Yes to their man's sweeping Thatcherite changes, and no to continued economic stagnation. The French, they crow, are sick of the status quo. They want a sea change.

So, still arranging his suits at the Palais de l'Elysée, Nicolas Sarkozy is busy talking up his plans for "rupture" - basically a clean broom to sweep out the old Chirac fine wines and dust, and to usher in the new Sarko quasi-Thatcherite market liberalisation and economic reform.

By mid June, the elections safely under his belt, Sarkozy should be holding a bunch of political aces and, shored up by a undeniably strong popular mandate for change, his stated plans include preventing the transport unions from paralysing the country "in solidarity" every time some other union strikes. Naturally this isn't going to be popular with the French left wing, but Sarkozy must be hoping that they will still be in disarray from their third successive beating at the presidential polls to put up much resistance.