Official campaigning begins in French elections

SBS World News Radio: France's presidential election is fast approaching, with official campaigning now underway just two weeks ahead of the first round of voting.

Official campaigning begins in French elections

Voting is underway in the first round of the French presidential elections. Source: AAP

France's official presidential election campaign has kicked off, with candidates now in all-out campaign mode to win over voters.

Campaigning has come alive on the streets, with posters of the 11 candidates plastered across metal billboards that line the thoroughfares.

But the election appears to be a four-way contest, with the top contenders coming from all areas of the political spectrum.

Nationalist candidate Marine Le Pen has delivered a speech in Paris outlining her national-security agenda.

She has called for limiting immigration, saying potential terrorists could enter the country amid the influx of migrants and refugees.

"Experience shows that terrorists are capable of hiding among the flux of migrants to penetrate the countries they wish to harm. Let's stop with the talk of refugees. We all know that the huge mass of migrants have nothing to do with the civil war in Syria. They are economic immigrants who are fleeing the misery in their country of origins at incredible risk. With our 7 million of unemployed, with our 9 million of poor workers, we do not have the means to welcome them."

Ms Le Pen has also promised to address the threat of those lured by groups like the self-proclaimed Islamic State by proposing Muslim preaching must be conducted in French.

"The fact that we use French in parts of the cult that can disturb public order will facilitate surveillance and will limit the possibility of unfounded suspicion."

Independent candidate Emmanuel Macron, often termed the centrist in the race, has also laid out his priorities for fighting terrorism.

Mr Macron says he would keep France's troops operational abroad and maintain their current objectives of tracking down and neutralising the organisers and perpetrators of attacks.

He also says, if elected, he would unveil new laws to compel internet companies to hand over data.

"No country can, by itself, handle internet giants. That is what has consistently led me to defend real European digital policies and the protection of personal data. In the fight against terrorism, we need a European and international policy with a credible system of sanctions yet to be defined and conducted in a coordinated manner by all."

With less than two weeks until polling begins, plenty of uncertainty remains about who will become France's next president.

For weeks, polls have shown Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron on track to top the first round of voting, which takes place on April 23.

The four top-placed candidates will battle for one of two places in the run-off election, to be held on May 7.

Two outside contenders, Francois Fillon and Jean-Luc Melenchon, are looking likely to take those spots.

They are gaining momentum, with mass rallies held over the weekend boosting their support.

A Francois Fillon supporter who gave his name only as Thierry says he has been impressed by the interest the contenders' recent campaigning has drawn.

"There are young people, it's great. Yesterday, Francois Fillon was really on the top of his game, so I'm very happy. I think he's going to win."

Another voter named Patricia explained why she favours Jean-Luc Melenchon.

"The one who I find the most interesting, who would help me most and who is the closest to what I would expect from the government is Melenchon, because he looks after a lot of people. As far as workers are concerned, he's very active. And I think that his proposals are nicer and perhaps more palatable than certain others."

But if recent polls around the world have shown anything, it is they do not always predict the actual results.

After failing to foresee last year's Brexit vote in Britain or Donald Trump's election victory in the United States, many are sceptical of the accuracy of opinion polls in France.

And with voters like 55 year-old Eric Mortelett yet to make up their minds, the uncertainty is even more palpable.

"I'm hesitating between the two, Benoit Hamon and Emmanuel Macron. It's between the future and what we've got now, but with good ideas."

 






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Published 11 April 2017 9:00pm

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