And it all started off so well...

Nicolas Sarkozy has been in power for a while now and everyone - yours truly included - had high hopes.

But a few months down the track and as we say in Oz, there aren't a whole lotta runs on the socreboard.

He promised to do something about the 'we get paid tons but do bugger all work' train drivers/ public servants etc and their retire at 55 sweetheart deals while everyone else has to slog to 65. Final result? A fudge that looks almost the same as the what the situation was before.

He promised to reform the concrete-rigid labour laws so that employers could hire people without being legally wed to them until the end of time or sued otherwise (I'm all for labour protection from voracious capitalism, but no one should expect a job literally for life). Final result? Ermmm. They're still looking into that one...

He promised to do something about the restrictive 35 hour week. Result? A kinda sorta band-aid fix.

He promised modernisation, but instead has re-instated an age old practice where ministers can also run for local government office at the same time. it's like being the Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs (Aus)/Secretaty of State for the Foreign & C'Wealth Office (U.K.)/Secretary of State (U.S.), whilst also saying your the full time Mayor of Canberra/London/New York. It's nothing but a blatant rort and job protection scheme so in case you f**k up as a Federal Minister, you can golden parachute back into the local position. Something no other person in the workforce enjoys. And Besides, isn't being a national minister/Mayor supposed to be a full time job? So which job/which citizens are you short-changing?

He promised to do something about falling purchasing power. You're average Mom & Dad French person is hurting big time in the wallet. Prices are up, housing is up, but wages are stagnant or falling. Result? He went on another vacation (using rich friends houses, jets etc.) to enjoy the dubious charms of the man-eating and arrogant heiress - Miss Bruni - who thinks that monogamy is 'boring'.

His relationship with her has now made him the laughing stock of Europe. Cartoons and jokes are popping up everywhere (Low cost carrier Ryanair being just the latest). Europeans and Brits (and Australians for that matter) are generally very pragmatic about politicians partners/lover affairs. They figure that as long as you turn up to work, do a good job and the relationship doesn't interfere with your job, then que sera sera. But the President of the French Republic could (and should) do better than this ageing groupie.

(Say what you will about old Jacques Chirac, but Madame Bernadette Chirac was the epitome of discretion, grace and manners and the French had a huge respect for their former First Lady).

He's not doing his job, he's taking too much time off and he's descending into Britney Spears/Paris Hilton territory and all in all it's not a good look. His poll humbers are in free fall and if he doesn't do something soon he will be a very short-lived President with no electoral capital.

So Nick mate. Ditch the groupie, get back to work and start going through that 'to do' list. Talking about 'La Gloire' of the Republique isn't gonna wash with Madame and Monsieur citizen for much longer...