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However much successive French presidents say that they want to put an end to post-colonial intervention in Africa, with few other takers for the job it usually proves irresistible at some point. Nicolas Sarkozy, Mr Hollande’s predecessor, had also promised a new era, only to end up sending the French army to help Côte d’Ivoire forcibly evict Laurent Gbagbo, the loser of that country’s presidential election, from office.