This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/europe/6622929.stm

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 5 Version 6
French rivals vie for final votes France rivals end electoral push
(about 5 hours later)
The two candidates vying to become the next president of France have traded barbs on a final day of campaigning ahead of Sunday's run-off election. The two candidates vying to become the next president of France have traded barbs on the final day of campaigning ahead of Sunday's run-off election.
Socialist Segolene Royal told a radio interviewer that electing rival Nicolas Sarkozy could spark riots and violence.Socialist Segolene Royal told a radio interviewer that electing rival Nicolas Sarkozy could spark riots and violence.
But Mr Sarkozy laughed off her attack, describing himself as "serene" ahead of the vote, and blaming Ms Royal's comments on her position in the polls. Mr Sarkozy reacted angrily, accusing Ms Royal of breaking "elementary rules of democracy" and suggesting she must have been unnerved by poor poll ratings.
Latest polls suggest Mr Sarkozy holds a firm lead after Wednesday's TV debate. Final polls suggested Mr Sarkozy held a firm lead as campaigning wound down.
A new Ifop poll for the Le Monde newspaper put Mr Sarkozy at 53%, with Ms Royal trailing with 47%. Newspaper polls on Friday, the last published before a ban on new polls during the electoral period, suggested Ms Royal had failed to close the gap on her rival.
Ms Royal visited the western region of Brittany on Friday, while Mr Sarkozy laid a wreath at a war memorial in the Alpine region. There is... still hope for those who think that it is all still to play for Segolene RoyalSocialist candidate Ms Royal visited the western region of Brittany on Friday for final campaign rallies, while Mr Sarkozy laid a wreath at a war memorial in the Alpine region.
The campaigns end on Friday as voting in some overseas French regions takes place on Saturday. The campaigns ended on Friday as voting in some overseas French regions takes place on Saturday.
See the candidates' poll ratings
The latest Ifop poll was conducted on 3 May among 858 people who had watched the often fiery televised debate.
It found that the two candidates' scores were unchanged from the polling company's previous survey before the debate.
There is... still hope for those you think that it is all still to play for Segolene Royal Another poll by TNS Sofres for the Le Figaro daily showed Mr Sarkozy nine percentage points ahead of Ms Royal, with 54.5% and 45.5% respectively, up 2.5 points on a previous poll by the same pollster.
The BBC's Caroline Wyatt, in Montpellier, says most French voters have now made up their minds, with only 10% still undecided.
Centrist Francois Bayrou, defeated in the first round of voting, has said he will not vote for Mr Sarkozy.
But analysts say Ms Royal's pursuit of Mr Bayrou's "floating" voters has not been a success.
Our correspondent says that although Mr Sarkozy may be a deeply divisive figure, few doubt his competence or ability to get things done and most are now planning to choose the path of reform he has laid out.
'Time for decisions''Time for decisions'
Speaking in Brittany, Ms Royal played down the significance of the opinion polls, saying they could not be trusted.Speaking in Brittany, Ms Royal played down the significance of the opinion polls, saying they could not be trusted.
"There is therefore still hope for those you think that it is all still to play for," she said."There is therefore still hope for those you think that it is all still to play for," she said.
Did the televised debate sway many French voters?In pictures
In a radio interview earlier on Friday, she warned against electing Mr Sarkozy, describing him as a "dangerous choice".In a radio interview earlier on Friday, she warned against electing Mr Sarkozy, describing him as a "dangerous choice".
"It is my responsibility today to alert people to the risk of [his] candidature with regards to the violence and brutality that would be unleashed in the country," she said. I feel she's just ending with violence, a certain feverishness. France deserves something else Nicolas SarkozyUMP candidate "It is my responsibility today to alert people to the risk of [his] candidature with regards to the violence and brutality that would be unleashed in the country," she said.
In another interview Mr Sarkozy gently mocked his rival, who he described as "not in a good mood this morning". Reacting to her words at the beginning of the day, Mr Sarkozy gently mocked his rival, who he described as "not in a good mood this morning".
"It must be the opinion polls," he added."It must be the opinion polls," he added.
Later, Mr Sarkozy visited an Alpine memorial to fighters of the French resistance movement in World War II. But he reacted more firmly during a visit to a World War II resistance memorial later in the day, saying he could not understand why Ms Royal had felt the need to resort to "verbal violence".
"There is a time and place for explanations and one for decisions, and this is the time and place for decisions," he said afterwards. "I told Ms Royal that politics should be about respect, openness, tolerance, unity. I feel she's just ending with violence, a certain feverishness. France deserves something else."
Did the televised debate sway many French voters?In pictures
Ms Royal, a former environment minister who hopes to become the first woman president of France, has made her opponent's divisive character the centre of her campaign, says the BBC's Oana Lungescu, in Paris.
But she is the one who seemed to lose her cool during the debate this week, our correspondent adds, while Mr Sarkozy appears increasingly presidential.
Centrist Francois Bayrou, defeated in the first round of voting, has said he will not vote for Mr Sarkozy.
But analysts say Ms Royal's pursuit of Mr Bayrou's "floating" voters has not been a success.
The BBC's Paris correspondent Caroline Wyatt says that few doubt Mr Sarkozy's competence or ability to get things done, and most are now planning to choose the path of reform he has laid out.
Ill-tempered debateIll-tempered debate
Both candidates held their final big rallies on Thursday, Ms Royal in Lille in the north and Mr Sarkozy at the other end of the country in Montpellier.Both candidates held their final big rallies on Thursday, Ms Royal in Lille in the north and Mr Sarkozy at the other end of the country in Montpellier.
HAVE YOUR SAY None of the candidates are particularly appealing Guillaume, Brussels Send us your comments Mr Sarkozy, 52, promised to unify the nation, re-invigorate the economy and restore full employment. He also defended several of his most controversial comments.HAVE YOUR SAY None of the candidates are particularly appealing Guillaume, Brussels Send us your comments Mr Sarkozy, 52, promised to unify the nation, re-invigorate the economy and restore full employment. He also defended several of his most controversial comments.
Ms Royal, 53, called for a French rebirth, saying she offered a safe choice for those wanting "a protecting France, a fraternal France, a competitive France".Ms Royal, 53, called for a French rebirth, saying she offered a safe choice for those wanting "a protecting France, a fraternal France, a competitive France".
Their sometimes ill-tempered TV debate on Wednesday, watched by an estimated 23m people, left both claiming victory.Their sometimes ill-tempered TV debate on Wednesday, watched by an estimated 23m people, left both claiming victory.
The rivals clashed over employment, the economy and law and order, but opinion polls showed the debate had not reversed Mr Sarkozy's momentum.The rivals clashed over employment, the economy and law and order, but opinion polls showed the debate had not reversed Mr Sarkozy's momentum.
Mr Sarkozy won 31.2% of the votes and Ms Royal won 25.9% in the first round of the election on 22 April.
Click to return