In order to have success in politics one must have some ability to gauge the public mood. Exhibit A: French President Nicolas Sarkozy. France is well known for its strikes. It is not unusual for the entire country to shut down on a whim from its unions. This has made French politicians both on the Left and the Right reluctant to address the Fifth Republic’s bloated welfare state. It was only a matter of time before the unions would test the resolve of Sarkozy.
