Neo-Bonapartism? A parallel between Nicolas Sarkozy and ...
Neo-Bonapartism? A parallel between Nicolas Sarkozy and ...
Neo-Bonapartism? A parallel between Nicolas Sarkozy and ...
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<strong>Neo</strong>-<strong>Bonapartism</strong>? A <strong>parallel</strong> <strong>between</strong> <strong>Nicolas</strong> <strong>Sarkozy</strong> <strong>and</strong> Napoleon III<br />
either in her journalist contacts or targeted publications” (as reported by the Politiful Blog,<br />
2005). Being immerged in the communication world for more than a decade at that moment,<br />
his analysis underlined a sharp underst<strong>and</strong>ing of the winning ficelles of the French media to be<br />
used for political purposes. This insightful experience allowed him to elaborate a Bonapartist-<br />
like communication machine once elected head of state. Like the Emperor, he dedicated<br />
considerable amounts of money to polish his image in the media. A military-like communication<br />
horde of 51 professionals entered the Elysee in 2007 in <strong>Sarkozy</strong>’s shade. Exit the sober Chirac’s<br />
twelve-person communication team: like Napoleon III, nothing was enough to <strong>Sarkozy</strong>’s thirst<br />
of communication policing. First <strong>and</strong> to start with, a communiqué of the Elysée reported by Le<br />
Nouvel Observateur unveiled that 7,5 million Euros were devoted to the presidential public<br />
relations in 2009 (the 1,3 million Euros spent by Chirac the last year of his presidency pale into<br />
insignificance besides this, still according to the same source). Le Parisien (2009) detailed even<br />
further <strong>Sarkozy</strong>’s communication machine that encompasses: an internet strategic cell (7<br />
collaborators, 500 000 Euros), the presidential press service (15 collaborators), two presidential<br />
speechwriters (Henri Guaino <strong>and</strong> Marie de G<strong>and</strong>t, 290 368 93 Euros of annual salary for each<br />
one of them), an opinion polls cell (3,28 million Euros in 2008, <strong>and</strong> 1,989 million for 2009), a<br />
broadcasting service (24 technicians, in charge of transporting <strong>and</strong> installing for all the<br />
presidential speeches 8 tons of material including 45 boxes of material, up to 40 speakers, 1 to<br />
6 panels, 10 to 30 flags…etc), a freshly-built TV studio within the Elysee (cost: 2,5 million Euros),<br />
<strong>and</strong> a technological gift for the Elysee-accredited journalists: a high-tech pressroom (cost: 500<br />
000 Euros). Accordingly, the fortunes of political communication are scrupulously studied to<br />
polish to the fullest the president’s image.<br />
A website dedicated to this project is available starting Dec 7 th 2010 at: http://www.aui.ma/personal/~Y.Assaoui/<br />
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