PRAGUE — French President Nicolas Sarkozy's appointment of Bernard Kouchner as France's foreign minister was a brilliant political stroke. Having beaten his Socialist rival, Segolene Royal, Sarkozy decided to compound the Socialists' crisis by appointing to his government several political figures long associated with the center-left.

Sarkozy persuaded two women from immigrant backgrounds, Rama Yade and feminist activist Fadela Amara, to accept sub-Cabinet positions, while Kouchner has been the most popular political figure in France for the past several years.

Kouchner's popularity is a curious phenomenon. Although he has been in politics for decades, he has not held a government post since serving as deputy health minister under former Socialist Prime Minister Lionel Jospin.