Preliminary returns show these percentages for each of the 12 presidential candidates, in the French election of April 22:
1. Union for a Popular Movement 30.46%
2. Socialist Party 24.41%
3. Union for French Democracy 18.8%
4. National Front 11.1%
5. Revolutionary Communist League 4.3%
6. Movement for France 2.5%
7. Communist Party 2.0%
8. Green Party 1.6%
9. Workers’ Struggle 1.5%
10. Jose Bove (independent anti-globalization) 1.3%
11. Hunting, Fishing, Nature & Traditions 1.2%
12. Workers’ Party .3%
Thanks to Jack Ross for this data.
Just curious, if anyone knows:
1. Which of the 12 French parties is a rough analogue to the U.S. Democratic Party, which for Republican, and for Libertarian, if any?
2. What is the requirement to “get on the ballot” in France?
k.
Presidential candidates get on the ballot in France with a petition signed by 500 mayors.
Vaguely, one could say that the Union for a Popular Movement is analogous to the U.S. Republican Party, and that the Socialist Party is somewhat analogous to the U.S. Democratic Party. The Union for a French Democracy might be considered analogous to Unity08 or the Reform Party, since it bills itself as centrist.
The Movement for France is a Catholic Traditionalist Party.
The National Front is somewhat like Congressman Tancredo.
Independent candidate Jose Bove might be considered somewhat like Ralph Nader.
As far as formal international affiliations go, the Union for the Popular Movement is aligned with the U.S. Republicans, the Union for French Democracy with the U.S. Democrats, the Socialist Party with the Democratic Socialists of America (a pressure group within the Democrats), and the Greens with the Greens. The Revolutionary Communist League and Workers’ Struggle also have small U.S. partners.
Now that you mention it, it never even occurred to me, there was a Liberal Democratic Party that got 3% in 2002 but didn’t appear this time that would be analagous to the LP.