Incumbents: Conservative Party

Europe Dept: Unlike Canada, where voters have generally favoured incumbents over change, Europe is turning against its ruling elites in clear expressions of unhappiness with the austerity diet brought on by the debt crisis. Seven European leaders or governing parties have gone down to defeat in the last two years at the hands of parties promising something better, according to Winnipeg Free Press. Although many of the defeated incumbents were nominally conservative or right-wing, socialist parties have also suffered, including a group of minor left-wing parties that had supported Greece's ruling conservative party and dALE CUMMINGS / French President Nicolas Sarkozy is merely the latest victim of the unrest in Europe. His haughty style and combative personality did not help his cause, but his support for the German-led initiative to lower national debts and save the euro were bigger factors in his demise. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.