French voters flock to the polls but election too close to call

Paris: It's well known by now the French presidential elections are critical for the country. As candidates wound up their campaigns with a final push on Friday, including volunteers handing out flyers at most metro station exits, the real debates were taking place that evening.

At last mention in the media, 16 million voters had not made up their mind on whom to vote for. With 12 candidates in the running, it is not a lack of choice that is the problem, but as the receptionist at our hotel Paul Henri says: "It is a lack of clarity and consistency."

Henri will "most probably vote for Bayrou," as he is not "entirely happy with the right or the left". And that is precisely what many French voters seem to be saying. Although most polls give Nicolas Sarkozy a clear lead, the real battle seems to be for second place, with dark horse centrist candidate Francois Bayrou featuring as an either-or option for many. However, Bayrou's lack of a strong party backing is a cause of concern.

Personalities

There is an overall sense of disappointment at the choice of candidates available. Our taxi driver from the airport to the hotel, originally from Cambodia, seemed to be of the opinion the election was more about personalities and not policies. "I know more about how they operate than what they promise to do," he said.

Fears of losing their high-quality of life with less working hours and holidays exist along with the concern of France losing its competitiveness on the global stage.

"It's a tricky balance to have both and not one candidate has convinced me that they can find it. I don't know who to vote for because I don't like any of them," says Mathilde Verdain, a bank employee.

Although there is a perception that Sarkozy is the "right" person to inject a dose of capitalism within their economy, Karim Awad is unsure if the people are ready for such non-socialist changes.

"Students' protests to a new employment law last year wasn't encouraging," he said. "I thought about Sarkozy, but he is also dangerous for the country on other issues."

And what of the potential first woman president? There seems to be candid admissions that Segolene Royal is a creation of the media. There is nothing to suggest that France is not ready for a woman president. But the main question, posed by freelance journalist Thomas Leclerc, is: "Is France ready for Segolene?"

Analysts say the months of campaigning by Sarkozy, Royal, Bayrou, Jean-Marie Le Pen of the far-right National Front, and their rival Trotskyist, ecologist and nationalist candidates has left the public more confused than decisive. There is also a greater awareness of tactical voting.

Tactics

There has been much talk of some left wingers voting for Bayrou instead of Royal in a bid to have a better chance of stopping Sarkozy in the second round. Could a protest vote for ecologist Dominique Voynet in the first round help Le Pen reach the runoff again?

Jerome Perani, a 37-year-old marketing executive for a Paris technology firm who voted Socialist in 2002, said he was considering voting for Bayrou this time as a "purely tactical choice - almost like game theory."