Over the weekend, French voters chose center-right candidate Nicolas Sarkozy over socialist candidate Segolene Royal as their next president. Sarkozy won 53% of the vote, based on an 85% voter turnout.
In contrast to the visceral anti-Americanism of Jacques Chirac, Sarkozy stated that America can count on France as a friend once more. This in itself is a good thing for U.S.-French relations.
Although Sarkozy is a believer in man-made global warming and stands opposed to the Iraqi theater, he has plans to dismantle the French welfare state, cut taxes, and enact much-needed free-market reforms to counter massive unemployment and rebuild the French economy. This is a far much better improvement over the socialist policies that have cast a dark cloud over France for decades.
Things are definitely looking up for the French again.
Update: Not all of France was happy with the change of leadership, especially the anarchists. ¡No Pasarán! has reports aplenty, including post-riot videos.
The best thing France can do for us is to take care of business in their own country. If Sarkozy succeeds in dismantling French socialism, it will benefit not just France, but the entire Western world.
Well, D.C., regarding the riots: I have already put up a conspiracy theory about the real reasons. You see, Citroen cars could do with some burning. You have never driven one, and I have, so take my word for it
Citroen: The Parisian Pinto.