French Presidential Candidate Conservative Nicolas Sarkozy is taking over the Elysee Palace on May 16 or 17 when President Chirac leaves after 12 years in power.

Sarkozy’s victory will signal a new balance of powers in Europe and worldwide. Following the war on Iraq, most of the European governments that took over were leftists or center left as the case with Spain and Italy. Sarkozy who made it clear that he is against the war on Iraq, is a right wing pro-American French politician however. Sarkozy's victory in a world charged against right wing governments that supported the war in Iraq, says something about France’s domestic affairs and the French people’s new orientation.

In his victory speech, he addressed the United States and the American people acknowledging the importance of America and its role. The White House’s spokesman congratulated the new French president on behalf of President Bush.

If the socialist leftist candidate Segolene Royal have won that would have put France in a very awkward position. Chavez’s bloc might have been a first resort for Royal, something would have soured France’s relations not only with the US but with the entire EU bloc and would add the French people frustration.

I remember a conversation with a French colleague who is a very Pro-American. She expressed her anger and disappointment at the politically-encouraged anti-American sentiments in France. She was not happy about it at all and she said that this is affecting our country economically and taking us down. Like-minded people as my friend who voted for Sarkozy will take France to a new juncture politically.

Germany, the EU current president, and France will bring a new political power to the European Union that could push for the ratification of the EU constitution that did not pass when Europe voted against it in 2005.

May 16, 2007 is bringing a new France to the world. France may not change radically its policies towards the Middle East to which it has been a friend all the past decades but France’s new political alliances will definitely affect the region indirectly. Arabs who shared with France their anti-American sentiments will no more find this resort.