"The project please" is my first editorial on atlantico on 1 March 2011. The first in a long series of Tuesday editorials. Rereading it in the light of today's events reveals a dizzying "constancy in politics"! Some passages were even almost premonitory. It also shows that surprises are always possible (mention of DSK at the end!)

Nicolas Sarkozy was an excellent candidate for the presidential election because he had energy, certainly, ideas, also, sincerity in the desire to do and to do better, certainly, but also, politically and media-wise, because he made the agenda, because he launched new subjects when the others were still commenting on the previous ones.

Nicolas Sarkozy was always one step ahead, but today he is often one step behind. 

This last reaction (February 2011 reshuffle: Juppé at the Quai d'Orsay, Longuet at the Defence, Guéant at the Interior) is interesting and promising with a very experienced and recognized trio Juppé-Guéant-Longuet, but a decision that comes as a reaction (resignation of Michèle Alliot-Marie) when it would have been undoubtedly preferable to have proposed it 3 months ago. On the substance, one of the main criticisms that can be made in terms of government policy, as in terms of business management, is the lack of vision, of strategic project.

Many initiatives, certainly many reforms, but for what convergence? The recovery plan at the time boasted of having launched 1000 projects, but 1000 projects do not make one.

However, the left should not be so quick to rejoice in these governmental vagaries. Nothing is worse than devaluing political action and its representatives. And from this point of view, the war of leaders that the left-wing parties have been waging for a long time and which is resurfacing with the socialist primaries is undoubtedly not without criticism, as egos seem to take precedence over projects. Secondly, times are changing, and have changed a lot since the last time the left came to power. It would be presumptuous to think that no left-wing minister would be pushed around by the media and Facebook tomorrow. What would have been the consequences in 2011 of the contaminated blood affair or Roland Dumas' Berluti shoes? The new times, and the new media, are imposing themselves on politicians.

As for the criticisms about the non-anticipation of the revolts in the Arab countries, French diplomacy has certainly made a few blunders in recent weeks, but who can predict the day and the hour of the people's revolt? When it happens, it's the trivial pursuit syndrome: when the answer is given, everyone knows. They say that things were not anticipated, which is great. After all, what are we complaining about? At a time when everything is supposedly controlled and manipulated, yes, there are spontaneous movements, and when they come together, like democratic tsunamis, nothing can contain them. What teacher today can predict the uprising of the Iranians, the Chinese working class, the North Koreans or the Ivorians against their two presidents?

Perhaps the good news is that the French still attach a lot of importance to the image of France and still want political leaders who live up to their expectations. These men perceived as providential do exist, as was the case with Nicolas Sarkozy, Barak Obama, and perhaps today with Dominique Strauss-Kahn. It is to be hoped that they will demonstrate this more in office than in the campaign. If it is increasingly difficult to believe in them, it would be devastating to get used to not believing in them.

A disillusioned society, without desire, will desperately be a society without a project.