Alain Juppe votes in second round of French conservative primary

Record ID: 77238

  • Title: Alain Juppe votes in second round of French conservative primary
  • Date: 27th November 2016
  • Summary: BORDEAUX, FRANCE (NOVEMBER 27, 2016) (AGENCY POOL) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** CENTRE-RIGHT PRIMARY CANDIDATE, ALAIN JUPPE, ARRIVING WITH HIS WIFE ISABELLE JUPPE AT POLLING STATION (SOUNDBITE) (French) CENTRE-RIGHT PRIMARY CANDIDATE, ALAIN JUPPE, SAYING: "My mood is good because I have just read the article by Jean-Claude Guillebaud in Sud-Ouest (South West France regional daily newspaper) and it was heart-warming to have someone condemning this absolutely disgusting campaign as I qualified it which has done me so much harm so, all is good." VARIOUS OF JUPPE WAITING IN LINE JUPPE EXITING VOTING BOOTH, SIGNING REGISTER AND CASTING BALLOT JUPPE EXITING POLLING STATION (SOUNDBITE) (French) CENTRE-RIGHT PRIMARY CANDIDATE, ALAIN JUPPE, SAYING: "I hope for everything. It was a beautiful campaign which I'm proud of, I thank Jean-Claude Guillebaud for writing a few truths in Sud-Ouest (South West France regional daily newspaper) this morning which have unfortunately come up too late. Well not too late." REPORTERS: "Which truths are you talking about?" JUPPE: "Well read it, read his column, you'll see it's very interesting about the target I was in this campaign. It's vile." REPORTER: "You didn't like it?" JUPPE: "Yes because it's revolting to have someone treating you an anti-Semite, a salafist, imagine it happens to you." (SOUNDBITE) (French) CENTRE-RIGHT PRIMARY CANDIDATE, ALAIN JUPPE, SAYING: JUPPE: "No I have no regrets, it's a beautiful campaign, I exposed my ideas and it's going to work. We have messages but let's wait for tonight." REPORTER: "Is defeat an option?" JUPPE: "Always, but victory too." REPORTER: "Is that victory still possible?" JUPPE: "Of course." JUPPE ENTERING CAR/CAR LEAVING
  • Embargoed: 12th December 2016 10:02
  • Keywords: Francois Fillon Alain Juppe presidential primary Les Republicains conservative right-wing centrist
  • Location: BORDEAUX, FRANCE
  • City: BORDEAUX, FRANCE
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
  • Reuters ID: LVA0015A7XKCN
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: France's former Prime Minister Alain Juppe cast his vote on Sunday (November 27) as he went head-to-head in the run-off vote for France's centre-right presidential nomination, with the winner likely to face a showdown against a resurgent far-right in next year's election.
    Opinion polls show his opponent Francois Fillon, a social conservative with a deep attachment to his Catholic roots, going into the race as the clear favourite after stunning his centrist challenger with a massive surge in support just before the Nov. 20 first round.
    Scrambling to regain momentum, Juppe, 71, a soft-mannered moderate who is currently mayor of Bordeaux, has attacked the "brutality" of his rival's reform programme.
    "My mood is good because I have just read the article by Jean-Claude Guillebaud in Sud-Ouest (South West France regional daily newspaper) and it was heart-warming to have someone condemning this absolutely disgusting campaign as I qualified it which has done me so much harm so all is good," said Juppe, referring to an article published on Sunday in a local newspaper accusing the Fillon side of having conducted a slanderous campaign against Juppe.
    Many French citizens view Sunday's Les Republicains primary contest as a proxy for next spring's presidential election.
    Pollsters say the winner will be favourite to enter the Elysee palace, with the ruling Socialists in turmoil and the anti-establishment National Front historically disadvantaged by France's two-round system.
    Juppe, who has focused his attacks on Fillon's proposals to cut public sector jobs and end the 35-hour week, bills himself as the best-placed Les Republicains candidate to defeat the far-right leader Marine Le Pen next spring.
    Asked whether he thought a victory was still possible, the city of Bordeaux mayor Juppe replied "Of course".
    Voting opened at more than 10,000 polling stations across France at 8 a.m. (0700 GMT) and closes at 7 p.m. (1800 GMT).
    The first results may emerge within an hour and a half of polls closing.
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