So Sarko and Bruni finally did get married, last Saturday, his 3rd wedding, her nth relationship with a famous bloke. Fortunately, being away skiing, I missed the media coverage of the event. It doesn't seem to have done Monsieur le Président much good though. His approval ratings dropped by more than 10% in January, and the weekly magazine Nouvel Observateur carried a story yesterday that he had sent an SMS to ex-wife no. 2, saying he would cancel everything if she came back. He received no reply. Allegedly.
Meanwhile, those parts of the media he doesn't influence are sticking the boot in. There's an article in Le Monde today suggesting that, under pressure from 'scared MPs, worried ministers and disoriented advisors', he is already backtracking on election promises. eg following a taxi drivers' go-slow yesterday the government has dropped proposed reforms, Sarkozy also announced a 200 Euro bonus for retired people on the minimum pension having announced a month ago that government coffers were empty.
The writer suggests that the caving in to public opinion might just be connected to the forthcoming municipal elections on the 2nd & 3rd Sundays in March. He may be right...
