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Now, a fight for Bayrou's voters in France

Vaiju Naravane

Paris: The fight for the soul of centrist candidate Francois Bayrou's 6.8 million electors got well and truly under way on Tuesday with socialist candidate Segolene Royal extending a hand to Mr. Bayrou.

Conservative candidate Nicolas Sarkozy preferred confrontation to conciliation, threatening to field candidates in every single constituency in the legislative elections to follow unless the centrist endorsed him for President.

In the past there has always been agreement on seat adjustment between Mr. Sarkozy's UMP and Mr. Bayrou's UDF party.

Mr. Sarkozy scored a little over 31 per cent of the vote in the Sunday first round while Ms. Royal came second with nearly 26 per cent, eliminating 10 other candidates. Mr. Bayrou came third with 18.5 per cent and today finds himself in the position of kingmaker.

The two finalists are to face each other in a televised debate on May 2, just four days before the run-off on May 6. Mr. Bayrou is expected to hold a press conference on Wednesday in which he will announce his intentions for the second round.

Aide defects

At a rally on Monday night, Mr. Sarkozy pulled out a new dagger to plunge into the socialist camp in the form of Ms. Royal's former economic adviser. Eric Besson had quit Ms. Royal's entourage after a severe personal falling out with her. He then wrote a vitriolic bestseller trashing the socialist candidate, calling her "a glory-hunting populist" and warning that "France will be on a dangerous slope" if she were elected President.

"I am a man from the Left who will be voting Right," he told cheering crowds. He said the socialists had made plans to demonise the conservative candidate. "Why so much hate?" thundered Mr. Besson.

Socialist party members and leaders described Mr. Besson as someone who had "betrayed his family out of bitterness at feeling sidelined". Party spokesman Julien Dray said Mr. Besson had never been part of the inner team.

"That man is a rat. He may have hated Segolene Royal, that's possible. But I cannot understand how he could have crossed the floor in such a gross and vulgar manner," said socialist voter Olivia Martin. The former E.U. Commission President, Jacques Delors, on Tuesday endorsed Ms. Royal's candidacy while others in the socialist camps called for the immediate opening of talks with Mr. Bayrou.

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