As someone with incisive and indepth knowledge of the political life of France I was disappointed when Segolene Royal lost to Sarkozy, principally because she was just much better looking than him.

John Lichfield (he who revealed to the world that Sego had been an au pair in Dublin in the seventies!) has a nice little piece in this mornings Indo.
I quote:

Fact One:
A searing heat-wave in France in August 2003 is estimated to have killed-or hastened the deaths- of 20,000 old people

Fact Two:
Nicolas Sarkozy lost the election among voters aged 18 to 59.
He owed his victory to a landslide among the over 60s.

Scribbled message in the Paris Metro:
“Since 60% of old farts voted Sarko, roll on the next heatwave”