Of Croissants and Couscous: National Identity After the French Elections

The French have a curious custom. Whenever the Cabinet changes, the names of the ministries change as well. This is theoretically linked to deep thoughts about theories of state and which functions are best connected to which rubrics, but for the average citizen, it looks like corporate reorganization and usually makes little difference. Most civil servants stay in the same office as the nameplates on the doors change.

However, the May 2007 government shuffle by the new French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, created a storm for several reasons. He seriously snubbed friends on the right by not including them in the inner circle while at the same time irritating the left by hiring away some high profile Socialists, notably Bernard Kouch...