h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This is an introduction for tomorrow's journal posting, which will be an introduction for the day after tomorrow's posting.

The French presidential election (under the present constitution) happens in two rounds.

Whoever wants to be a candidate must collect 500 signatures from elected officials for their candidature to be validated.
(So I probably wouldn't manage it, as those elected officials will generally support either the head of the party they are affiliated to, or the head of *a* party).

Then, the first round can take place : voters choose among all the people who have those 500 signatures.
If one of them receives over 50% of the valid votes, they are elected.
That has never happened so far.

So, there is a second round two weeks later, with only the candidates with the two highest scores.
Obviously, one of them is bound to get over 50% of the valid votes, thus becoming the next President.

The second round is always between the leaders of the two major parties: moderate right-wing against moderate left-wing.

On voting nights, the main tv channels have special election programmes, with officials of all the parties invited, so that they can react directly.

Jacques Chirac was elected President in 1995, for seven years.
In 2000, there was a referendum that changed the presidential term from seven to five years.
So 2002 was the first election where that was applied.


To be continued.

[Amy P]

I always had this view of French politics as being all about people building barricades in the streets, waving tattered flags and guillotining the rich.

Maybe I watch too many musicals.

Deb

You can't watch too many musicals. That's like eating too muh chocolate. Impossible.

too *much* chocolate.

Part two of the story is available here : F8387085?thread=8306024

Part three is now available!
F8387085?thread=8306059