Last night’s electoral debate had record audiences. This morning I hear ‘Ségo won – she was stronger than we expected – she looked Sarko straight in the eye and knew her stuff’ but I also hear ‘She was arrogant – it was intolerable to have her interrupt almost every sentence M. Sarkozy pronounced – she lost her cool – she is trying to be all things to all people, using [...]

So there we have it. The French have voted with their hearts and shown their true colours with 15 percent of the first round votes going to the eccentrics, and now there is a straight left versus right contest. At least, this time, there is a ‘Partie Socialiste’ involved. The lesson of 2002 has been learned (when Josspin was knocked out in the first round and Le Pen gave the [...]

In this last, lively few days before ‘le premier tour’ the media here is dominated by the elections. Every news item begins with a reminder that the big day is Sunday. We hear which towns all the ‘minor’ candidates are appearing in at the hustings each evening (small places like Nantes or Macon that don’t usually get much publicity but are ideal for the fringe candidates to drum up extra [...]