President Chirac, tainted by sleaze allegations scraped home in the first
round with just under 20
percent of the vote, a record low for the frontrunner, has registered a
82.1% of the final vote for President.
All of Europe was in shock over Le Pen views. Jacques Chirac refused to
debate him on the ground that Le Pen was intolerant. That sounds, to me the
epitome of intolerance. If you do not like what question that is asked or
view proffered disregard the questioner. Do not give him an answer do not
prove your position. Intolerance takes many forms.
This weekend French newspapers made the unprecedented step of backing the
scandal-plagued incumbent President Chirac over Le Pen. Newspapers in France
do not select a candidate. Despite Church leaders, Communists, trade unions
and business groups endorsing Chirac as the guardian of French democracy. Le
Pen achieved over 6 million votes.
Voters had been urged to rally behind Chirac in defiance of Mr Le Pen's
extreme policies. after two weeks of passionate street protests against the
anti-immigrant, anti-Europe platform of the far-right leader.
Le Pen, called the Holocaust a "detail" of history, stunned Europe when he
edged Socialist Prime Minister Lionel Jospin into third place in the first
round, taking 17 percent of the vote Chirac received 19.6% in the first
round.
In France the president is elected by the people directly the voter turnout
was above 85%. It is not mandatory to vote in France.
If people think one vote is only a little thing and does not matter they
should try to sleep in bed with a mosquito.
.
Sinclair
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