Charter member of the Axis of Weasels.

Unemployment rate of 8 percent or higher since 1984. Budget deficits for 27 years running. Economic basket case of the world.

Burning banlieus. Heart of Eurabia and festering anti-Semitism.

Welcome to France.

Socialist failure Jacques Chirac is now on his way out as France heads to the polls this weekend.

The Economist has a good overview of the “end of the beginning.”

Pajamas Media’s Nidra Poller pens her analysis and predictions:

The candidates will effectively weigh in, as repeatedly predicted, in this order: Nicolas Sarkozy (UMP), Ségolène Royal (Socialist), François Bayrou (UDF), Jean-Marie Le Pen (Front National). The “small candidates” –Philippe de Villiers and Frédéric Nihous on the Right, Olivier Besancenot, José Bové, Marie-George Buffet, Arlette Laguiller, Gérard Schivardi Dominique Voynet on the Far Left will all be confined to the bull pen with low scores, 1 – 2 %, except for Besancenot who will probably reap 5%.

There will be no big surprises for Le Pen or Bayrou. Sarkozy’s lead over Royal should be in the upper rather than lower range …perhaps 5 points…

…Nicolas Sarkozy has the stature, he has the political heft, he behaves like a professional, he has thought out his program in length and depth, he is surrounded by a plethora of experienced effective politicians, some of whom are truly excellent. He has shown his mettle by wresting Chirac’s formidable party machine away from the Big Boss and harnessing its energies for his own radically different program.

Contrary to what many foreign journalists have written, Sarkozy is perhaps the only candidate who is running on a platform instead of a personality cult. His commitment to results is sincere and if he fails to produce, which is quite possible, he will still deserve credit for his courage and straight talk. He is the candidate who has most clearly defined France’s problems and most convincingly pointed to the right path out of the sand trap where this country has been stuck for three-decades. Of all the twelve candidates, many of whom are irresponsible charlatans, Sarkozy is the only one who has been smeared, spattered, and verbally slashed.

That’s why I think Sarkozy will win…

In the London Times, George Walden writes of the “vegetating catastrophe” that is France and hopes for a Nicolas Sarkozy victory.

Meanwhile, Chirac faces a hostage crisis as the Taliban threatens to kill two French children’s aid workers in Afghanistan in the next 48 hours.

Enjoy your street sign in Ramallah, dhimmi: