Anyone interested in things French should read the excellent articles by Peggy Steinfels and Steven Englund in the last couple issues of Commonweal. Also of interest is Arthur Goldhammer's new blog on French politics and culture. Goldhammer is a distinguished translator based in Cambridge, MA. See, for example, this recent post on Christine Boutin: a French anti-abortion, anti-gay marriage, pro-prisoners' rights, pro-annual minimum income politician in Sarkozy's cabinet. He also notesthat Sarkozy won 77% of practicing Catholics in the recent French elections, while Segolene Royal won at least 85% of practicing Muslims.  Boutin, he speculates, precisely because of her religious beliefs (she is a practicing Catholic, as, apparently, is Sarkozy) may serve as an important bridge between Sarkozy and French Muslims.