Former President Nicolas Sarkozy was recently re-elected as head of his party UMP. But in a by-election in eastern France last Sunday UMP came third in the first round and was eliminated. Top of the poll with 32% was the Front National, with the Parti Socialist second with 28%. Now the 26% UMP voters are faced with choosing either FN, who are claiming the right wing ground from them, or for their political opposites, the PS.
Some "elephants" (big beasts) of the UMP, such as Alain Juppe have urged supporters to create a "front republican" and vote PS to prevent the FN gaining ground. Others urge voters to abstain and Sarkozy himself offers no advice.
In the 2002 Presidential election when Chirac faced Jean Marie Le Pen, Lionel Jospin having been eliminated, PS voters were asked to vote UMP, giving Chirac a landslide victory with over 80%.
The second round will be next Sunday.
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