FRANCE: Supporters of President Nicolas Sarkozy turn out en masse at a major May Day rally in front of the Eiffel Tower to cheer on their candidate ahead of this weekend's presidential election (RTV)

Record ID: 859405

  • Title: FRANCE: Supporters of President Nicolas Sarkozy turn out en masse at a major May Day rally in front of the Eiffel Tower to cheer on their candidate ahead of this weekend's presidential election (RTV)
  • Date: 2nd May 2012
  • Summary: SUPPORTERS CLAPPING
  • Embargoed: 17th May 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France
  • City:
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA13DC4NHXQQJQBDI4QORCGFNFM
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  • Story Text: Huge crowds of supporters turned out in the May Day sunshine on Tuesday (May 1) to cheer beleaguered presidential candidate Nicolas Sarkozy to victory in Sunday's final run-off with Francois Hollande.
    According to the President, 200,000 people turned out to support him, although he still lags behind his Socialist rival in the polls by between 6 and 10 points.
    May Day is traditionally reserved for workers' demonstrations but this year it falls only days from the final ballot and unions have accused Sarkozy's camp of hijacking the celebrations for political gain.
    But people in the crowd were enthusiastic about using their bank holiday to turn out in support of the conservative candidate.
    Sarkozy supporter Phillipe Torre said he was there "To support Nicolas Sarkozy for Sunday, with our family, with our friends, for the French."
    Some were motivated by concern for France's ailing economy, and the threat of markets which could respond badly to a Socialist victory.
    "I have never demonstrated, but this time, I told myself we have to demonstrate to show our support for the economy and so that there is a new enthusiasm.... otherwise, I think with Hollande, France will go down a bit more and we're not very high at the moment. And a strong Europe is needed," supporter Isabelle Budd told Reuters Television.
    Sarkozy has been engulfed by a tide of unpopularity over the last few months and Sarkozy supporter Olivier Guillaumin fears the French may be walking into an Hollande presidency without thinking of the what it would really mean.
    "The French may not realise what they're going into with Francois Hollande. And they're very keen on criticizing what they have and they're ready to jump into uncertainty but nothing is sure until the end," he said.
    The rally was held on the eve of Sarkozy's only face-to-face televised debate with Hollande, scheduled to be broadcast live on Wednesday evening.
    Current polls are widely predicting a Socialist victory in Sunday's election.
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