Nicolas Sarkozy: Performing the French presidency

A presidential election can be viewed as a national drama in which candidate casts herself/himself courageous protagonist who seeks to become collective symbol that embodies the best qualities of nation. Drawing from fields performance studies, French cultural studies and political rhetoric, this article provides critical reading key moment 2007 campaign: Nicolas Sarkozy’s first official on 14 January. Focusing staging nomination speech, strategic use repetition expression emotions, notion personal change, explains how speech represented ‘rupture’ terms his image personality, turn served neutralize threat posed by main rival, Ségolène Royal. This analysis thus help shed light current developments: rise populist newcomers Europe.