萨科齐与布什“谁是最不受欢迎的领导人”

这些天，即使尼古拉·萨科齐总统陪在布什身边也不太可能逆转他虚弱的支持率。本周，萨科齐举行仪式欢迎乔治·W·布什前来进行告别访问，而这位领导人自己的民调结果甚至比法国总统还要差——他在西方国家中是有争议的最不受欢迎的国家领导人。萨科齐邀请叙利亚总统巴沙尔·阿萨德作为贵宾观看法国的巴士底日游行对提高他的支持率也没有起到多大作用。

　　星期五晚上，萨科齐在爱丽舍宫为布什和第一夫人劳拉·布什举行私人宴会。利用这个机会，法国总统对他所尊崇的领导人表达了不舍的别情。布什多次称萨科齐为“我的朋友”，以赞扬这位法国领导人修复由于法国反对伊战而严重损坏的两国关系的急切之情。两人之间的友谊因萨科齐去年当上法国总统后公开表示对布什的欣赏而得到了加强。

　　萨科齐对布什的青睐是导致对他的支持率由当选后不久的近70%直线下降到今年5月份的32%的原因之一。公众认为，萨科齐在诸如伊朗核计划等问题上所采取的政策使得法国的外交政策过于屈从于美国的指令，这也促使对这位法国领导人支持率的下降。尽管萨科齐的支持率最近回升到了38%，但是与布什的一场高调的欢宴可能会降低而不是提高对他的支持率。

The company President Nicolas Sarkozy is keeping these days is unlikely to help reverse his flaccid approval rating. This week, Sarkozy welcomed President George W. Bush for a valedictory visit by a leader whose own poll numbers are even worse than the French President's — and who is arguably the least loved head of state in the Western world. Nor would Sarkozy have done much to improve his own popularity by inviting Syria's President Bashir al-Assad to be a guest of honor at France's Bastille Day parade.

　　On Friday evening, Sarkozy hosted a private Elysee Palace dinner for Bush and First Lady Laura Bush, an opportunity for a fond farewell to a leader the French President embraced. Bush has repeatedly called Sarkozy "my friend" in recognition of the French leader's eagerness to repair relations severely damaged by France's opposition to the Iraq war. The amity between the two men was enhanced by Sarkozy's outspoken personal admiration for Bush since assuming the French presidency last year.

　　But Sarkozy's affection for a man was partly responsible for his own precipitous decline from an approval rating of nearly 70% soon after his election, to a low of 32% in May. Public perceptions that Sarkozy's policy on issues such as Iran's nuclear program has made French foreign policy too submissive to U.S. dictates has also contributed to the French leader's slide. Although Sarkozy's numbers have crept back up to 38% of late, another high-profile love-fest with Bush is more likely drag them down than to boost them.