French Elections 2012

[amateur51]

and we all know what THOSE pants look like !

(too cryptic for you ? USE the search facility )

FoR3's search facility? - that way madness lies!

[MrGongGong]

FoR3's search facility? - that way madness lies!

Not that one
I was more thinking of the googlish one

(iggy and pants ?)

[amateur51]

Not that one
I was more thinking of the googlish one

(iggy and pants ?)

The younger sister of a friend used to be in lurve with Iggy, and her father took the remarkably effective route to showing his disapproval of this choice by referring always to the chosen one as 'Mr Pop'!

The door-slamming that always ensued was ... remarkable

[Lateralthinking1]

At least the French have proper choices. The only candidate that is close to the British consensus is Sarkozy. Hollande, who now looks set to win, is offering a very different approach that on paper looks Keynesian.

One other candidate of the left and the one of the right have issued statements condemning reckless capitalism. Both are likely to achieve a reasonable number of votes. Us? We'd rather just go shopping.

[Lateralthinking1]

.....Opinion poll percentages:

Sarkozy (UMP - Right) - 27
Hollande (PS - "Socialist") - 27
Le Pen (FN - National Front) - 17
Melenchon (FDG - Left) - 13
Bayrou (Mo Dem - Centre) - 10
Joly (EELV - Green) - 3
Dupont-Aignan (DLR - Gaullist Right) - 2
Poutou (NPA - Anti-Capitalist) - 1
Arthaud (LO - Workers Struggle) - 0
Cheminade (SP - LaRouche "Whig" Far Right) - 0

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

high turnout reported by beeb

[Nick Armstrong]

Exit polls indicate Hollande tops 1st round of French presidential vote with 27%, Sarkozy in 2nd place with 25%...

[vinteuil]

Exit polls indicate Hollande tops 1st round of French presidential vote with 27%, Sarkozy in 2nd place with 25%...

... but, cautiously, we recall that in1995 Jospin won the first round - to be defeated by Chirac in the second round.

Don't compter les poulets de Bresse until the 6 May round...

[amateur51]

high turnout reported by beeb

Wow! Snazzy ballot boxes, clear perspex and a lever to operate the slot :swoon:

Here in Brent we have black/green metal boxes with an slot inadequately wide so that you often have to fold your ballot paper up to get it through

Perhaps some extra design in our ballot boxes would result in UK turnout racing up to match that of the French - after all we live in a design-literate culture, don't we

[amateur51]

... but, cautiously, we recall that in1995 Jospin won the first round - to be defeated by Chirac in the second round.

Don't compter les poulets de Bresse until the 6 May round...

A statement from M Chirac's press agent reads: "Unfortunately M Chirac no longer has any recollection of this matter"

[vinteuil]

Exit polls indicate Hollande tops 1st round of French presidential vote with 27%, Sarkozy in 2nd place with 25%...

... how does one react to the fact that the Front National gets a vote of 20% ?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

... how does one react to the fact that the Front National gets a vote of 20% ?

With despair.

[ahinton]

... how does one react to the fact that the Front National gets a vote of 20% ?

Let's see if that really does happen before any of us react to whatever has happened there - and, even then, let's see what happens in Round Deux...

[vinteuil]

Let's see if that really does happen before any of us react to whatever has happened there - and, even then, let's see what happens in Round Deux...

... but the Front National won't be in the second round. The point I was trying to make was my surprise (I suppose) that in a civilized country like France some 20% have chosen to vote FN.

[scottycelt]

One thing the vote also demonstrates beyond any dispute is that extreme left-wing dreamland politicians like Jean Luc Melenchon in no way represent the true voice of 'the people' ...