THE QUESTION

Does it matter who the next French president is, or is France doomed to decline?

Posted by Fareed Zakaria & David Ignatius on April 23, 2007 10:21 AM

FROM THE PANEL

Miriam Leitao is a reporter and columnist for O Globo and Radio CBN in Brazil. She is also a commentator on Globo TV Network and runs her own blog, www.miriamleitao.com, hosted at Globo online at www.oglobo.com.br. She was awarded Columbia University’s Maria Moors Cabot Prize in 2005.

New Energy at the Ballot Box

France is showing strong commitment to the democratic process, and that process is bearing fruit. This first round of voting has been characterized by many novelties, including high voter turnout and two winners from a new generation of politicians.

Miriam Leitao Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 4 COMMENTS
Apr 25, 2007 at 9:52 AM
Thomas Kleine-Brockhoff is a Senior Director at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, a transatlantic public policy and grant-making foundation. He overseas the fund's policy programs. He was previously the Washington bureau chief of the German newsweekly, Die Zeit.

Leadership Matters

Thomas Kleine-Brockhoff Germany | 30 COMMENTS
Christine Ockrent is regarded as one of France's most respected broadcasters, the only journalist granted an interview with Saddam Hussein in the middle of the Gulf War. As well as becoming the first woman to anchor and edit the prime time news, Christine has also edited the current affairs journal L'Express, worked as the deputy director-general of France's TF1 channel and presented the country's flagship magazine and program on French and European politics, France-Europe Express. She also anchors a monthly program on international affairs on TV5Monde.

France to Rebound with New Generation

Christine Ockrent Paris, France | 2009 COMMENTS
Dr. Ali Ettefagh serves as a director of Highmore Global Corporation, an investment company in emerging markets of Eastern Europe, CIS, and the Middle East. He is the co-author of several books on trade conflict, resolution of international trade disputes, conflicts in letters of credit, trade-related banking transactions, sovereign debt, arbitration and dispute resolutions and publications specific to the oil and gas, communication, aviation and finance sectors. Dr. Ettefagh is a member of the executive committee and the board of directors of The Development Foundation, an advisor to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, and an advisor to a number of European companies. Dr. Ettefagh speaks Persian (Farsi), English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Arabic and Turkish.

It's Cyclical, France Will Be Back

Ali Ettefagh Tehran, Iran | 40 COMMENTS
Bill Emmott   |  Mikio Ikuma   |  Miklos Vamos
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READER RESPONSE

» Katharine Otto | The intellectuals don't appreciate the forest because they're busy figuring how to make a profit on the trees. The best things in life truly are free...
» Kenneth McKenna | Today's news brings word that Ségolène Royal has accused Nicolas Sarkozy of having “apologized” to President Bush for France’s decision not to back th...
» ADRIAN FORASTIER | HI again I believe it is not a question of quality of life. My concern is that France is a society that lacks energy to reinvent itself, it has lost...
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