For the life of me I cannot understand what the Independent MP Andrew Wilkie has done to deserve blanket coverage of his Duntroon day.
Nicolas Sarkozy
Guy Rundle: Rundles’s Euro Bites: Coalition shortens … Ice(land)capades … back o’ burqa? …
Odds that the UK coalition will not go the distance got a little shorter this week … Icelend, Iceland, Icesave, ice-cold … Clothes call for burqa in France …
For Sarkozy, wars maketh the man
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has staked his future on the success of not one but six wars. If they fail, Sarko’s presidency will surely fail with them, writes Anne-Elisabeth Moutlet.
Hunt joins the climate denialist cutters and pasters
Another Coalition frontbencher has been caught out relying on dodgy claims off the internet, along with plenty of others.
Richardson: one cheer for American imperialism
There’s been a lot of soul-searching in the West over the past few days about the warmth of its recent rapprochement with Colonel Gaddafi.
Mon dieu! Sarkozy spies on journalists
A French satirical weekly, Le Canard Enchainé, accused president Sarkozy of “supervising the spying of French journalists”, claiming that intelligence agencies were forced to investigate and monitor calls of journalists who were critical against the government.
Coming to terms with the fury of the French
Millions of French people have protested against the raising of the national retirement age, but their fury encompasses a great deal more - including the deterioration of government credibility and the leadership of Nicolas Sarkozy, who only exacerbates the country’s problems, writes Ullrich Fichtner.
Unpopularity and artifice: Sarkozy’s rep plummets to new lows
French President Nicolas Sarkozy is attracting unprecedented levels of bad press wherever he goes and whatever he says. Known for theatrics and superficiality, the Frenchman has been dubbed ‘Sarkosconi’ in reference to Italy’s flamboyant PM Silvio Berlusconi.
Au revoir to Sarkozy
French president Nicolas Sarkozy is sacking 20% of his government’s advisors as part of his modest reforms of a government embroiled with scandal. With personal popular ratings at just 33%, Sarkozy won’t last much longer.
Is France right to ban face veils?
International pundits weigh in on the decision by the French National Assembly to ban the face veil worn by many Muslim women. What does this mean for freedom, religion and national identity? And which country will be next?
Sarkozy says no more cigars, no more private jets
Following a spate of expense scandals in France, it’s austerity all the way for Nicolas Sarkozy and his government as the French President cracks down on ministerial expenditures.
Guy Rundle: 
Send off the clowns — the collapse of mainstream politics
A leader elected to widespread acclaim, empowered to sweep away a discredited regime and now either gone or on the ropes. It happened to Gordon Brown, Kevin Rudd, Angela Merkel and Barack Obama. Why? asks Guy Rundle.
Oh la la: the sexy nature of French politics
A political sex scandal would send the media crazy in the USA or Australia, but although the French blogsophere is buzzing with news that both Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni are having affairs, none of the mainstream media will touch it. Why?
Brown and Sarkozy: What the world needs now is financial regulation
Great Britain PM Gordon Brown and French president Nicolas Sarkozy join forces to pen this mission statement on the need for greater global financial regulation and supervision, foreshadowing Sarkozy’s support for Brown’s new bonus tax.
Did Sarkozy secure Roman Polanski’s release?
Roman Polanski’s sister-in-law says French President Nicolas Sarkozy was “super” and “very effective” in helping to win the film director’s release from prison in Switzerland.
Sarkozy’s £250,000 shower
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has made British MPs’ expenses look like chump change, with a new report finding he spent £160m (AU$290m) during his six-month stint in charge of the European Union, including £250,000 on a new shower that he never actually used.
Pursuit of economic growth is a failure
The pursuit of economic growth has failed. It has failed on its own terms, it has failed to deliver a good life for all, and it’s now in the process of destroying the planet, writes Professor Tim Jackson.
The French Model: famous for finances, not fashion
For once, the French economic model isn’t being ridiculed, with France proving resilient amongst the GFC doom and gloom. But will they face a new debt crisis?
Political snippets: Libs need to start playing the blame game
If the Libs want to get Kevin Rudd, what is needed are lots of horrid pictures of suffering people all caused by Federal Labor’s inability to carry out the commitments made so blithely by Mr All Talk — No Action man.
The grim reality that is France, happiness indexes notwithstanding
The French way of life can be as brutal and nasty as any other around the world and no amount of papering over with nice talk can avoid the facts.
Political snippets: What Sarkozy could learn from Hawke
France’s short-statured President Sarkozy could gain a few inches with a Bob Hawke bouffant haircut, the GFC hits casinos, and more insights from Richard Farmer.
Sarkozy, the self-hating Frenchman
He jogs, he diets, he’s actually jealous of Britain and he … doesn’t drink wine. Sacre bleu, is President Nicolas Sarkozy even French? asks Hugo Rifkind.
How to jog without falling down
French president Nicolas Sarkozy collapsed recently while jogging in Versailles. Looks like it was a case of overdoing it. Or medically speaking, a vasovagal episode. BBC asks just how risky jogging is.
Sarkozy takes a tumble
Despite being so well-known as a super-fit running fanatic he is mocked as “Nike-olas”, 54-year-old French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been taken to hospital after collapsing during a midday run.
Sarkozy really likes flowers
French president Nicolas Sarkozy spends £660 a day on flowers, according to the presidential accounts. That’s more than Elton John, says The Guardian wanting to underline the excess.
