▁sli pped ▁in ▁the ▁w ake ▁of ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁angry ▁public ▁out bur st s , ▁a ▁widely ▁public ized ▁divor ce , ▁and ▁a ▁quick ▁court ship ▁and ▁marriage ▁to ▁former ▁model ▁and ▁singer ▁Car la ▁Br uni . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁round ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁French ▁municipal ▁elections ▁on ▁ 9 ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁gave ▁the ▁rival ▁Social ist ▁Party ▁a ▁lead : ▁ 4 7 . 5 ▁percent ▁of ▁the ▁vote ▁compared ▁with ▁ 4 4 . 4 ▁percent ▁for ▁the ▁U MP . ▁ ▁The ▁Social ist ▁Party ▁took ▁over ▁many ▁cities ▁from ▁the ▁U MP , ▁a ▁defeat ▁for ▁the ▁president ial ▁party ▁and ▁a ▁sign ▁of ▁disapp ro val ▁of ▁the ▁government . ▁ ▁Foreign ▁policy ▁dec isions ▁ ▁NAT O ▁ ▁S ark o zy ▁tried ▁to ▁strength en ▁the ▁t ies ▁with ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁after ▁they ▁had ▁been ▁lo os ened ▁when ▁Jacques ▁Chi rac ▁decided ▁not ▁to ▁take ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁Ira q ▁War ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁ ▁S ark o zy ▁announced ▁that ▁France ▁would ▁send ▁ 1 , 0 0 0 ▁additional ▁troops ▁to ▁Afghan istan , ▁it ▁was ▁reported ▁ 2 2 ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁He ▁demonstrated ▁his ▁commit ment ▁to ▁the ▁NAT O ▁al liance ' s ▁Afghan ▁mission ▁during ▁his ▁two - day ▁visit ▁to ▁London , ▁which ▁started ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁ ▁On ▁ 3