Poll Confirms Sarkozy is Poised to Succeed Chirac

Nicolas Sarkozy's status as the leading contender to succeed Jacques Chirac in France's 2007 presidential elections was confirmed yesterday as a poll found that 89% of the French recognised him as "ambitious", 79% considered him "courageous" and 72% judged him "efficient".

"Sarkozy is going for it - and it's working," was the headline in Le Parisien, which published the first poll devoted to the recently appointed finance minister and, commentators agree, likely future prime minister and head of Mr Chirac's centre-right UMP party.

Mr Sarkozy, who shot to prominence as France's tough, plain-speaking and hyperactive interior minister, was acknowledged as "manipulative" by 53%. But 67% see in him "the qualities of a statesman" (code for future president).

Mr Chirac dislikes and distrusts him but the president knows that as the centre-right government's popularity continues to slide, he can no longer afford to do without Mr Sarkozy. Any attempt to sideline the country's most popular politician would backfire catastrophically at the polls. Mr Sarkozy's next step appears to be a bid for leadership of the UMP, due to be vacated this autumn by the president's close ally, Alain Juppé. Most observers now believe the finance minister will win.

Analysts predict that Mr Chirac's likely response to such an eventuality would be to appoint - reluctantly - Mr Sarkozy prime minister in the hope that the most unenviable job in French politics would wear him out and dent his popularity enough to ruin his presidential chances.

Mr Sarkozy, however, who will be 52 in 2007, has made it known that he will run for the Elysée palace this time around, come what may. On the basis of yesterday's poll, 70% of the French would back him.