Patrick Marnham

French farce | 21 April 2012

Outsiders have added gaiety to the presidential election, but French voters feel that serious issues are being ignored

issue 21 April 2012

The first round of the French presidential election is a national carnival that seldom disappoints. If Sunday’s vote follows the opinion polls, only President Nicolas Sarkozy with 28 per cent of the vote and his Socialist party opponent François Hollande (a predicted 27 per cent) will remain in the ring.

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