Persian Realm

Become a friend of Nicolas Sarkozy for just €25

Become a friend of Nicolas Sarkozy for just €25 (France 24)

Nicolas Sarkozy might no longer be your president, but he’ll always be your friend... For just 25 euros, you too can call yourself a “Friend of Sarkozy”.

That’s what political allies of the former president told fans this weekend, when weeping enthusiasts gathered to commemorate the legacy of their idol. Tears, speeches, a photo slideshow… 

French police search Sarkozy home and office

French police search Nicolas Sarkozy home and office

French police search the home and  office of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy over allegations of wrongdoing relating to campaign financing.

Left Wing MediaPart Claims: Gadhafi backed Sarkozy 2007 run

Report: Gadhafi backed Sarkozy run (CNN)

(CNN) -- The campaign of French presidential front-runner Francois Hollande called for a criminal investigation into President Nicolas Sarkozy after a media report Saturday accused the president of taking 50 million euros ($66.3 million) for his 2007 campaign from then-Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi.

• Mediapart reports Moammar Gadhafi contributed 50 million euros ($66.3 million)
• Election front-runner Francois Hollande calls for a criminal investigation
• President Nicolas Sarkozy has dismissed the allegation as "grotesque"
• The two men face a runoff vote for the presidency on May 6

"The Economist" votes for Sarkozy and deems Hollande "Dangerous"

Translated also in French Press :

"The Economist" vote Sarkozy pour contrer le "dangereux" Hollande

"French Socialist wins first round"

Then MEK might want to know how to say "you made may day" in French.................

France's far right Comes Third with 20 % of votes

Présidentielle 2012. François Hollande en tête, Marine Le Pen troisième

French Socialist wins first round

French Socialist wins first round (bbc)

Socialist Francois Hollande wins the first round of France's presidential poll, estimates say, setting up a run-off with incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy who came second.

High turnout in French Presidential election

High turnout in French election (bbc)

There is a solid turnout so far in the first round of France's presidential election, official figures indicate.

Officials said 70% of people had voted by late afternoon - only slightly down from the exceptional results recorded in the last poll in 2007.

Centre-right incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy is seeking re-election, saying only he can preserve a "strong France" amid widespread anxiety over the economy.

Mr Sarkozy is facing a strong challenge from Socialist Francois Hollande.

There are 10 candidates in all, and if none wins more than 50% of the votes there will be a run-off round on 6 May.

French voters are preparing to elect a new president

Sarkophobia:Why French voters love to loathe their president

Sarkophobia (bbc)

By Hugh Schofield

BBC News, Paris

If President Nicolas Sarkozy fails to win a second term, as many polls are predicting ahead of Sunday's first round of voting, perhaps the biggest factor will be the personal loathing that he elicits in so many of the French. What's behind it?

From the moment he took office in 2007, no French president in modern times has been the object of such blatant dislike.

It is an animosity quite distinct from opposition to his actual policies.

French Celebrity threatens to flee country if Hollande wins

French celeb threatens to flee country if Hollande wins (France 24)

“If Hollande wins the election, I'm leaving the country.” That’s what one tantruming French celebrity is threatening after Socialist candidate François Hollande suggested taxing millionaires 75% of their salaries earlier in his campaign.

Sixties icon Françoise Hardy (pictured right) told weekly magazine Le Point on Friday that if the Socialist candidate were to go ahead with his 75% tax on millionaires, she would be “living on the street”.  Earning just 150,000 euros a year, she told the sympathetic (er, conservative) magazine that she wouldn’t be able to afford to pay her taxes… “I’ll have to sell my apartment. I’ll be on the street.” But before you send her an old tent and some tin foil, don’t panic – she’s come up with an excellent alternative. “I could see myself living in London or New York,” she muses. And by that, she means living in an apartment. 

Gavin Hewitt on French elections: The countdown

Hewitt on the French elections (bbc)

It is less than 10 days to the first round of voting in the French presidential elections on Sunday April 22nd and the battle lines have been drawn.

