Perhaps we ex-pats tend to ignore the French presidential elections, but they are important (perhaps as important as the Brexit negotiations) to our future here. Taglines traditionally steers away from the extreme parties, both left and right and has a slightly left of centre leaning. Given that the PS is lurching to the left and LR heading to the right it is interesting to see that the centrist candidate, Emmanuel Macron, has been joined by the leader of the centre Modem party Francois Bayrou.
The latest opinion poll (for what they are worth) puts Marine Le Pen on 25%, Fillon on 21% and Macron on 20%. Bayrou was not included in that poll, but traditionally has around 5-6%, so if his supporters follow his lead it could put Macron ahead.
The two main left wing parties led by Benoit Hamon and Jean-Luc Melenchon are neck and neck at 13/14%, but no prospect of a pre-election alliance seems likely; perhaps they would rather lose than compromise.
comments to taglines82@gmail.com
