Ready For The Showdown

MAL LANGSDON/AP

French President Jacques Chirac, right, shakes hands with Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy

During warfare, a sudden lull in hostilities can sometimes be mistaken for a truce. But in the battle between French President Jacques Chirac and his hyper-ambitious Finance Minister, Nicolas Sarkozy, don't bet on seeing a white flag. Last week France's worst-kept secret was confirmed by the news that Sarkozy will seek the presidency of Chirac's own Union for a Popular Movement (ump) party. The wildly popular Sarkozy, a shoo-in to grab the ump's leadership position in November, will try to use the party's mighty electoral machine to win the 2007 presidential election himself. Chirac hasn't yet said if he'll run for...

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