Overview

After his victory at the Presidential elections in May 2007, Nicolas Sarkozy quickly became both deeply controversial and intriguing. It was clear from the start that his rule was to be the most autocratic since Charles de Gaulle's; Prime Minister, government and parliament found themselves eclipsed by the ever-present, hyperactive President who sought to take many decisions on his own and to implement changes in numerous different domains, but with no obvious overall plan. His sweeping reform programme was inspired by a perceived need for rupture with the past, and bringing former Socialists into government seemed to confirm his insistence on the validity of some left-leaning points of reference as well as those on the right. To many, Sarkozy was both dangerous and unfathomable, like Napoleon. In this short book, the author argues that the Sarkozy phenomenon is best explained by principal reference to the notion of Bonapartism, which of course has a long history in French politics. Bonapartism is an exceptional form of political rule which results from an unstable situation and where an authoritarian leader steps in and appeals to the electorate in populist fashion with promises of modernization and progress. But Sarkozy's authoritarian, populist rule is also influenced by the extreme right as well as by more conventional centre-right politicsin which Sarkozy worked for many years. Yet Sarkozy is less out of step with trends in other liberal democratic states than it might seem; in other highly industrialized countries also a long-term decline of interest in politics has combined with the emergence of highly personalized, media-driven political leadership. The book is written in a clear, accessible way which assumes little prior acquaintance with French politics or history. Those with little knowledge of French politics will find it rewarding, as will as readers with greater familiarity with the field. Nick Hewlett is Professor of French Studies at the University of Warwick, and the auhtor of several books on modern French politics.

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9781845402396

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Reviews

The arguments are clearly stated... even if you have only a limited grasp of French history or current-day politics... interesting and thought-provoking and remarkably readable. The Bookbag As Nick Hewlett shows, this was not the only rupture that Sarkozy promised. France, he argued, needed to break with years of economic stagnation and free up the economy by reducing state involvement in the labour market, weakening guarantees of the 35-hour week and providing tax breaks for the wealthy to encourage enterprise. -- Tony Chafer Times Higher Education Although Hewlett's strong argument about Bonapartism has weak legs, there are still significant elements of the Sarkozy phenomenon that make sense when viewed through this lens. -- Erik Bleich, Middlebury College, USA

the arguments are clearly stated &even if you have only a limited grasp of French history or current-day politics&..interesting and thought-provoking and remarkably readable Bookbag 2011

Author Information

Nick Hewlett is Professor of French Studies at the University of Warwick, and the author of several books on modern French politics.

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