  We review a series of models of sociophysics introduced by Galam and Galam et
al in the last 25 years. The models are divided in five different classes,
which deal respectively with democratic voting in bottom up hierarchical
systems, decision making, fragmentation versus coalitions, terrorism and
opinion dynamics. For each class the connexion to the original physical model
and technics are outlined underlining both the similarities and the
differences. Emphasis is put on the numerous novel and counterintuitive results
obtained with respect to the associated social and political framework. Using
these models several major real political events were successfully predicted
including the victory of the French extreme right party in the 2000 first round
of French presidential elections, the voting at fifty - fifty in several
democratic countries (Germany, Italy, Mexico), and the victory of the no to the
2005 French referendum on the European constitution. The perspectives and the
challenges to make sociophysics a predictive solid field of science are
discussed.
