Sarkozy Seeking 5 More Years

To the surprise of nobody in France, Nicolas Sarkozy has announced that he's seeking a second term as president. He officially launched his re-election bid in a TV interview last night, comparing himself to a "ship captain whose boat is in the thick of a storm," and promising that "if the French trust me and give me another five years in office, these five years will not be the same as the first.”

Sarkozy is far behind Socialist Party candidate Francois Hollande in the polls, and faces a tough fight in the weeks to come, notes the Wall Street Journal. Less than a third of French people approve of his policies, and unemployment is at a 12-year high of 9.3%. Hollande's party described Sarkozy's announcement as "a mundane event." France votes April 22. If no candidate wins an outright majority, a runoff election between the top two candidates will be held May 6. (More Nicolas Sarkozy stories.)