French election campaign ends
Final opinion polls give Sarkozy edge over Royal but the gap may be narrowing.
French election timetable |
Mar 16: Deadline for presidential candidates to get at least 500 mayors or other elected representatives to sponsor them. Without these, candidates cannot stand. Apr 9-20: Official campaign period. Apr 21: First round presidential voting in overseas territories and departments. Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guyana, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon and French Polynesia. Apr 22: First round of voting on mainland France, the Indian Ocean islands of Reunion and Mayotte and in New Caledonia. May 5: Second round of overseas voting. May 6: Second round of mainland voting. May 17: End of President Chirac’s mandate. Jun 10: First round of parliamentary voting. Jun 17: Second parliamentary round. Jun 19: End outgoing parliament. |
They know they are going to write a very important page in the history of France,” said Royal, who is seeking to become France’s first woman president.
Your Views |
“The election campaign has run against a background of fears over jobs, immigration and security” |
If, as expected, no one wins an absolute majority on Sunday, the top two will contest a second round ballot two weeks later.
In 2002, Le Pen stunned France by knocking out the Socialist candidate to win a place in the run-off against Jacques Chirac, the outgoing president who secured a comprehensive victory.
Police say no special anti-riot measures have been ordered for polling day beyond standard voter station security. But officials could ban the purchase of petrol in jerry cans – a measure imposed during the 2005 riots – if warranted.