Val says An interesting article giving the Guardian's view on the arrest of Nicolas Sarkozy, which in the last paragraph mirrors my feelings " a stable outward looking France needed"
Realistically, the arrest might already mark the end, or the beginning of the end, of Mr Sarkozy's time in the top rank of French politics – which would become certain if Mr Sarkozy ended up with the 10-year jail sentence that is the maximum punishment for the corruption charge. It comes just as the former president was beginning his manoeuvres to regain control of the Gaullist UMP later this year, which could be a stepping stone towards a credible presidential run against Mr Hollande in 2017 and a possible Sarkozy restoration.
Both the arrest and the timing are helpful to the currently unpopular Mr Hollande, which inevitably raises suspicions on the right. Hoping to mirror Mr Chirac's landslide win in 2002 against Jean-Marie Le Pen, when the socialists were in disarray, Mr Hollande would probably prefer a second-round run-off in three years' time against Marine Le Pen rather than against a resurgent Mr Sarkozy or a lesser UMP personality such as Alain Juppé. So the consequences of this week's events could be very large and very damaging for France. That's no reason for the investigation not to take its course. But the stakes are very high, particularly at a time when Europe – including a febrile Britain – needs a stable and outward-looking France.
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