In 2007, French voters went to the polls to elect Nicolas Sarkozy, the presidential candidate who promised them "rupture" with the past.

"I want to be the president who will reform France," Sarkozy declared ahead of the May 2007 presidential election. At the time, he was viewed as a radically different candidate compared with any of his predecessors.

His supporters were excited by the chance of Sarkozy being the president who finally brought change. His opponents were fearful that he would break with France’s traditions and take the country down the path of economic liberalism.
 
His energy and ideas won Sarkozy the presidency, beating Ségolène Royal, the Socialist candidate, with 53 per cent of the vote, against her 47 per cent in the second round of polling.

Five years later, Al Jazeera looks back at the promises he made on the campaign trail, examining his successes and failures. In less than a week, the French will deliver their own verdict on his mandate, as they head to the polls once again.

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