Whoever becomes the next French president will have no state of grace, leading a country crippled by public debt and in economic crisis, with unemployment nudging a record 10%, a gaping trade-deficit, stuttering growth and declining industry. France's public debt is so high that interest repayments alone account for the second highest state expenditure after education. The rating agency Standard & Poor's this year downgraded France's triple-A credit rating, citing in part its over-high state spending for straining public finances. Both Hollande, a moderate from the centre ground of the Socialist party, and Sarkozy have promised to balance the books – France hasn't had a balanced budget for more than 30 years.
Hollande's manifesto is based on scrapping Sarkozy's tax-breaks for the rich and putting up taxes for high earners to finance what he deems essential spending, including the creation of 60,000 posts in France's under-performing school system. He has pledged to keep the public deficit capped but for his delicate balancing-act to work, he needs a swift return to growth in France, despite economists warning of over-optimistic official growth forecasts that need to be trimmed.
Hollande beat Sarkozy by about half a million votes in the first round of voting on 22 April. The first round turnout of around 80% was higher than expected and is being closely watched again, with polls suggesting Sarkozy's best chance of an upset comes from an even greater voter turnout on Sunday.
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Preliminary figures from the Interior Ministry suggested voters were turning out in greater numbers. At noon (6 a.m. EDT), turnout was 30.66 percent, up from 28.29 percent at the similar time two weeks ago.
Polling stations opened in mainland France at 8 a.m. (2 a.m. EDT) Sunday, a day after voting got under way in France’s overseas territories.
Preliminary results in the French election are expected around 8 p.m. (2 p.m. EDT) Sunday.
French law bars the publication of results before all polling stations have closed to avoid swaying the outcome, with a fine of 75,000 euros ($98,145). Still, many expect Sunday’s election results to be leaked early via Twitter or other online methods, as they were during the first round two weeks ago.
A voter must always take character into account, not just policies. Sarkozy has shown enough character faults to get kicked out. His shameless courting of the FN ( at least a consistent party) and the islamic shooter response shows opportunism and Merkel support is just too much to stomach.
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Kfc1404
6 minutes ago
Like they say, it not who votes that counts, it's who counts the votes.
A voter must always take character into account, not just policies. Sarkozy has shown enough character faults to get kicked out. His shameless courting of the FN ( at least a consistent party) and the islamic shooter response shows opportunism and Merkel support is just too much to stomach.
Recommend
Report
.
Kfc1404
6 minutes ago
Like they say, it not who votes that counts, it's who counts the votes.
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