▁as ▁" be at ▁it , ▁you ▁poor ▁tw at "), ▁to ▁a ▁visitor ▁that ▁had ▁refused ▁to ▁sh ake ▁his ▁hand . ▁He ▁was ▁much ▁critic ised ▁for ▁this ▁episode . ▁ ▁As ▁his ▁personal ▁popular ity ▁was ▁decre asing ▁very ▁rapidly ▁since ▁his ▁election , ▁his ▁party ▁lost ▁the ▁local ▁elections ▁in ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁ ▁French ▁local ▁elections ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁▁ ▁S ark o zy ' s ▁conserv ative ▁party ▁b rac ed ▁for ▁a ▁possible ▁set back ▁as ▁voting ▁got ▁under ▁way ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁local ▁elections ▁which ▁was ▁seen ▁as ▁the ▁new ▁conserv ative ▁leader ' s ▁first ▁elect oral ▁test ▁and ▁a ▁bar ometer ▁of ▁the ▁strength ▁of ▁his ▁Union ▁for ▁a ▁Popular ▁Mov ement - party , ▁which ▁was ▁hoping ▁to ▁hang ▁on ▁Marse ille ▁and ▁Toul ouse . ▁Ten ▁months ▁after ▁his ▁election , ▁France ' s ▁economy ▁remained ▁sl ugg ish ▁and ▁S ark o zy ▁had ▁back ed ▁off ▁from ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁swe eping ▁re forms ▁that ▁he ▁promised ▁on ▁the ▁campaign ▁trail . ▁A ▁U MP ▁loss ▁ 1 6 ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁could ▁weak en ▁S ark o zy ' s ▁bid ▁to ▁live ▁up ▁to ▁his ▁promises ▁of ▁economic , ▁social ▁and ▁institution al ▁re forms . ▁The ▁municipal ▁elections ▁co inci de ▁with ▁a ▁recent ▁pl unge ▁in ▁S ark o zy ' s ▁popular ity . ▁His ▁ratings ▁stead ily