Election Date: May 6, 2007

Abstract: At stake: President (Second Round)

At stake: President (Second Round)

Background

France's recent history is closely tied to the role the country played during World War II and after. France failed to repel Nazi Germany, at some point joined by Italy, and by 1940 it was invaded. On Jun. 22, Paris marshal Henri Philippe Pétain signed an armistice with the Germans. Pétain became the chief of what was called Vichy France, the non-occupied part of France, where he governed as a puppet for the Nazi regime.

In August 1944, the allied troops liberated France. General Charles de Gaulle, who had been leading the resistance of the "Free French" from London, was then appointed as head of the provisional government. On Dec. 24, 1946, the Fourth Republic was inaugurated. That same year, France, now known as the French Union, joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). While France engaged in decolonization processes in Africa, De Gaulle was elected president in 1958. The country was relatively stable until the late 1960s.

In May 1968, massive demonstrations led by students and factory workers turned into a series of violent rallies. The following years saw a conservative France rising—economically speaking—until socialist François Mitterrand won by a wide margin the 1981 presidential ballot. Mitterrand was a key figure during the years in which France became what, still today, many call an over-protective State. Ever since 1968, France's politics have been struggling to find the balance between protectionism, labour rights—what the French call les acquis—and open-market policies.

Mitterrand's legacy includes his participation in the successful draft that later became the Maastricht Treaty, the document upon which the European Union (EU) was assembled to replace the European Community; he also secured close economic and security ties for France with the EU.

Today, France's political landscape includes the ever more unpopular figure of centre-right president Jacques Chirac, the socialists and the rise of a radical right. Among current issues is an increasing tension with immigrant populations, especially in the banlieues in bigger cities. In the international arena, France still holds important power as one of five permanent members of the United Nations (UN) Security Council, and one of Western Europe's strongest economies.

Chirac won the presidential ballot in 1995, and was re-elected in a run-off over ultranationalist Jean-Marie Le Pen in May 2002.

Click here for the France's 2007 First Round Election Tracker

2007 Presidential Election, Second Round

First round voting took place on Apr. 22. Final results put Nicolas Sarkozy of the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) in first place with 31.18 per cent of the vote, followed by Ségolène Royal of the Socialist Party (PS) with 25.87 per cent, Union for French Democracy (UDF) leader François Bayrou with 18.57 per cent, and Jean-Marie Le Pen of the National Front (FN) with 10.44 per cent.

Since no candidate garnered more than 50 per cent of the vote, a run-off featuring the top two vote-getters will take place on May 6.

Sarkozy said he was ready for the second round, saying, "The debate should be a real debate of ideas. I invite all French people, whatever their origin, whatever their beliefs, whatever their party to unite with me." Royal declared: "You have given me the responsibility of continuing the fight for change in order that France rises up."

Bayrou refused to endorse either contender in the run-off, adding, "I have good news for you. This evening French politics changed, and it will never be the same. There is at last a centre in France—a broad centre, a strong centre, an independent centre, able to unite and act beyond the divides of the past. More than seven million French people united to carry a magnificent idea of change."

On Apr. 28, Royal and Bayrou participated in a televised debate where they vowed to seek "common ground" before the second round. Sarkozy dismissed the meeting between his run-off rival and the centrist politician, saying, "I prefer being on the ground with (labour minister) Jean-Louis Borloo. It's symbolic. We have two in a big Parisian hotel and us two on the ground."

On May 1, Le Pen urged his supporters not to show up at the polling stations on Sunday, saying, "I invite the voters who showed their confidence in me to give their vote neither to Madame Royal nor to Mr. Sarkozy. I invite them to abstain massively. (...) It would be illusory and dangerous to vote for the Socialist candidate to get revenge for the hold-up carried out on our programme by Nicolas Sarkozy."

On May 2, the two candidates participated in a televised debate. Sarkozy outlined his program, saying, "I will take on commitments, keep my word, and be judged for it. Every minister will be accountable, and the opposition will be able to veto specific presidential decisions." Royal focused on job creation, declaring, "I believe French people do not work because they are unemployed. I propose to create 500,000 new jobs that will help young people to avoid staying on employment insurance for more than six months."

The televised public meeting provided many opportunities for the candidates to insult each other. Royal accused Sarkozy of "political immorality" and claimed it was "scandalous" for him to talk "with a tear in his eye" of providing schooling for handicapped children when his government had scrapped a similar scheme.

Sarkozy urged Royal not to "point your finger at me like that," adding, "I don't know why Ms. Royal, usually so calm, has lost her nerve. (...) You have shown how easily you get angry. But to be president of the republic carries heavy responsibilities." Royal replied: "Not when there is injustice. There is some anger that is perfectly healthy."

Royal chided Sarkozy for his opposition to Turkey's EU bid, declaring, "I don't think it is good politics to slam the door on a big country." Sarkozy said: "I don't think we should kill the European Union." The UMP candidate also complained about Royal's fiscal proposals, sarcastically saying, "French people will really be able to sleep easy about their pensions with you in charge."

