Interview with Kira Zueva

Kira Zueva, senior researcher at the European Studies Center of the Institute of World Economy and International Relations, spoke to Russia Today about Russia-France relations in the wake of Nicolas Sarkozy's presidential win in France.

Russia Today: A lot of people say France has stagnated for the last ten years and Jacques Chirac has left a very difficult legacy for Mr Sarkozy. What are the main issues which French people want Nicolas Sarkozy to tackle?

Kira Zueva: The fact is that Mr Chirac has not coped with the current problems facing France. Nicolas Sarkozy has taken over a really heavy legacy, including the problem of immigrants, the problem of unemployment, the issues of economical growth. In short, Jacques Chirac did not manage to, or possibly by the end of his Presidency did not want to, resolve these complicated issues and they were handed over to Nicolas Sarkozy, a new, younger, highly ambitious President, who is a bright person, realistically and pragmatically minded who obviously can cope with these complicated problems which France faces today. I have to emphasise that Nicolas Sarkozy, in spite of the popularity of socialist ideas in France, has won over his socialist opponent S