this one-dimensional stereotype that so many have. Imagine if more Europeans understood the American cultural divide, instead of just lumping us all in the same WWII Cowboy stereotype!

You'll learn about their tax problems, their employment problems, and the way conservatives like Sarkozy view the socialist left. He talks candidly about every controversy that has surrounding him, including the "scum" incident during the Paris riots. If you're moving there, visiting there, or are just interested in the French mind, this is the book for you!!!