Madam, - I concur with Lara Marlowe's assessment of of France's Nicholas Sarkozy ( The Irish Times, October 17th) in which she refers to him as having "attained the image of an international statesman of rare ability". However, her use of the word "image" raises a question. While he can certainly "talk the talk", can he "walk the walk"? On the evidence of what we've seen so far, I think he can.
Sarkozy is one of the few Western leaders who give the impression that they fully understand what that role entails. Bush ends his presidency as an abject failure with the dubious distinction of being the most unpopular US president ever. Britain's Gordon Brown's ingrained image as a dour, humourless and decidedly uncharismatic PM has been only slightly improved by his handling of the global financial crisis. Vladimir Putin's part in the Georgia/South Ossetia hasn't diluted the perception of him as a dangerous, insular, lone wolf. Silvio Berlusconi's sleazy and essentially untrustworthy persona hasn't changed, the only difference being the decidedly low profile he has maintained since his return to power earlier this year. Ireland's new Taoiseach? Well, as they say, let's not even go there!
Sarkozy showed his mettle right from the start, promising "action, change, rupture". In January 2007, when beginning his campaign for the presidency, he gave a speech of such passion and quality that even avowedly left-wing French newspapers such as Le Mondeand Liberationpraised it. After his election that May, his star did take time to climb (and his approval rating of 39 per cent after a year was hardly inspiring), but it is now firmly in the ascendancy. Despite his reputation for impatience and hyperactivity, his record is mainly positive. He has distinguished himself by his decisive, vigorous and confident stewardship of the EU presidency.
And inspiring confidence is what it's all about. A leader who cannot manage this is doomed to failure. The fall-out from Ireland's failure to ratify Lisbon; the Georgia/Russia crisis; the global financial turmoil; the Middle East - Sarkozy has handled them all decisively and with authority. After Ireland's failure to deliver the desired result in the Lisbon Treaty referendum - largely as a result of the smug, grossly misplaced arrogance of those who hold power here - it was Sarkozy who took the reins and moved things along. His decision to visit Ireland in July showed, once again, he was a man of action and his appearance alongside our new Taoiseach served, at the very least, to highlight a very stark contrast indeed.
There are some negatives. Most men of action have a tendency towards rashness and a better rounded leader would undoubtedly have sought to iron out the uneasiness between him and Germany's Angela Merkel earlier than he did. Nevertheless, if Sarkozy's presidency continues to develop in this fashion I think history will judge him to have been an inspirational political force. And his taste in "les femmes" isn't half bad either! - Yours, etc,
DAVID MARLBOROUGH,
Kenilworth Park,
Dublin 6w.