|
|
Article: A week ahead of presidential election, Socialist prime minister appeals to voters to cast serious ballot
- Article from:
- AP Worldstream
- Article date:
- April 14, 2002
CopyrightProvided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
|
00-00-0000
Dateline: PARIS
Socialist Prime Minister Lionel Jospin called on the French on Sunday
to vote in the presidential election a week away and not throw away
their ballots on protest votes.
Jospin was making a clear effort to cut what may be a high abstention
rate that could damage his own chances, and cut into support for upstart
candidate Arlette Laguiller, a Trotskyist teetering between third
and fourth place in the polls.
A record 16 candidates are in contention in the April 21 first round.
However, Jospin is likely to face off conservative President Jacques
Chirac in a tight race during the May 5 runoff vote, polls show.
The prime minister called on the French ...