On May 4, the two candidates closed their campaigns. Royal urged voters to vote for a woman, and asked sympathizers to channel their "positive energy" to convince "the ones who are still hesitating." She also accused her rival of "mimicking" U.S. president George W. Bush by appearing to be concerned for people who are suffering, and added: "The choice of Nicolas Sarkozy is a dangerous choice; I do not want France to be oriented toward a system of brutality."

Sarkozy vowed to bring people together "without hatred" in a "wide-ranging coalition", and discussed Royal's statements, saying, "She is not in a good mood this morning, it must be the polls. Since she feels the ground giving way beneath her feet, it's a classic phenomenon: She tenses up, she stiffens, she shows her true nature."

The final polls conducted before the run-off suggested a victory for Sarkozy.

Voting took place on May 6. Three exit polls suggested a victory for Sarkozy. Final results gave the UMP candidate 53.06 per cent of all cast ballots. Turnout for the second round was tabled at 84 per cent.

Royal conceded defeat shortly after the polling stations closed, declaring, "The universal suffrage has spoken. I hope the next president of the republic will be able to carry out his duties in the benefits of all French men and women. (...) I put all my strength into what I have done and I will continue alongside you, together with you. (...) There are other democratic goals toward which we must work. What we have done for France will bear fruit."

In his victory speech, Sarkozy discussed foreign relations, saying, "I want to launch an appeal to our European partners to which our destiny is closely linked. To tell them that I have been a European all my life, that I deeply believe in the building of Europe and that tonight France is back in Europe. (...) I want to launch an appeal to our American friends to tell them that they can count on our friendship in the tragedies of history, which we have faced together. I want to tell them that France will always be by their side when they will need her. But I want to tell them as well that friendship is accepting that ones friends can act differently, and that a great nation like the United States has the duty to not obstruct the fight against global warming, but on the contrary to take the lead in this struggle because what is at stake is the future of all humanity."

Sarkozy's inauguration took place on Nov. 16. In his first speech as president of France, Sarkozy declared he would lead the country into a new era both socially and economically, saying, "France needs to take risks and needs to take initiative." Sarkozy also said he would "make the defence of human rights and the struggle against global warming priorities of France's diplomatic action in the world."

On May 17, Sarkozy appointed François Fillon as his prime minister. Fillon had been his adviser in the UMP for over two years, and was also Sarkozy's presidential campaign leader.

French voters will renew the National Assembly on Jun. 10 and Jun. 17.

Political Players

President: Nicolas Sarkozy - UMP
Prime minister: François Fillon - UMP

The president is elected to a five-year term by popular vote.

Legislative Branch: The Assemblée Nationale (National Assembly) has 577 members, elected to five-year terms in single-seat constituencies. The Sénat (Senate) currently has 321 members, elected by mayors, city councillors, and members of the National Assembly.

Results of Last Election:

President - Apr. 22 and May 6, 2007

	Apr. 22	May 6
Nicolas Sarkozy - Union for a Popular Movement (UMP)	31.18%	53.06%
Ségolène Royal - Socialist Party (PS)	25.87%	46.94%
François Bayrou - Union for French Democracy (UDF)	18.57%	--
Jean-Marie Le Pen - National Front (FN)	10.44%	--
Olivier Besancenot - Revolutionary Communist League (LCR)	4.08%	--
Philippe de Villiers - Movement for France (MPF)	2.4%	--
Marie-George Buffet - French Communist Party (PCF)	1.93%	--
Dominique Voynet - Greens (Verts)	1.57%	--
Arlette Laguiller - Workers' Struggle (LO)	1.33%	--
José Bové - Independent	1.32%	--
Frédéric Nihous - Hunting, Fishing, Nature, Traditions (CPNT)	1.15%	--
Gérard Schivardi - Worker's Party (PT)	0.34%	--

National Assembly - Jun. 9 and Jun. 16, 2002

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

	Vote%	Seats
Presidential Majority	43.4%	399
Union for a Popular Movement (UMP)	33.3%	357
Union for French Democracy (UDF)	4.9%	29
Movement for France (MPF)	0.8%	1
Liberal Democracy (DL)	0.4%	2
Rally for France (RPF)	0.4%	2
Other right-wing parties	3.7%	8
United Left	36.1%	178
Socialist Party (PS)	24.1%	141
French Communist Party (PCF)	4.8%	21
The Greens (Les Verts)	4.5%	3
Left Radical Party (PRG)	1.5%	7
Other left-wing parties	1.1%	6
National Front (FN)	11.3%	--
Hunting, Fishing, Nature, Traditions (CPNT)	1.7%	--
Revolutionary Communist League (LCR)	1.3%	--
Workers' Struggle (LO)	1.2%	--
Republican Pole (PR)	1.2%	--
National Republican Movement (MNR)	1.1%	--

Archive Search

Search the Angus Reid Global Monitor Election Tracker archive.

Advanced Search