It's now safe to reveal one of my deepest, darkest secrets...

I'm half French.

Yes, it's true.

For years now, I've been hiding that aspect of my existence, as the French have done nothing but embarrass me lo' these many years...'

Until now.

In the end, the most passionately-fought French presidential election in recent memory wasn't even close: Conservative standard-bearer Nicolas Sarkozy handily beat Socialist candidate Ségolène Royal 53.2% to 46.8% to succeed Jacques Chirac in the Elysée. The win also gives Sarkozy's ruling Union for a Popular Majority party (UMP) a considerable boost ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for June 10 and 17, where victory would give the right the power necessary to push through the vast modernization and liberalization program promised by Sarkozy.

Okay, fellow Francophones... it's once again safe to come out of the closet!