As the French go to the polls today for the first round of the Presidential elections, certain French bloggeurs are preparing to step out side of the law by publishing the names of both candidates through to the second round on the 6th of May, before 8:00 pm in France when the early exit polls are announced and some as early as 6:00 pm before all the polling stations are closed. The French legislation, in place since February 2002, states clearly that no results are to be made public before all polling stations are closed at 8:00 pm
The journalist Jean-Marc Morandini kicked off the fray saying he would announce the estimated results on his personal blog as early as 6:00 pm. According to Morandini “My only objective is to point the finger at a French farce that consists of having access to the results abroad while maintaining an embargo in France”. Mr Morandini has apparently at the last minute, remembered its rude to point especially when it can incur a possible €75, 000 fine. Although there are others that are willing to take that risk.
One thing all the journalists in France are in accordance over and that is the pervasive influence the Internet has had in the run up to the first round of these presidential elections.
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