Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet (NKM) My Choice for Paris Mayor

It’s a no brainer. Anne Hidalgo, NKM’s competitor, is a radical socialist who would turn Paris’ beautiful and historic 16^th arrondissment into home base for a new housing project horror. Anyone familiar with the 16^th cannot imagine the very buttoned down residents of the 16^th going for this socialist scheme. Not a chance. It is hard to believe Hidalgo could gather up a voter base in the 16^th as long as voters are posted on what she has in mind for them. NKM, while a little gaffe prone of late, is on the right track for bringing business to Paris and shows the proper instincts to succeed. Adam Thompson at Financial Times reports:

Parisians may like the Velib bicycles but after the global crisis, many are also consumed by a deepening morosité (moroseness). They complain of rising local taxes, deteriorating security and heavy traffic on the capital’s roads. In short, they think that living in the city of light is an increasingly sombre experience.

NKM, whose grandfather was a Gaullist politician and former French ambassador to the US, promises to liberate Paris and its residents.

“Paris should be the city of emancipation,” she said at a recent rally. “There has to be less stress, less pollution and more freedom.”

To that end, NKM wants to break down the strict weekend trading hours. “A lot of people find Sundays in Paris sad,” she says. “Allowing Sunday trading would send a message that we are open for business.”