François Bayrou (UDF), Olivier Besancenot (LCR), José Bové, Marie-George Buffet (PCF), Philippe De Villiers (MPF), Arlette Laguiller (LO), Jean-Marie Le Pen (FN), Frédéric Nihous (CPNT), Ségolène Royal (PS), Nicolas Sarkozy (UMP), Gérard Schivardi (PT), and Dominique Voynet (The Greens) thus enter this race for votes, which will only open the door to the second round for two of them. The target is April 22, but before this fateful date, it will be necessary to be convincing during a campaign that will end on the evening of next April 20. Polls have not stopped dropping here and there, and it is certain that each will bring confirmations from some that will be negations from others. For now, a trio composed of Royal, Bayrou, and Sarkozy seems to be leading in the first round and would have the UMP candidate winning ahead of the PS candidate. However, everyone knows well that polls are indicative and that sometimes, the inside of the ballot boxes is very different from the opinion analyses conducted by polling institutes.
A significant unknown is integral to this 2007 presidential equation: the undecided. Those same individuals who have seen François Bayrou jump from 9 to 24% in a few weeks or who would not give more than 14% to the leader of the National Front. Many voters have not yet really made their choice, and it is undoubtedly for this reason that this election attracts the attention of citizens who want to know more before casting their vote. A time of citizen responsibility seems to have arrived, and it will take more than promises from the various candidates to rally the most votes.
Who will make it to the second round? This is also one of the great unknowns of this election. While Jean-Marie Le Pen seems to be lagging and far from being able to imagine a new electoral surprise effect like in 2002, a three-way second round is very much on the cards. Bayrou/Royal, Royal/Sarkozy, or Sarkozy/Bayrou, the games are still far from over, and if Ségolène and Nicolas could, for a time, be the names conjectured for the second round, François has not yet had his final word. The interventions of each will be crucial in the coming days and, due to intense media coverage, will be analyzed and deciphered to be served up to citizens over 18 years of age, of French nationality, enjoying their civil and political rights and registered on the electoral lists.
The official list of candidates should be published during the day, and we will have to wait until Monday, April 9, for the official opening of the electoral campaign, while the next day, Tuesday, April 10, the sponsorships obtained by the candidates to seek the presidential nomination will be published. A busy schedule to present another program supposed to bring all the solutions to boost the development and growth of France.
To arms, candidates, form your battalions…
