French cast ballots in pivotal vote
June 1, 1997
Web posted at: 10:30 a.m. EDT (1430 GMT)In this story:
PARIS (CNN) -- French voters headed to polling stations Sunday for the second round of a two-stage parliamentary election that could force conservative President Jacques Chirac to share power with the left.
Polls opened at 8 a.m. (0600 GMT) throughout France and were to close at 8 p.m. (1800 GMT), when the first polling result projections were to be released. Official figures were expected later in the evening.
Politicians on both sides encouraged France's 39 million eligible voters to go to the polls, hoping the 32 percent of the voting public that abstained in last weekend's first round could make the difference in the tight race.
As of noon, 24 percent of registered voters had cast their ballots -- higher than the participation rate of 17.5 percent at the same hour in the 1993 election.
"For me these elections would be a new opportunity for France in the next century," one voter told CNN.
Other voters were indifferent. Marc Morelli, 20, said it doesn't matter whether "you vote for the right or left, it always stays the same. Once they get in power, their promises are worth nothing."
Leftist opposition looks for upset
The outcome of Sunday's runoff balloting was thrown wide open by last week's first round, which saw France's leftist opposition capitalize on voter discontent.
Only 12 seats were decided last week, with the left garnering about 40 percent of the vote compared to the center-right's 30 percent. A governing coalition needs at least 289 seats out of the 577 in the National Assembly.
Chirac's center-right coalition enjoyed an 80 percent majority in the last parliament. Chirac called the elections 10 months early in his search for a mandate for his economic austerity program.
But with the jobless rate at a record high 12.8 percent, unemployment is a key concern among voters, many of whom are wary of Chirac's austerity plan. The president has been driving France to meet strict criteria to join the euro, the European currency to start circulating in 1999.
Right scrambles for votes
In the campaign's final days, Chirac's governing coalition has sought to soften its line on cutting the deficit to qualify for the euro while still reducing unemployment.
Chirac scrambled to turn the tide after last Sunday's first round. The president jettisoned Premier Alain Juppe, France's most unpopular prime minister since the 1950s. Philippe Seguin, the popular and somewhat euroskeptic National Assembly president, is being touted as the likely prime minister should the right win.
If the ruling coalition loses, Chirac will be forced to "cohabit," or share power, with a hostile government led by Socialist leader Lionel Jospin.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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- In a bind, Chirac appeals to French voters - May 27, 1997
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- French leftists gain ground in parliamentary vote - May 25, 1997
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- French Socialists vow to create jobs for unemployed - May 21, 1997
- French heartland voters cynical as election nears - May 19, 1997
Related sites:
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- French Socialist Party (in French)
- French Government Website (in French)
- France National Assembly Website (in French)
- Politics Online (in French)
- Elections in Europe - France
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