- Title: Parisians support Hollande's decision not to run for president
- Date: 2nd December 2016
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (DECEMBER 2, 2016) (REUTERS) FRENCH NEWSPAPERS (FROM LEFT TO RIGHT) LE PARISIEN WITH HEADLINE (French) "HOLLANDE PASSING UP, NORMAL'" (IN REFERENCE TO ONE OF HIS CAMPAIGN SLOGANS, 'MR. NORMAL'), LIBERATION WITH HEADLINE (French) "WITHOUT ME" AND LE FIGARO WITH HEADLINE (French) "THE END" LE FIGARO'S HEADLINE (French) "THE END" VARIOUS OF STORY INSIDE LE PARISIAN WITH HEADLINE (French) "THIS WILL BE WITHOUT HIM" STORY INSIDE LE FIGARO WITH HEADLINE (French) "2017: END OF A CHAPTER FOR FRANCOIS HOLLANDE" PEOPLE WALKING IN GRANDS BOULEVARDS QUARTER MAN WALKING PAST NEWSPAPER KIOSK KIOSK WORKER CARRYING NEWSPAPERS (SOUNDBITE) (French) PARIS RESIDENT WHO WORKS IN MARKETING SERVICE, EDITH LANDEAU, SAYING: "Well, I find that this is very good, because he (Francois Hollande) did not do what he said he would. For me, it's a failure, these five years at the Elysee, the fact that he isn't trying to renew his mandate for me is normal." (SOUNDBITE) (French) PARIS RESIDENT, MUSICIAN CHRISTOPHE DE BONNEUIL, SAYING: "The head of government, Manuel Valls, will gather the left around him - a united left, a strong left, which I would say would weigh more in the presidential election in May." (SOUNDBITE) (French) PARIS RESIDENT, GRAPHISTE ISABELLE LERGLANTER, SAYING: "I think it's total chaos on the left, so I don't think anyone can do better. I'm not sure they will be able to reunite." (SOUNDBITE) (French) PARIS RESIDENT, OPTICIAN ALBERT BEN ZAQUEN, SAYING: "During the events in Bataclan, the terrorist events, he was a president who rose to the occasion. I don't know, I like this person a lot. I'm not particularly from the left, but I like Francois Hollande a lot. I think he was right not to run, because this (his term) was a failure, he would have facilitated the right reaching the second round (of presidential elections) more easily. But well, it's his choice. But intellectually, I like him a lot." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING ON STREET
- Embargoed: 17th December 2016 08:57
- Keywords: Hollande presidential election Valls socialists
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- City: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Reuters ID: LVA0015B6Y153
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: More than 80 percent of French people approve of Francois Hollande's decision not to seek a second term, a Harris Interactive survey reported on Friday (December 2).
Only 4 percent expressed disapproval, according to the study, conducted in the hours following Hollande's announcement on Thursday (December 1).
"Well, I find that this is very good, because he (Francois Hollande) did not do what he said he would. For me, it's a failure, these five years at the Elysee," said Paris resident Edith Landeau.
The Harris flash poll showed that French voters want to see Prime Minister Manuel Valls secure the Socialist Party ticket to run for presidential election next year,
"The head of government, Manuel Valls, will gather the left around him - a united left, a strong left, which I would say would weigh more in the presidential election in May," said musician Christophe de Bonneuil.
Not everyone was convinced that Hollande's decision would help the fractured Socialist party, who will have their own primary in January.
Ex-minister Arnaud Montebourg has already said he will take part in the primary, while centrist former protégé Emmanuel Macron and hard-left firebrand Jean-Luc Melenchon say they intend to run for the presidency whatever happens, bypassing the primary process entirely.
"I think it's total chaos on the left, so I don't think anyone can do better. I'm not sure they will be able to reunite," said right-leaning voter Isabelle Lerglanter.
Despite his low approval ratings, Francois Hollande still counts some admirers among voters.
"During the events in Bataclan, the terrorist events, he was a president who rose to the occasion. I don't know, I like this person a lot. I'm not particularly from the left, but I like Francois Hollande a lot. I think he was right not to run, because this (his term) was a failure, he would have facilitated the right reaching the second round (of presidential elections) more easily. But well, it's his choice. But intellectually, I like him a lot," optician Albert Ben Zaquen said.
Hollande's announcement marks the first time since France's fifth Republic was created in 1958 that an incumbent president has not sought a second mandate. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2016. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
