Election day

Four years ago I was sitting infront of my TV with my family. I had the outline of the U.S infront of me and two colored pencils, red and blue. We were watching the Presidential elections. As the votes came in, I colored in the states accordingly.

Four years later, I'm witnessing the elections in France, not with colored pencils, but wine and apperatifs.

The French presidential elections work very differently than in the U.S. Yesterday there were ten candidates and today there are two. Nicholas Sarkozy said that he was eager to get to this stage of the election because now he has one opposer to beat, as opposed to nine!

Over dinner the other night, my host sister, who is taking part in her first presidential election, opened a big yellow envelope. Inside were ten pamphlets, campaigning for each candidate. Every registered voter got these magazine type ads in an effort to increase awareness and inform voters equally on each candidate.

To get your name on the ballot, you must get 500 signatures from elected representatives. In this election there was Sarkozy, Holland, Le pen, Bayrou, Melenchon, Eva Joly, Poutou, Dupont-Aignan, Arthaud, and Cheminade (okay, I admit, I had to look up the last three!)

There were no big surprises last night, since Sarkozy and Holland were expected to advance to the second round.
What did surprise me is that Holland got more votes than the current President. In AP NSL last year, we learned about the incumbent advantage and so I thought, naturally Sarkozy would have the lead. But in reality, the fact that he is the current President, is proving to be a disadvantage. The French people are longing for change. Last night, no one would give interviewers specific names as to who they will vote for, but unanimously insisted against the current head. They are more than ready for the sixth republic of France.
What also surprised me was Marine Le Pen's success. She did really well, coming in not far behind President Sarkozy. Scary.
I watched her speech after the results, where she beamed with pride. The words of her speech were chosen to appeal to the people in France who are suffering. She aimes to make them feel as if she is going to change their current situations. Le Pen is very popular in the region of France where I am, among factory workers and farmers. My host dad works at city hall and counted the votes for my village; as well as in the town where I go to school. Le Pen came in second behind Holland!

I posted a picture with Le Pen's poster, on my facebook.

The amount of feedback that I got came as a surprise. I've found that French youths are very interested in politics and aware of their beliefs. I have French friends from the two high schools I've attended here, who argue and debate in the comment section. I just don't see that happening between my friends in Maryland.
Also, voter turnout was impressively high for this election: 80% of registered voters cast their vote, as opposed to the 60% who voted in the U.S in 2008.



In 15 days, all those people who voted Le Pen or the other seven candidates, will choose between Holland and Sarkozy.

Election day in photos:

I went with my host mom and sister to vote. It took place in a small room in my village.

My host dad, who put all the votes in the ballot box. 

All the candidates names

My host mom taking one of each 

You then go into the curtain, and put your vote in a blue envelope. 

My host sister casting her vote!

You then sign your name to prove your presence and vote.