Expatriates still queuing as poll closes

FRANCE:If the French expatriates gathered in Frazers pub in O'Connell Street, Dublin, had their way, Ségolène Royal would already be French president.

As she appeared on French television to acknowledge her progression into the final round of voting in the presidential election, cheers broke out among the largely twentysomethings gathered inside.

Her speech was listened to in complete silence, punctuated by the odd clap.

In contrast, there was muted jeers for her rival Nicolas Sarkozy whose supporters were thin on the ground in the packed confines of the pub where almost 400 people watched the election result unfold in an upstairs room.

"I think the French in Ireland are different. We are working in the arts and studying here. I think we are more inclined to vote for somebody like Ségolène Royal.

We are more liberal," said 19-year-old Jessica Bocage from Paris. Naveen Etieen, who wore a French football shirt, was impressed with neither candidate, but as the son of emigrants from the former French colony of Pondichéry in India, he has reason, he believes, to fear the election of Sarkozy more.

"I don't agree with what he said about emigration," he said. "I don't like the girl either. She doesn't have enough courage. I'm more against this guy, than for the woman."

France has 850,000 emigrants worldwide and the interest in this election was reflected in a doubling of turnout among registered voters in Dublin and in Cork.

Such was the turnout in Dublin that 400 people were still queuing when the poll officially closed at 6pm. The French authorities allowed those who were already in the queue to cast their vote.

Hélene Conway, who was elected by the French community here to represent their views in Paris, said many voters who stayed at home in 2002 when Jean Marie Le Pen made it into the second round were galvanised to vote this time.

"Remember it was expatriates who decided the Italian election. The last time, if 200,000 more French people living abroad had voted for Lionel Jospin, he would have made it into the second round."

Although the majority of those gathered in Frazers pub may have been Royal supporters, support among the expatriates who voted was not as overwhelming.

Of the 1,416 who voted in Dublin, Ms Royal received 465 votes with the centrist candidate François Bayrou finishing just behind with 401 votes and Mr Sarkozy finishing third on 395.

An almost identical pattern of voting occurred among the 170 people in Cork who cast their vote.