Does Sarkozy still have an ace up his sleeve?

TEHRAN, Jan. 28 (MNA) -- French President Nicolas Sarkozy is facing tough challenges as he prepares for the April 22 presidential election. Sarkozy has lost his credibility among the elites of France’s right wing, which has led to massive criticism by his rivals in the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP). The mainstream right wing has traditionally been represented by one prominent figure in the presidential election. However, Sarkozy’s popularity is plummeting in his own party. The conservatives of France are still enchanted by Jacques Chirac, who successfully led the party through various ups and downs for decades. In his autobiography, Chirac attacked his successor, describing Sarkozy as “irritable, rash, overconfident and allowing for no doubt, least of all regarding himself.” He also criticized Sarkozy’s attitude to the poor and his military record and described his Socialist rival in the 2012 elections, Francois Hollande, as a “true statesman”. Former French foreign minister Dominique de Villepin, who rose through the ranks of the French right as one of Chirac’s protégés, has also joined the race for the presidency, which is a direct challenge to his longtime rival Sarkozy. Meanwhile, Socialist Party candidate Francois Hollande, who is the main challenger to the incumbent, now has a very good chance to become president. He has made powerful speeches and calculated moves, and his campaign is benefitting from the rising animosity toward Sarkozy. In another development that could spell trouble for Sarkozy, French far-right candidate Marine Le Pen, the daughter of the infamous Jean-Marie Le Pen, is seeking to present a softer image in the upcoming presidential election in order to bring her party, the National Front, into mainstream French politics. The recent Standard & Poor’s downgrade of France’s triple-A credit rating has also created many problems for the incumbent president on the domestic front. A recent poll found 68 percent of French citizens believe the downgrade of the country’s credit rating will be a serious setback for Sarkozy. The move will have a huge impact on Sarkozy’s prospects for winning the presidential election because French opposition parties will cite it in their criticism of Sarkozy and his economic policies. Although the future looks bleak for the French president and his UMP party, Sarkozy has always had an ace up his sleeve in difficult times. So now, everyone is waiting to see if he can play one more winning card.