President Sarkozy has edged up in the polls but Francois Hollande, the Socialist candidate, remains the favourite to win in the second round. 

French poll rivals Sarkozy and Hollande rally troops

The front-runners in France's presidential election, Nicolas Sarkozy and Francois Hollande, hold rival rallies in Paris one week before the polls.

Sarkozy relishes tough battle for re-election

Sarkozy relishes tough battle for re-election (cnn)

Until last month conventional wisdom held that Nicolas Sarkozy would fail in his bid for a second term as French president. Then came the killings of seven people by an Islamic extremist. 

• Until last month polls suggested Nicolas Sarkozy would fail to be re-elected French president
• Most of his economic reforms, such as raising retirement age have been poorly received
• Sarkozy was praised though for sure-footed handling of Toulouse shootings
• Analysts say president received boost as shootings diverted attention from financial crisis

Not that I'm a fan of Sarkozy

In fact far from it, but it's this constant sniping and mudslinging by Trita Parsi and his NIAC cohorts, at anyone who takes a hardline toward that Islamic Republic, that makes me suspicious of their intention and where their true loyalties lie.

And now Parsi presumes to "tell" the democratically elected President of an EU country to stand down, because Parsi doesn't like the line France is taking against the Islamic Republic.

Out of interest, has Traita Parsi ever called for Ali Khamenei, who has never been democratically elected to his position of the Supreme Leader, to "stand down", especially seeing as how much Khamenei's leadership is damaging Iran?

Trita Parsi- the new Salmane Fars

Trita, isn't you organisation suppose to be advocating for the advancement of Iranian Americans?  What is a Swedish born self-elected president of an 'American' interest group doing telling how the French should vote? 

Indeed, our 'friend' Trita is still sore with Sarkosy about the banning of hijab in public places. It seems Trita, the IR's official mouthpiece is spreading his ugly tentacles across the world.

Trita's mission: Normalisation with the Islamic Republic at all costs and no pre-conditions. 

The IR executes 700 persons every single year, Trita does't care. Appease the IR and oh, yeah, erm, we'll talk about 'human rights'- whatever that is. 

Trita, I would rather have a liar like Benjamin Netanyahu as a friend than Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. 

If it is any comfort, Trita, Sarko's government helped facilitate the release of  your IR assassin and murderer of Shapur Bakhtiar, Ali Vakili Rad. If there is any reason for Sarkosy to step down is failing to stop the release of a terrorist murderer of a great Iranian statesman who fought in the French Resistance and in the French Army. But then, treachery of the Iranians by the French government  is not a new thing. That Air France 747 is forever embeded in our collective memory- (No offence, Darius). 

A little history for you, Trita. A well known Zoroastrian, rumored to be called "Roozbeh",  travelled to Arabia and allied himself with a man called Mohammed around 630 AD. He became a close ally of the Prophet of Islam and his close confidente. This was the same Prophet and his barbaric generals who threatened Yazdegard III to accept Islam or would send him an "army of death" to visit him. This man was called Salmane Fars. 

You Trita Jan, are the new Salmane Fars,  helping the Tazi Islamic barbarians occupying my country and carrying out their will. 

Dream On Trita !

LOL 

Trita Parsi:"For the sake of Europe, Sarkozy must stand down"

Hollande, Sarkozy hold rival rallies one week before vote

Sarkozy turns back on 'Anglo-Saxon model'

Profile: 2012 French candidates

Profile: 2012 French candidates (bbc)

France's 2012 presidential election is expected to be one of the most closely fought in decades.

Nicolas Sarkozy may become the first president not to be re-elected for a second term since Valery Giscard d'Estaing in 1981.

Here the BBC News website looks at the 10 men and women vying for the Elysee Palace in the two-round election, to be held on 22 April and 6 May. 

Sarkozy unveils economic plans

Sarkozy unveils economic plans (bbc)

Nicolas Sarkozy has unveiled his economic manifesto for re-election as president of France, with the first round of voting on 22 April.

Opinion polls suggest he has edged ahead of his main rival, Francois Hollande, but the Socialist still seems likely to win the second round.