Sarkozy - a minor change to Europe's borders

'I want an integrated Europe, in other words, a Europe that has borders ... Turkey is in Asia Minor' ~ Nicolas Sarkozy, French President-elect.

'The selection panel for the 2010 European Capital of Culture have recommended that the German town Essen and the Hungarian city of Pécs should share this title together with a third one, Turkey's Istanbul' ~ UNESCO World Heritage website

France's right in retreat

Today's Guardian reports: 'Nicolas Sarkozy is not one to shut himself away. But he is planning to go on a three-day post-victory retreat to an isolated corner of France, perhaps a monastery'.

This would continue the interesting association between the Catholic Church and right-wing parties in France that I have written about here before. And, yes, I have been on retreat at a French monastery reportedly frequented by far-right politician Jean-Marie Le Pen. Which should give The Agonist something else to get wrong.