Reading these two reports makes one wonder if President Sarkozy is defeated by Francois Hollande at Sunday's French Elections, and taking into account Hollande's lack of foreign policy experience.
What would be the effect on France's relations with Germany, the rest of Europe, and especially on Britain?
If the BBC link is correct, not much. Hollande will continue the Anglo-French relationship as before, and whether relations with Germany worsen depends on Merkel! In times of recession, a self-important man like Sarkozy, with his military adventures abroad, his glamorous wife and his closeness to America and American ways, is not going to be a great success against Hollande who looks inward a lot more and who is very much the opposite. He'll frighten the markets though.