The prospect of "Le Changement" — of a Socialist returning to the Elysée Palace after seventeen years — draws closer as France goes to the polls for a second time on Sunday [May 6, 2012].

Francois Hollande’s historic victory in the first round of France’s presidential elections, as well as the strong showing by the far-right Front National (FN), demonstrate that what lie closest to French hearts are domestic policy and the visceral issues of identity.

That message was further underlined on Wednesday [May 2], during the most bruising presidential debate of the past 30 years. Grappling with the prospect of ultimate defeat on May 6, French President Nicolas Sarkozy reverted to Sarko (not an affectionate nickname), the streetwise bruiser, the challenger, the underdog. It is the role in which he has always felt most comfortable.

But the elephant in the room was foreign affairs. Rarely did the debate veer further than the European Union and its current travails; given the priority status that France’s chronic domestic concerns have, that was almost inevitable.