Polling stations packed as France picks conservative candidate for presidential election

Record ID: 78144

  • Title: Polling stations packed as France picks conservative candidate for presidential election
  • Date: 20th November 2016
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (NOVEMBER 20, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF VOTERS QUEUING AT POLLING STATION PEOPLE SIGNING IN TO VOTE (SOUNDBITE) (French) VOTER, MARTIN, SAYING: "I voted for (former French prime minister) Francois Fillon, because overall he was way ahead in the primary debate, because his manifesto is really clear and concrete. With the problems we have today, we need a manifesto like that." PEOPLE SIGNING IN TO VOTE PERSON PAYING TWO EURO FEE REQUIRED TO VOTE INTO BOX WITH LOGO FOR PRIMARY, LABELLED (French): "OPEN PRIMARY FOR THE RIGHT AND THE CENTRE" MAN COLLECTING BALLOT PAPERS AND ENTERING BOOTH PERSON WALKING OUT OF POLLING BOOTH (SOUNDBITE) (French) VOTER, JACQUELINE, SAYING: "I found Fillon was really very good, he reassured me. He reassured me, there are perhaps things - first of all, he is 62 years old, I'm not going to say (alternative candidate former French prime minister Alain) Juppe is older, as he is younger than me, but he (Fillon) reassured me. He knew how to be composed, he was calm, he answered well. But you shouldn't annoy him as we saw in the third (TV) debate, it was good - the journalists were really terrible. So he knew how to answer, and he's a good-looking man." VOTERS WALKING OUT OF POLLING BOOTHS VOTE BEING CAST VOTER (SOUNDBITE) (French) VOTER, NATHALIE, SAYING: "He (Fillon) is a good compromise, against Sarkozy, because Sarkozy has little chance to make it through to the second round, less chance to make it through. He's had his time. And Juppe is too old, so between the two of them, he's (Fillon) the one that has had the strongest manifesto since the beginning, and I've been behind him since the beginning." VOTERS CASTING VOTES VOTES IN BALLOT BOX (SOUNDBITE) (French) VOTER, FRANCOISE, SAYING: "I voted for Juppe, to block (far-right National Front leader) Marine Le Pen." VOTER CASTING VOTE VOTES IN BALLOT BOX (SOUNDBITE) (French) VOTER, ANNE, SAYING: "The elections in the United States were a very big shock for me. I lived in the United States, I wasn't expecting that at all. I respect the democratic vote of the American people, but it pushed me to vote today because I think what's happening is very serious, there's a lot of uncertainty. In my country I want democratic values to be respected." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE QUEUING TO VOTE EXTERIOR OF TOWN HALL IN PARIS' SEVENTH DISTRICT
  • Embargoed: 5th December 2016 11:58
  • Keywords: primary presidential election voting France
  • Location: PARIS, FRANCE
  • City: PARIS, FRANCE
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
  • Reuters ID: LVA001598ZPL3
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: French polling stations were packed on Sunday (November 20) as voters flocked to the first round of a primary race to pick the country's conservative presidential hopeful.
    At the town hall in Paris' seventh district, there was a non-stop flow of people and 20-minute-long queues for people wanting to cast their votes.
    Former prime minister Alain Juppe, a moderate conservative, had appeared firmly on track to win, but over the past week the contest has been transformed into a nail-biting three-horse race between him, former French president Nicolas Sarkozy and another former premier, Francois Fillon.
    Fillon promises to do away with the 35-hour working week, cut half a million public sector jobs and slash the cost of government - tough sells in a country where proposals for market-oriented reform often arouse protests.
    "I voted for Francois Fillon, because overall he was way ahead in the primary debate, because his manifesto is really clear and concrete. With the problems we have today, we need a manifesto like that," voter Martin told Reuters Television.
    Another voter, Nathalie, said Fillon was a good compromise between Sarkozy and Bordeaux mayor Juppe, describing the latter as "too old".
    With the French left in disarray under the deeply unpopular President Francois Hollande, opinion polls suggest that the centre-right presidential nominee will meet and defeat the National Front's eurosceptic, anti-immigration leader Marine Le Pen in a runoff for the Elysee palace next year.
    Voter Francoise said she had cast her vote for Juppe in order to to block Le Pen.
    After Britain's shock "Brexit" vote and Donald Trump's surprise U.S. election win, the French presidential vote is shaping up to be another test of strength between weakened mainstream parties and rising populist forces.
    "The elections in the United States were a very big shock for me. I lived in the United States, I wasn't expecting that at all. I respect the democratic vote of the American people, but it pushed me to vote today because I think what's happening is very serious, there's a lot of uncertainty. In my country I want democratic values to be respected," voter Anne said.
    The primary's second round between the two top-placed candidates will take place on November 27.
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