Collegiate Times

Finally, there may be something from France that Americans can be pleased about. France's newly elected president, Nicolas Sarkozy, has the utmost respect for American culture and opportunity.

Throughout his presidential campaign, he praised our country for its freedom and justice for all of our people.

In his mind, the United States offers the greatest opportunities in the world to people from all backgrounds. And being the son of a Hungarian immigrant, he appreciates that type of system.

In the past, French presidents have maintained relationships with the United States that have been strained to say the least.

Sarkozy's predecessor, Jacques Chirac, openly criticized American foreign policy toward Iraq and other nations that have caused international crises.

In fact, France had previously stood in the way of tougher sanctions or other severe actions against nations that deserve punishment.

But now, Sarkozy has talked tough on Iran, proposing a new round of sanctions on the nation that is actively seeking nuclear weapons.

And although this new style has angered some governments of Europe, he has maintained that his number one priority in terms of foreign policy is strengthening the security of the European Union.

Without question, the culture of France itself has allowed for a certain anti-Americanism which has caused the two nations to clash on both governmental and societal levels.

However, the recent election of Sarkozy has proven that the rift may not be as vast as some would have thought.

Granted, the French people may not be ready to accept a foreign policy that mirrors that of the United States. But the pointless criticism of the United States, a country that has come to the aid of France time and again, may well subside with Nicolas Sarkozy as president.

In the coming years, it will be interesting to see how Sarkozy balances his positions between embracing the U.S., while at the same time refraining from alienating his European counterparts. Instead of positioning France firmly in opposition to America, he is now taking a much more moderate stance when it comes to international affairs.

Furthermore, Sarkozy's election over Socialist candidate Segolene Royal shows that even France does not necessarily endorse the extreme big government policies that have stereotypically defined Europe.

The French president's view of economic policy is one that supports strong growth through the expansion of the European Union and free trade. Instead of proposing more governmental control on the economy, Sarkozy has approved a more free market oriented approach.

Continuously, political demographics change and societies evolve toward philosophies that will hopefully better their country's position in the world. In the past century, we have seen a huge increase in the number of free nations that support limited government and strong economic and foreign policies that emphasize opportunity for all people.

Apparently in France, a new evolution may be taking place that could allow for other nations to realize the supremacy of smaller government and a strong defense policy.

When historians look back, Nicolas Sarkozy may be the man who got it all started.