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French election under way as voters go to the polls French election under way as voters go to the polls
(about 2 hours later)
On what was forecast to be a day of spring showers, the sun came out very briefly in Paris as the polls opened across France and 44.5 million French citizens were called to make their choice for who gets to run their country for the next five years.On what was forecast to be a day of spring showers, the sun came out very briefly in Paris as the polls opened across France and 44.5 million French citizens were called to make their choice for who gets to run their country for the next five years.
There was a wide choice; in each of the thousands of polling stations, piles of ballot papers, each bearing the name of one of the 10 candidates had been laid out ready for the voters to make their selection. To ensure their choice remained a secret, voters were asked to select at least three pieces of paper and dispose of those they had not put in the envelope discreetly. There was a wide choice: in the thousands of polling stations, piles of ballot papers, each bearing the name of one of the 10 candidates, had been laid out ready for the voters to make their selection. To ensure their choice remained a secret, voters were asked to select at least three pieces of paper and discreetly dispose of those they had not put in the envelope.
Sunday's first-round vote will whittle the 10 down to just two for a second round run-off in a fortnight. If the opinion polls are to be believed, the French people's choice to go through to the second round will be the incumbent, Nicolas Sarkozy, and the Socialist party challenger, François Hollande. Sunday's first-round vote will whittle the 10 down to two for a second round runoff in a fortnight. If the opinion polls are to be believed, the people's choice to go through to the second round will be the incumbent, Nicolas Sarkozy, and the Socialist party challenger, François Hollande.
The other candidates, particularly Jean-Luc Mélenchon of the Front de Gauche, Marine Le Pen of the Front National, and François Bayrou of the centrist party MoDem, will be hoping for a high score in order to demonstrate support for their ideas and possibly influence the political agenda of the country's next leader.The other candidates, particularly Jean-Luc Mélenchon of the Front de Gauche, Marine Le Pen of the Front National, and François Bayrou of the centrist party MoDem, will be hoping for a high score in order to demonstrate support for their ideas and possibly influence the political agenda of the country's next leader.
The frontrunner, Hollande announced he would be voting at around 10am in his parliamentary constituency of Tulle, the capital of Corrèze. Sarkozy will vote 90 minutes later in a lycée in the 16th arrondissement of Paris. The frontrunner, Hollande, announced he would be voting at about 10am in his parliamentary constituency of Tulle, the capital of Corrèze. Sarkozy will vote 90 minutes later in a lycée in the 16th arrondissement of Paris.
The first at his local polling station at 9.45am was a smiling Bayrou who cast his vote in Pau in the south-west of France, before attending mass at his local church. Mélenchon was next, arriving at a polling station in the 10th arrondissement of Paris shortly after 10am, where he had to queue in line with others waiting to vote. The first at his local polling station at 9.45am was a smiling Bayrou, who cast his vote in Pau, in the south-west of France, before attending mass at his local church. Mélenchon was next, arriving at a polling station in the 10th arrondissement of Paris shortly after 10am, where he had to queue with others waiting to vote.
Hollande voted in Tulle at 10.10am followed by Philippe Poutou,who cast his vote in Bordeaux at 10.15am. There are 85,000 voting stations in France. It is the republic's 10th presidential election. Hollande voted in Tulle at 10.10am, followed by Philippe Poutou,who cast his vote in Bordeaux at 10.15am. There are 85,000 voting stations in France. It is the republic's 10th presidential election.
Sarkozy's former wife Cécilia Attias revealed on Twitter that she had "done her duty as a citizen" and voted in the US, where she now lives.Sarkozy's former wife Cécilia Attias revealed on Twitter that she had "done her duty as a citizen" and voted in the US, where she now lives.
Surveys may suggest the result is a foregone conclusion, putting Sarkozy and Hollande level for Sunday's vote and giving Hollande a clear lead for the second round, but French elections can throw up surprises. In 2002 Jean-Marie Le Pen, the leader of the far-right Front National, knocked out the Socialist candidate Lionel Jospin in the first round. Neither the polls nor the country had seen it coming. Surveys may suggest the result is a foregone conclusion, putting Sarkozy and Hollande level for Sunday's vote and giving Hollande a clear lead for the second round, but French elections can throw up surprises. In 2002 Jean-Marie Le Pen, then leader of the far-right Front National, knocked out the Socialist candidate Lionel Jospin in the first round. Neither the polls nor the country had seen it coming.
One of the key factors will be the rate of abstention, which has ranged from 15% – 30% in presidential elections since 1965. Pollsters have predicted 25% of voters will shun the ballot this time. One of the key factors will be the rate of abstention, which has ranged from 15% to 30% in presidential elections since 1965. Pollsters have predicted 25% of voters will shun the ballot this time.
Research carried out by Ipsos and Logica Business Consulting, which has followed a group of more than 4,000 voters since November 2011 until now on their voting intentions, showed that half of them had changed their minds over who to support in the last six months.Research carried out by Ipsos and Logica Business Consulting, which has followed a group of more than 4,000 voters since November 2011 until now on their voting intentions, showed that half of them had changed their minds over who to support in the last six months.
Brice Teinturier, head of Ipsos, told Le Monde: "There are incessant and important movements," he said. Brice Teinturier, head of Ipsos, told Le Monde: "There are incessant and important movements.We also found that the waverers were more concerned with the image of the candidate than their project or proposals."
"We also found that the waverers were more concerned with the image of the candidate than their project or proposals."
The voters of France's overseas territories and departments – Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guyane, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, Saint-Barthélemy, Saint Martin, Polynesia and those living on the American continent, had already voted on Saturday.The voters of France's overseas territories and departments – Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guyane, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, Saint-Barthélemy, Saint Martin, Polynesia and those living on the American continent, had already voted on Saturday.
Those on the mainland have until 6pm in rural areas and 8pm in cities to cast their votes. Those on the mainland have until 6pm in rural areas and 8pm in cities to cast their votes. The French electoral commission has warned that anyone breaking the 8pm embargo on publishing or broadcasting exit polls will be fined, including social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.
The French electoral commission has warned that anyone breaking the 8pm embargo on publishing or broadcasting exit polls will be fined, including social networks like Facebook and Twitter.