Ten candidates for the Élysée
Environmentalist misses out on 500 signatures after checks by Conseil Constitutionnel to pare down final list
TEN candidates will battle the first round of the presidential election on April 22 after Corinne Lepage, of environmental party CAP21, failed to get the required 500 signatures of support.
After checks by the Conseil Constitutionnel the final list of Élysée hopefuls is: Eva Joly, Marine Le Pen, Nicolas Sarkozy, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, Philippe Poutou, Nathalie Arthaud, Jacques Cheminade, François Bayrou, Nicolas Dupont-Aignan and François Hollande.
The names were drawn by lot in this order by the Conseil Constitutionnel and this is the order that their posters will appear on the public display boards round the country.
Nine of the candidates represent "traditional" parties: Nicolas Sarkozy (UMP); François Hollande (PS); Marine Le Pen (FN); François Bayrou (MoDem); Jean-Luc Mélenchon (Front de gauche); Eva Joly (EELV); Nicolas Dupont-Aignan (Debout la République); Nathalie Arthaud (Lutte ouvrière), and Philippe Poutou (Nouveau Parti anticapitaliste).
However, surprise 10th candidate Jacques Cheminade represents no party and defines himself as a "gaulliste de gauche".
From today until April 8 the candidates will get equal speech time on radio and television - with the second-by-second counting being done by the Conseil SAupérieur de l’Audiovisuel.
Since January, the stations have been allotting time to candidates and their supporters depending on their standing and support but that changes today with strict equality by law. However, the broadcasters have their own tactics for getting round the rules - with a broadcast at for Cheminade at one o'clock in the morning counting the same as one for Sarkozy at prime-time.
However, after April 8 the rules change again and the candidates must get equal time and prominence.
