French parliamentary election continues 11 and 18 June.

[Anthea]

Tomorrow, I have to go to the French Consulate just for voting : Duhok-Erbil-Duhok in the same day, so circa 320 km un taxi.

Kurds here are amazed that I am ready to do it even twice or thrice only for elections

Throughout history so many people have died, and are still dying, fighting for the right to vote

I think people who have the right to vote should be fined for not doing so

It is always those who have not voted, who are the first to complain if governments do something they do not approve of

[Anthea]

I await with eager anticipation - you report on the French election

I still think that Le Pen will win

[Anthea]

France prepares to vote for new president amid high security

France is preparing to vote in presidential elections on Sunday, amid high security after a fatal assault on a Paris policeman three days ago.

About 50,000 police and 7,000 soldiers are being deployed around the country after Thursday's attack by a gunman.

Eleven candidates are vying to be the country's next president, with leading candidates spanning the political spectrum from far-left to far-right.

The two with the most votes will go to run-off round in a fortnight's time.

Four candidates are currently seen as being within reach of the presidency: the conservative François Fillon, the far-right leader Marine Le Pen, liberal centrist Emmanuel Macron and the far-left's Jean-Luc Mélenchon.


(L-R): François Fillon, Benoît Hamon, Marine Le Pen, Emmanuel Macron and Jean-Luc Mélenchon

The candidates have created plenty of debate in the country, all offering dramatically different visions of Europe, immigration, the economy and French identity.

On polling day, extra security measures are in place after Karim Cheurfi, a convicted criminal, shot a police officer in the head on the Champs Elysees in Paris.

Cheurfi was killed by security forces and note defending the so-called Islamic State group was found near his body.

National security had been one of the main talking points during the campaigns, but candidates have been accused of exploiting the most recent attack for political gains.

The race between the leading contenders is considered too close to call.

However, none are expected to get the 50% of votes required for an outright win.

A second round between the top two will be held on 7 May.

Mr Fillon is the only one among the leading contenders from an established party of government.

Benoît Hamon, the socialist candidate from the same party as the current president, is seen as out of the running.

The unpopular President François Hollande is not seeking a second term, and is the first French president in modern history not to do so.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-39682915

[Piling]

the winners of the 1st turn : Macron-Le Pen

in the 2nd turn, abstention can make the king.

[Anthea]

the winners of the 1st turn : Macron-Le Pen

in the 2nd turn, abstention can make the king.

Do you know who received the most votes?

When is the next vote?

I strongly suspect that Le Pen will win

[Anthea]

Le Pen steps aside as National Front leader

Far-right French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen has announced that she is stepping aside as leader of her National Front (FN) party.

The move comes just a day after she reached the second round of the French election, where she will face centrist Emmanuel Macron.

Ms Le Pen told French TV she needed to be above partisan considerations.

Opinion polls suggest Mr Macron is firm favourite for the second round but Ms Le Pen said:

"We can win, we will win."

The French term she used signalled that the move to step aside would be temporary.

She told France 2 that France was approaching a "decisive moment".

Ms Le Pen said her decision had been made out of the "profound conviction" that the president of the republic must bring together all of the French people.

"So, this evening, I am no longer the president of the National Front. I am the candidate for the French presidency," she said.

The BBC's Hugh Schofield in Paris says this is a symbolic act intended to show her concerns are for the country as a whole and not for her party, and that she is reaching out for the voters of candidates defeated in the first round, particularly those of the Republicans'

Link to Full Article:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-39696861

[Piling]

Macron is the probable winner. But many supporters of Left movement refuse to give their voice to Macron, arguing that the rising of Le Pen has its sources in such politics as Macron's, the candidate of Finance & Banks.

As far as I am concern I will stay at home… until the legislative elections… Then we could have a chance to give many seats to Melenchon or Green Movements.

Macron has nothing in its program to protect Nature and environment.

[Anthea]

Macron is the probable winner. But many supporters of Left movement refuse to give their voice to Macron, arguing that the rising of Le Pen has its sources in such politics as Macron's, the candidate of Finance & Banks.

As far as I am concern I will stay at home… until the legislative elections… Then we could have a chance to give many seats to Melenchon or Green Movements.

Macron has nothing in its program to protect Nature and environment.

Sadly, most people do not care about the environment

Most people read rubbish newspapers and worship their TVs

[Piling]

Normally, with any candidate, Le Pen should be defeated. Even Melenchon a Red Nightmare for conservative electors, would have won against her.

BUT Macron seems so NUUUUL that with or without FI supporters (Melenchon's fans) he could lost.

So perhaps Anthea is right : Le Pen could win and create a bloody mess in France

[Anthea]

Teenagers protest at candidates Macron and Le Pen

Teenagers in Rennes and other French cities have held rallies or blocked schools in a protest against both presidential candidates.

In a campaign tagged "We deserve better", about 1,000 people came out in the western city to chant "neither Le Pen nor Macron".

Riot police used tear gas to stop them reaching the historic city centre.

The far right's Marine Le Pen has spoken in Nice and centrist Emmanuel Macron visited a troubled Paris suburb.

Opinion polls taken since the first round on Sunday suggest Mr Macron, candidate of the En Marche (On The Move) movement, will easily beat Ms Le Pen, who has temporarily stood down as leader of the National Front (FN), in the second round on 7 May.

