FRENCH ELECTIONS

You're right Kerouac2.

Anyway, some real polls are coming out tonight and tomorrow morning. They'll probably confirm what the last 50 polls have said.

The good news is: in 3 days, no more polls!! (mmh, we'll get the parliamentary elections afterwards...)

Sarkozy comes across as having "something of the night about him" to use a quote about another politico. He's also Chirac's political love child & thinks highly of Bush & Blair which should be enough to raise alarm in anybody except the most rabid right-winger. Even if you are a rabid right winger you should be worried because he'll do what he thinks is best for France rather than poodling up.

As for Royal - comes across as a bit of a lightweight. Would her fella - like Cheney & Bush - be the real decision maker?

Otherwise it's like being offered a choice of ways to be executed - I'd rather not to be in a situation where I had to make such a choice

Now what happened to that nice Le Pen boy?

Here is the completely unscientific CNN poll on the debate:

Which candidate do you think came out on top in the French presidential TV debate?

Royal 66% 2864 votes

Sarkozy 34% 1496 votes

Of course, CNN is considered to be a left wing channel by American standards...

PARIS (Reuters) - France's right-wing presidential candidate Nicolas Sarkozy has extended his lead over Socialist rival Segolene Royal ahead of Sunday's second round vote, according to a new poll on Thursday.

The CSA survey for Le Parisien newspaper and i-Tele television station said Sarkozy had the backing of 53 percent of voters against 47 percent for Royal.

The poll was carried out on Thursday, after a television debate between the two on Wednesday night.

The previous CSA poll taken on April 25 gave Sarkozy support of 52 percent and 48 percent for Royal.

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<hr>He's also Chirac's political love child<hr></blockquote>
I alm afraid this statement is incorrect. Chirac and Sarkozy can't stand each other. Chirac has tried everything to prevent Sarkozy rise to power during the last 12 years of his presidency.

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<hr>thinks highly of Bush & Blair<hr></blockquote>
You'll be interested to know that Royal was the one praising the most Blair. Which actually may be the most reassuring thing given the dire need for the French left to reform and modernise.

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<hr>Now what happened to that nice Le Pen boy? <hr></blockquote>
10,5% of the poll. Way less than 5 years ago, but still several millions of people voted for him during the first round.