Recent portraits of the four main
candidates in the French presidential election (Top to Bottom) rightwing
leader Nicolas Sarkozy, Socialist Segolene Royal, centrist leader Francois
Bayrou and far right-wing leader Jean-Marie Le Pen. (Xinhua/AFP
Photo)
PARIS,
April 25 (Xinhua) -- Francois Bayrou, candidate of the Union for French
Democracy (UDF) during the first round of French presidential elections, said he
refused to endorse any candidate for the run-off during a press conference held
Wednesday.
Bayrou obtained around 18.6 percent of the valid
votes cast during the first round which was held on April 22.
He is thus highly sought after by both Segolene
Royal, candidate of the Socialist Party (PS) and Nicolas Sarkozy, candidate of
the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP), who obtained around 25.9 percent and
31.2 percent respectively of the votes cast during the first round of the
elections.
"I will not give any advice on how to vote. I reckon
that French people who voted for me are free to make their choice," declared
Bayrou, noting that he personally did not know whom he would choose.
"I'm beginning to know what I will not do," said
Bayrou, adding that he will neither seek nor accept "to be submissive or rally
to either of the two sides."
He accepted the suggestion from Royal for an "open
public debate," "maybe a televised one."
"Nicolas Sarkozy has not made such a proposal, but in
case he did, I would also accept," he added.
During the press conference, Bayrou announced his
intention to create a new political party that he simply described as a
"democratic party" to embrace the voters from the left and the right who voted
for him in the first round of the presidential elections.
PARIS, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Right-wing Nicolas Sarkozy and
Socialist Segolene Royal have entered the second round of the French
presidential race, first results indicated on Sunday.
Sarkozy won between 30.1 and 30.8 percent of the vote
while Royal between 25.2 and 25.9 percent, according to major survey
organizations. Full story
PARIS, April 23 (Xinhua) -- France has just concluded the
firstround of its presidential vote with conservative candidate NicolasSarkozy
and Socialist Segolene Royal entering the second round.
Following is the final results released by the French
Interior Ministry on Monday after 100 percent of the domestic vote counted: Full story
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