As an American living in the southwest of France, always reported as traditionally left (? I know lots of Americans at heart-although most would cringe because we the people are portrayed as psycho gun toting cowboys aka old wild west) anyway back to subject, in my little village, most people voted for Bayrou because he was a small step towards what Sarkozy proposes but not too radical!
The French are very cautious by nature and only “swing-out, full-scale” when they are sure to flash full colors is safe, think about it, in a country where it’s been not ok to be outside main stream politcal thought (ie death or exile), you learn to be cautious if you don’t agree. Since Mitterand, anyone who felt HE was wrong was exiled, and DeGaulle, same thing, both men revered as saints of FRANCE!
Go back to the Protestant reformations, France swung all over the place, and still the favorite king is Henri the 4th who switched parties (well?beliefs) to be king…
