The Fast Presidency? Nicolas Sarkozy and the political institutions of the Fifth Republic

Abstract

This article situates the presidency of Nicolas Sarkozy (2007–2012) within the broader context of a framework for evaluating presidential political leadership in France. The analysis reveals a complex interplay between personal styles and role perceptions of the presidential office. The main argument proposed is that Sarkozy over-invested the presidential office with a personal governing style that was widely deemed—by public opinion, as well as elites—to be inappropriate given the role expectations of the French presidency. But the first Sarkozy term also demonstrated how the sixth President of the Fifth Republic worked hard to learn from his predecessors and adapt his behavior in a way broadly deemed appropriate for the office. The article concludes that changing institutional and political contexts and timescales have made it far more difficult for incumbents to combine the key roles that are traditionally ascribed to the French President.

Keywords:

• Leadership
• France
• French President
• Sarkozy
• “Quinquennat”
• Hyper-President.