Study In Contrasts

Sarkozy said burka 'not welcome' in France

"Mr Sarkozy did not explicitly call for a ban, saying "no one should feel stigmatised" by any eventual law.

His UMP party is to put forward a bill this month banning the wearing of the Islamic veil in public, as a means of defending France against "extremists"."

But elsewhere in Europe, the elites are disconnected from the common man:

"Dutch anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders has come in second in two polls for politician of the year. A panel of Dutch television viewers said he is the second best politician this year, while Mr Wilders' colleagues in parliament named him the second worst."