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The First French Official (Election) Results Are In
Zero Hedge / Reuters ^ | April 22. 2012 | Tyler Durden

Posted on 04/22/2012 1:10:28 PM PDT by Zakeet

8 pm has just passed in France, and all the polls are now closed, which means official preliminary data is now allowed - the first results from IPSOS are in, and are as follows:

Big win for Hollande but even more stunning victory for extreme right winger Le Pen, which only proves that nationalism is back in Europe with a vengeance.

From Reuters:

Far-rightist Marine Le Pen threw France's presidential race wide open on Sunday by scoring nearly 20 percent in the first round - votes that may determine the runoff between Socialist favourite Francois Hollande and conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Hollande led Sarkozy by about 29 to 26 percent in reliable computer projections broadcast after polling stations closed, and the two will meet in a head-to-head decider on May 6.


(Excerpt) Read more at zerohedge.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: election; france; sarkozy

1 posted on 04/22/2012 1:10:33 PM PDT by Zakeet
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To: Zakeet

Will be interesting to see how a Socialist governs when they have literally run out of other people’s money, as is the case in the EU now.


2 posted on 04/22/2012 1:16:15 PM PDT by PGR88
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To: Zakeet

Marine Le Pen: 20.0% (18.5% latest) - extreme right: much better than expected as nationalism is back with a bang.

Is it a parliamentary system? Does a minority party with a big vote (such as 1/5 of the vote) have more power in France than here in the US?

(Pardon my ignorance and thanks for any explanations.)


3 posted on 04/22/2012 1:20:43 PM PDT by samtheman ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ-4gnNz0vc)
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To: samtheman

Le Pen is no “far-right” politicians, unless “far right” means nothing other than nationalism. She supports nationalized (socialized) energy, banking, transportation, health care, and education, in addition to protectionism, abortion and homosexuality.

This election is for nothing other than selection to the final round of the presidential election, so, other than making a political statement, her 20% means nothing different than if she scored 0%; there is no minority power in failing to make the run-off. France does have a parliament, but this election has nothing to do with it.


4 posted on 04/22/2012 1:40:45 PM PDT by dangus
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To: samtheman

The mention of a run off in the article makes me think that this is an election for an office not a legislature. So a way to think of it is:

1. If the Le Pen convinces all the communists and all the right and small parties stay home, then Le Pen would win 61.1% of the vote in the run off.

2. If Sarkozy win all the right and all the communists and small parties stay home, then Sarkozy would win 61.6% of the vote.

The actual result will be some place in between. But that 20% right number means he better work to attract their vote and turn out if he wants to win.


5 posted on 04/22/2012 1:43:14 PM PDT by JLS (How to turn a recession into a depression: elect a Dem president with a big majorities in Congress))
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To: dangus

Thanks for the explanation.


6 posted on 04/22/2012 1:43:29 PM PDT by samtheman ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ-4gnNz0vc)
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To: Zakeet

So, if there is a runoff, would it be between the top two only? And wouldn’t most of the Le Pen votes go to Sarkozy rather than the communist simpleton Hollande? I don’t see how Sarkozy can lose.


7 posted on 04/22/2012 1:55:55 PM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: Lancey Howard

except that Le Pen voters hate sarkozy


8 posted on 04/22/2012 2:10:42 PM PDT by mamelukesabre
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To: mamelukesabre

“except that Le Pen voters hate sarkozy”

I HATE Commies, Socialists, Progressives etc. etc. regardless of what country they are in!


9 posted on 04/22/2012 2:27:09 PM PDT by mongo141 (Revolution ver 2.0, just a matter of when, not a matter of if!)
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To: Zakeet

I’m le sad too. Pics of Carla Bruni will become scarcer now.


10 posted on 04/22/2012 2:29:22 PM PDT by TigersEye (Intellectuals only exist if you think they do.)
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To: dangus
She supports nationalized (socialized) energy, banking, transportation, health care, and education, in addition to protectionism, abortion and homosexuality.

In other words, just like her père, she's a Nazi. A National Socialist.

11 posted on 04/22/2012 3:11:14 PM PDT by katana (Just my opinions)
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To: samtheman
"is it a parliamentary system? Does a minority party with a big vote (such as 1/5 of the vote) have more power in France than here in the US?

It's basically a strong Presidential system. This is a Presidential race, and the French Constitution requires that races be won by a majority of the votes cast, so they have a 2-round system, with the top 2 finishers moving on to the run-off 2 weeks after the first round.

I have French relatives and let me say the French are constantly bewildered by our electoral system. They vote, and every vote in the nation is counted with in 60 minutes of polls closing, results are certified the next morning. No hanging chads, no lawsuits, no nonsense. And yes, you MUST have picture ID and proof of citizenship when you go to vote.

For Parliamentary elections they have single-member districts (no proportional crap) and a 2-round system, so you can't get elected to Parliament without getting a majority. If the President doesn't like the Parliament, he can dissolve Parliament and demand new elections at any time.

The party system in France is highly fractured (they LOVE to argue and dispute), and quite "regionalized," so there are more than the two biggest parties in Parliament. So, yes, third (and fourth, and fifth) parties can have an impact as they scramble to cobble together a coalition, elect a "premier" and organize the National Assembly in a way to further the interest of the their party.

Le Pen's "Front National" has no current seats in the National Assembly, though interestingly, they hold 3 seats in the EU Parliament. Because so many French view them as "extreme," they never do well in a second round.

12 posted on 04/22/2012 3:43:43 PM PDT by cookcounty (We need Newt. The Black Belt Jaw-jitsu Master!)
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To: Zakeet

Hollande the Socialist will bring a gasoline can to the deficit spending wildfire in France.


13 posted on 04/22/2012 3:47:36 PM PDT by chuckee
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To: cookcounty

The National Assembly elections are held AFTER the Presidential election, so on June 10th and 17th, the 2-round Parliamentary election will be held, with the winners (like the President) elected for 5-year terms.


14 posted on 04/22/2012 3:48:00 PM PDT by cookcounty (We need Newt. The Black Belt Jaw-jitsu Master!)
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To: cookcounty

Good summary. Thanks a lot. Especially for the mention of voter ID and proof of citizenship. I’m in an argument about that with a co-worker. Love to have France on my side for this argument.


15 posted on 04/22/2012 3:59:41 PM PDT by samtheman ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ-4gnNz0vc)
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To: cookcounty

So why won’t Marine Le Pen try to get her supporters to vote for Sarkozy in the second round? Don’t they see him as better than the socialist alternative?


16 posted on 04/22/2012 4:28:36 PM PDT by samtheman ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ-4gnNz0vc)
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To: cookcounty

They say the first round is a vote from the heart and the second is from the wallet.


17 posted on 04/22/2012 6:39:13 PM PDT by DUMBGRUNT (The best is the enemy of the good!)
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To: cookcounty
A fun article about the French elections from France Channel 24:

Twitter users circumvent French law with WWII codes

Since making elections predictions is illegal in France ($100,000 fine!), Twitter users used code to predict the winners and percentages.

18 posted on 04/22/2012 7:25:03 PM PDT by VanShuyten ("a shadow...draped nobly in the folds of a gorgeous eloquence.")
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To: dangus
so if the run off is between two top finishers, then Sarkozy has a big chance IMO....

don't write him off just yet...

19 posted on 04/22/2012 9:10:02 PM PDT by cherry
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