French President Nicolas Sarkozy is hitting the campaign trail to try to convince disillusioned voters to hand the widely disliked leader a second term.
His compatriots greeted Sarkozy’s announcement that he’s seeking re-election in two months with mixed feelings and little of the enthusiasm that marked his last presidential campaign in 2007. Sarkozy, who has lagged in polls for months behind Socialist Francois Hollande, is holding his first rally Thursday in Annecy in the French Alps.
Voters at an outdoor market in Paris expressed skepticism about Sarkozy’s promises after five years marked by economic challenges. Catherine Laurent says she’s “doubtful about the reasons for voting for Sarkozy.” Jean-Yves Nerriec says “there are plenty of French people who don’t have any more illusions.”