However, Ms Le Pen upstaged her rival on Tuesday when she turned up in his northern home town of Amiens just as he was visiting himself.

Ms Le Pen found herself under fire again on Thursday as EU sources accused her of defrauding the European Parliament of about €5m (£4m; $5.4m), allegedly paying FN assistants who were not really working for MEPs but were engaged in party work in France.

In Rennes, between 950 and 1,500 demonstrators marched in the city centre, French media report, after a peaceful rally.

When a group of about 50 tried to occupy the railway station, police used tear gas and one officer cut off from the rest briefly drew his pistol to protect himself, Le Parisien daily reports (in French).

Placards read "Expel Marine Le Pen, not immigrants" and "We don't want Macron or Le Pen".

Since Mr Macron and Ms le Pen narrowly won the first round on Sunday, some supporters of the losing candidates have advocated a protest vote against both on 7 May.

Link to Full Article - Photos:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-39736615

[Piling]

Among youth who is in age to vote 1/3 has chosen Mélenchon and now refuse Macron.

Indeed, Mélenchon has taken voices among young and workers' population from Le Pen.

[Anthea]

Marine Le Pen could still become France's next president, new analysis finds

French physicist Serge Galam says voter turnout could affect the result

Far right leader Marine Le Pen could still win the French Presidential election, even though her opponent Emmanuel Macron appears to be well ahead in opinion polls, according to a new mathematical analysis.

French physicist Serge Galam has published a fourteen-page paper which claims the Front National Leader could still win mathematically. His theory of “differentiated abstention” hinges on variation in voter turnout.

Mr Macron was in first place after the first round of voting on Sunday, receiving 24 per cent of the vote to Le Pen’s 21.3 per cent - a difference in real terms of around 1 million votes.

Candidates and their parties from across the political spectrum who lost out in the first round, including Francois Hollande’s Socialist party and the right wing Les Republicains, have called on their support base to back Mr Macron.

It is widely believed that the former investment banker will win because he should attract a broader coalition of voters than the far-right Le Pen.

However, Mr Galam has said that Ms Le Pen could win by 50.07 percent, if turnout for the two camps varies widely from pollsters’ estimates.

Link to Full Article - Photos:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 07931.html

I, for one, have no faith in opinion polls

Opinion polls could be made to reflect any section of a given community - sneaky but that is the way propaganda works

We will just have to wait and see - both candidates still has plenty of time to do something which will lose them votes - or there could be another terrorist attack in France, that will send voters in Le Pen's direction

[Benny]

Hi everybody,

I know that it is difficult to compare one country to another just like that. But is it just me - is there not one big similarity between the US election and the French? They both end up in the final round with two candidates that there is a great deal of skepticism about (in one way or the other)?

I mean, many Americans wouldn't dream of voting for Trump but couldn't see themselves vote for Hillary either?

For many of you with more knowledge and insight about French politics this maybe seems abit obvious but I haven' realized until after the election just how unopular Macron is.

Have a nice weekend all/Benny

[Anthea]

The good, kind, intelligent, people - who care about the environment and the way the world population is destroying it's wild life those who would make excellent presidents - are far to busy doing good constructive things

In politics - mostly, all we have is a selection of loudmouthed idiots

Look at Erdogan - he is the craziest loudmouth of all - he should be certified and locked up for everyone’s safety

[Piling]

Hi everybody,

I know that it is difficult to compare one country to another just like that. But is it just me - is there not one big similarity between the US election and the French? They both end up in the final round with two candidates that there is a great deal of skepticism about (in one way or the other)?

I mean, many Americans wouldn't dream of voting for Trump but couldn't see themselves vote for Hillary either?

For many of you with more knowledge and insight about French politics this maybe seems abit obvious but I haven' realized until after the election just how unopular Macron is.

Have a nice weekend all/Benny

Yeah, it has similarities : Le Pen is our national female Trump (but not psychologically unstable, quite clever) ; Macron is the finance & banks' candidate (some say their puppet) and Mélenchon is more like Bernie Sanders. And Socialists mostly betrayed their OWN candidate (Hamon) to support Macron and in their campaign, SP and Macronists attacked regularly Mélenchon more than Le Pen.

Now all Macronists and Socialists call "La France Insoumise" (Mélenchon's movement) to call to vote for Macron against Le Pen.
But Macron is seriously nul and claims that people who are going to vote for him have to support his program at 100%, and he won't make any concessions.

On La France Insoumise's web site, members have been called to give their opinion about the 2nd turn : 1/voting for Macron ; 2/white bulletin 3/ abstention

Mélenchon, yesterday, stated in his youtube channel that he is going to vote, but refuse to say what (Macron of white) and he let all his supporters to decide for themselves according to their conscience. He only asks one thing : to not vote for Le Pen against Macron.

Polls are currently 60% for Macron. But this guy lost 6 points in 1 week, so who knows.

After the presidential elections, we'll have legislative elections : Neither Macron nor Le Pen could hope a majority in Parliament. So, in fact, the campaign is also for the Parliament and Mélenchon's movement gained 19%, Rightists 20% while Socalists only 6%, the battle for MP seats is uncertain because many people who vote for Macron did it to block the 2nd turn to Le Pen. How many true pro-Macron are there among the public ? No one knows. Macron is the man of Economy, UE (pro Merkel) and media.