Day one

Leaders of the world's Group of Eight leading industrial nations met in Deauville, France on Thursday, and discussed the Arab Spring, nuclear energy after Japan's Fukushima disaster and the race to become new leader of the International Monetary Fund.

With only a small amount of pomp, French President Nicolas Sarkozy greeted every individual guest in the sophisticated seaside resort town, as a cool wind and rain ended a long phase of good weather just in time for the summit.

One of the immediate topics at hand was the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami nuclear catastrophe in Japan. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said Europe should be an example for the rest of the world on how to ensure the safety of nuclear energy.

"When we talk nuclear, we talk global," he said. "We want nuclear stress tests to go beyond Europe."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose government plans a complete phase-out of nuclear energy, echoed Barroso's statements. However G8-wide stress tests are seen as highly unlikely.

More democracy, more aid

Leaders of the G8 also addressed what was perhaps the most important summit topic: How can they support the transition to democracy in the countries of the so-called "Arab Spring?"

European nations, as neighbors to the Arab Spring pioneers of Tunisia and Egypt, said they especially hope to provide economic assistance to support democracy.

"Our aid is conditional," said Barroso. "We'll do more if they do more - more support if they are ready, in terms of democratic reforms."

The G8's unity falters with its handling of Syria, where the government has violently suppressed pro-democracy protesters across the country. The strongest opposition comes from Russia, which is allied with Syria and could veto any UN Security Council resolution condemning the violence.

Unofficial campaigning

While it was not an official topic, the successor to former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn was a high priority for many. Europeans are supporting French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde, not least because there is an expectation that she would continue the support for fighting the debt crisis in several European countries.

Although EU Council President Herman Van Rompuy said he was not in attendance to campaign for Lagarde, he ended up doing just that.

"Ms. Lagarde is a candidate with much experience, with a personality of leadership," he said. "I think she is a candidate completely capable of leading important institutions like this one in times of crisis."

However the race is far from over. The United States, the greatest financial heavyweight, has not yet publicly supported any candidate, and emerging countries have already expressed their IMF ambitions.

Warning that Internet potential could be stifled

The summit also received a presentation from the "eG8," a meeting of the world's biggest power holders in Internet technology. That meeting was overshadowed by implications in Sarkozy's opening speech that states should have more power to regulate the Web, as in areas of personal privacy.

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt warned the delegates that such regulation could stifle the enormous potential of the Internet for good.

"The Internet is one of the greatest forces for good in the world," he said. "And the industry is concerned that premature regulation, ahead of innovation - that is, a regulation that prohibits something - is of great concern, because it shuts off whole new industries, whole new opportunities, whole new innovation."

The French first lady, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, also received quite a bit of attention for her now unmistakeable pregnancy. Although still not officially confirmed by the president's office, the bump was all the confirmation journalists needed.

Commentators in France quickly began speculating on the potential boost in popularity that a new baby would bring Sarkozy.

Author: Christoph Hasselbach / acb
Editor: Susan Houlton