1、Congressional Research Service The Library of CongressCRS Report for CongressReceived through the CRS WebOrder Code RS21216Updated June 27, 2002France: Election by Default, 2002Paul E. GallisSpecialist in European AffairsForeign Affairs, Defense, and Trade DivisionSummaryOn May 5, 2002, the French p
2、eople re-elected Jacques Chirac president, and onJune 16 gave him a center-right parliamentary majority. The tumultuous two-roundpresidential elections saw the elimination of Socialist Prime Minister Lionel Jospin inthe first round, and left the racist, extreme right candidate Jean-Marie Le Pen as C
3、hiracsopponent in the second round. Chirac won by a wide margin, but many voters, perhapsa majority, were voting against Le Pen. Chirac and Le Pen both ran on a campaign toquell “insecurity,” a euphemism for a rising crime rate. Many observers believe that themain candidates did not address Frances
4、principal problems during the campaign.A New GovernmentOn June 16, 2002, French voters elected a National Assembly that gave the center-right a majority. President Jacques Chirac named Jean-Pierre Raffarin prime minister.The parliamentary election and appointment of Raffarin ended five years of coha
