France's presidential elections and the 500 signatures rule - transparent or undemocratic?

It surely can't have escaped your notice that there are presidential elections here in France this year.

Well that's unless you don't watch French telly, listen to the radio or read the newspapers.

Perhaps one of the decidedly weird, and in the eyes of some, not-so-wonderful quirks of the country's political system is the way potential candidates qualify for the ballot.

In short (and of course as this is France, it's much more complicated than at first appears) they have to collect at least 500 signatures from the country's 47,000-odd elected representatives and submit them for validation to the Constitutional Council by March 16.

The pool of potential signatories includes the country's 37,000 or so mayors, parliamentarians - be they national or those representing France at the European level - as well as general and regional councillors.

Anyone failing to get enough support will not be allowed to stand.

The task of collecting those signatures isn't an issue for the two main parties as they crank up their campaigning machines fully prepared to slug it out in the first and probably second rounds.

But for the so-called "smaller" parties, it's a problem as the lists of officials who sign are made public (they have been since 1976) and, if you believe Marine Le Pen, that appears to present a particular for her far-right Front National.

The Constitutional Council has just rejected Le Pen's request that the list of signatures remain "anonymous" on the grounds that publishing the them ensures transparency of the acts of what are, after all, elected officials.

All of which means that with only 430 "promised" signatures so far, Le Pen could find herself "going down to the wire" just as her father Jean-Marie did in the last presidential elections in 2007 when he just managed 507 signatures.

Or she might fail to meet the required numbers altogether.

Now you might not agree with her politics but, if opinion polls are to be believed, there's no denying that Le Pen has some support among the French electorate; a fact she is often to be heard drumming home in the French media which seems to have decided that she is a credible candidate.

So should she be prevented from standing because of a law that some (and not just Le Pen) claim is undemocratic, weighted against smaller parties and encourages strong-arm tactics from the Big Two?

After all, with just a couple of weeks to go before that March 16 deadline, five of the other declared candidates still fall short of the 500 signatures required, among them former prime minister Dominique de Villepin and Frédéric Nihous, the leader of the Chasse, pêche, nature et traditions (Hunting, Fishing, Nature, Traditions party, CPNT) party.

Earlier this month François Bayrou, the leader of the centrist party Mouvement démocrate (Demoncratic Movement, MoDem) and himself a presidential candidate, suggested that the larger parties, including his, ensure Le Pen's name appear on the ballot by encouraging their elected officials to "sponsor" her, if needs be.

It was an idea not just rejected by the governing centre-right Union pour un Mouvement Populaire (Union for a Popular Movement, UMP) and opposition Socialist party but also Le Pen.

So - and this of course is completely hypothetical - if you were a mayor or an elected representative in France, would you sign Le Pen's list just so that she could stand?

1 member likes this

Add a Comment

You need to be a member of SURVIVE FRANCE NETWORK to add comments!

Join SURVIVE FRANCE NETWORK

Comment by Christina Bernier on February 27, 2012 at 14:35: ...And when will I be allowed to vote in a general election - especially in the country where I work and pay taxes and live now for over 8 years?

Wasn't there a revolution started by the no taxation without representation?

Unfortunately, the discussion over foreigners' votes in France got overtaken by the question of non-Europeans being able to vote...I cannot vote in any country which surely can't be right if I can live work and pay taxes in Europe - minimum residency should apply but when will this question be addressed?

Sorry, perhaps this should be another discussion thread...

Comment by Christina Bernier on February 27, 2012 at 14:30: A bizarre notion to ask elected representatives to support candidates from other partys - I still don't quite understand the principle behind it - how does it work in other countries? Don't they need signatures of actual voters to stand which I suppose is more democratic?

Though I am adamantly against LePen and the far right - and what foreigner in this fine land wouldn't be!!!!!...I am really not sure whether I am against this or not as in reality (though not if you read the French press) this doesn't just affect the FN but other small partys as well. Does seem undemocratic to resist the formation for these smaller parties but then again if they had support from the people surely the Mayors would take account of that - do they get petitioned by their own constituents to sign petitions?

And hey, if it keeps the far right from being in an election....

Comment by Andy McNee on February 23, 2012 at 18:22: No I wouldn't sign under any circumstances what's not democratic about the system it's the same rules for everyone only the FN seem to have problems getting 500 mayors to stand up and be counted.

Comment by Clare Smith on February 23, 2012 at 9:41: Well said Mark.

Comment by Mark Lewis on February 23, 2012 at 9:32: I think its unfortunate that we even have to talk about the far right. While France does have some modernising to do, it should just get on with centre politics without being wishy washy. The left needs to make a comeback and is I hope set to do so with Messr Hollande. Shame about the Postman!

I sometimes hear myself advocating Thatcher which is surprising, particularly in labour market flexibility which Sarkozy tried to solve but went about it all the wrong way way with the CNE / CDI debate and just got people's backs up.

Comment by Clare Smith on February 23, 2012 at 8:54: Well said Shirley. Although I do care about who gets in and how it will affect expats. As for Le Pen, I know more about her father than her. If I listen to my French friends they say that the media shows that she has a softer side than her father but, this is just a media front and this would not be the case if she got in to power. As I say I don't know much about her. As for Sarkozy, one of the biggest mistakes her has made is craving the limelight like a famous pop star but he is not all bad and at least he is trying to bring France in to the 21st century, even though it is kicking and screaming about it. Obviously a lot of us came here because it is like the UK was 50 years ago, but, I do not know in a competitive world how France will go the long haul if they don't budge a little. As for the signatures that Le Pen has tried to keep anonymous. I would question, what has she or any person on that list got to hide? The fear of potentially deemed racist? like her father.

Comment by Shirley Morgan on February 23, 2012 at 2:13: ....actually, unless nationalised, isn't this all rather academic because none of us can vote!!

Comment by Shirley Morgan on February 23, 2012 at 2:11: I'm registered here to vote in Local and European elections. As living in sud de france, don't think Sarkozy has much chance down here with the electorate though!!

Comment by Shirley Morgan on February 23, 2012 at 2:08: I think I'll go and ask my maire who he is supporting!!!!

Comment by Manny Sena on February 22, 2012 at 22:46: Democracy? What's that? Le Pen (the father) was brought into the picture by F Mitterrand as a way to "bouffé la droite", and LP received dubious funds from folks beyond French borders. Well, the irony is that LP ate part of the "left". Also, when you consider the fact that most of those guys come out of the same school.... it makes you wonder. As an old French friend used to say: 'they change parties as fast as T-shirts"