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Sego warns of violence if Sarko wins
France risks violence and brutality if right-winger Nicolas Sarkozy wins Sunday's presidential election, his Socialist opponent Segolene Royal said on Friday.
On the last day of official campaigning, opinion polls showed Sarkozy enjoyed a commanding lead over Royal, who accused the former interior minister of lying and polarizing France.
On the last day of official campaigning, opinion polls showed Sarkozy enjoyed a commanding lead over Royal, who accused the former interior minister of lying and polarizing France. "Choosing Nicolas Sarkozy would be a dangerous choice," Royal told RTL radio. "It is my responsibility today to alert people to the risk of (his) candidature with regards to the violence and brutality that would be unleashed in the country (if he won)," she said.

Pressed on whether there would actually be violence, Royal said: "I think so, I think so," referring specifically to France's volatile suburbs hit by widespread rioting in 2005.

A relaxed Sarkozy laughed off her comments.
"She's not in a good mood this morning. It must be the opinion polls."
"She's not in a good mood this morning. It must be the opinion polls," he told Europe 1 radio.

Royal went on the offensive during a fiery television debate between the two on Wednesday night when Sarkozy, portrayed as ruthlessly ambitious by his opponents, questioned whether she was calm enough to become France's first woman president. Sarkozy's performance buttressed his lead in the polls and a TNS Sofres survey published on Friday showed him at 54.5 percent, compared to 45.5 percent for the Socialist. An IPSOS poll, the last of the campaign, put him even further ahead on 55 percent to Royal's 45. "It is hard to imagine the trend being reversed," TNS Sofres deputy head Brice Teinturier told a news conference.

British bookmaker William Hill said bets on the election had been pouring in, with big money going on Sarkozy; one man had put 18,900 pounds ($37,660) on him winning the presidency.
Posted by: Fred 2007-05-05
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=187591