His analyses on the declining leadership of the "new" (post-1968) middle classes on the French political system explain the 2007 success of  Nicolas Sarkozy. He develops a comparative theory of Welfare regime sustainability based on the age-period-cohort impact of economic stresses on social generations: Southern European countries, including France, prefer the development of seniority rights to the integration of the new generations. A "policy of generation" would be able to restore the long-term balance between age groups.
This passage discusses how declining leadership among post-1968 middle classes within the French political system contributed to Nicolas Sarkozy's 2007 election success, and proposes a theory of welfare regime sustainability based on generational differences in economic stress and seniority rights versus integration of younger generations. A "policy of generation" is proposed as a solution to restore balance between age groups over the long term.