Sarkozy brings European history of his own to office, confounding French stereotypes

PARIS -- A few years ago, Israel's prime minister claimed France was infected with ''the wildest anti-Semitism'' and urged French Jews to flee. From the far right came the charge that France's troubles were the fault of immigrants. From the left, the blame was laid on capitalism and free markets.

Nicolas Sarkozy's election as president confounds these premises and stereotypes: The French could have picked Socialist Segolene Royal, a colonel's daughter with something of a Joan of Arc aura. Instead they opted for an immigrant's son with an un-French surname, a man who is part Jewish and doesn't hide it, a capitalist and proud of it.

Whether he can kick the French economy into shape, or lead France to peace with its restive immigrant minorities, were still open questions Wednesday as he took office. But his biography is an intriguing story of an outsider who made it to the top.