French voters have chosen Nicolas Sarkozy as their president and with him a radical programme of economic, social and political reform. In a turnout of 84 per cent they preferred him by 53 to 47 per cent, giving Mr Sarkozy a real mandate for change. Pledging in his victory speech to be the president of all France, he undertook to consult all affected by these changes. But he has warned those who resist them that he, not they, has been elected to carry them out. He is determined to see that happen rapidly and energetically.
Precisely these characteristics prompted swing voters to prefer him to the Socialist candidate, Ségolène Royal. A rupture is needed from France's recent past, he says, during which the country has declined at home and abroad.
The people support change and are ready for it. He wants to "rehabilitate work, authority, morality, respect and merit". His programme promises to cut income and inheritance taxes, loosen labour market regulations, introduce more choice to the 35-hour week, reduce state bureaucracy and civil service numbers, toughen sentences on repeat offenders and make it more difficult for immigrants to reunite with families.
Mr Sarkozy's victory represents a definite shift to the right and centre and away from the left in French politics. To implement it effectively he needs to follow up Sunday's result with a similar one in next month's legislative elections. If he secures a right-wing majority in the National Assembly he plans a special parliamentary session in July to push through immediate changes. This would pre-empt trade union or immigrant mobilisation against him in the name of legitimate political authority by seizing the political initiative.
France's left-wing blocs need to evaluate their response to this Sarkozy strategy with care if they are to retain their credibility. Politically, Ms Royal seems determined to drive the Socialist Party towards the centre so as to optimise its chances of winning a National Assembly majority. She will therefore have to face down the party's old left wing and break decisively with its far left allies, if she is to get support from centrist voters. She failed to attract most of them on Sunday - arguably losing the presidential contest because she delayed this confrontation. Should the old and far left engineer direct action street protests against Mr Sarkozy's programme in coming months they will meet an intransigent response. He will have the strongest democratic legitimacy to support him as well as an enthusiastic political base from which to fight such a battle.
France is the world's sixth-largest economy, a central player in the EU and on the world stage. He is fully aware of this international dimension as was made clear in his victory speech, where he spoke of France being back in Europe and a good friend of the US. Mr Sarkozy's programme is daring and victory gives him the right to put it in place. It will be best judged on its effectiveness rather than its risks.