The Royal Treatment

That well known admirer of Chinese jurisprudence Ségolène Royal falls back on scare tactics to try to derail Nicolas Sarkozy's expected victory in this weeks French Presidential election.

Choosing Nicolas Sarkozy would be a dangerous choice, Ms. Royal told RTL radio.
It is my responsibility today to alert people to the risk of (his) candidature with regards to the violence and brutality that would be unleashed in the country (if he won), she said.

Pressed on whether there would be actual violence, Mr. Royal said: I think so, I think so, referring specifically to Frances volatile suburbs hit by widespread rioting in 2005.

She even gets unexpected help from the International Herald Tribune (owned by the NY Times of course) which is running headlines like...

Anger expected in suburbs if Sarkozy wins French election

But this man in the street(OK, mayor in the street) puts it best...

"If the only reason to vote for Ségo is fear of trouble in the suburbs, then democracy is in trouble," said Yves Jégo, the mayor of the immigrant-heavy northern suburb Montereau-Fault-Yonne and a staunch Sarkozy supporter.