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French rivals hold final rallies French rivals hold final rallies
(about 5 hours later)
The two candidates in France's presidential election are holding their final rallies before Sunday's vote. The two candidates in France's presidential election have held their final campaign rallies before Sunday's run-off vote.
Conservative frontrunner Nicolas Sarkozy is in Montpellier, in the south, while Socialist Segolene Royal is in Lille, northern France. The rallies, at opposition ends of the country, attracted thousands of people.
Both candidates claimed victory in Wednesday's fiery televised debate, their only face-off ahead of the second-round run-off election. Conservative Nicolas Sarkozy, in the southern city of Montpellier, promised to unity the nation, re-invigorate the economy and restore full employment.
Socialist Segolene Royal, in the northern city of Lille, called for help to build a new France.
Frontrunner Mr Sarkozy, from the ruling UMP party, addressed about 15,000 supporters who braved driving rain and storms to attend his rally in Montpellier.
He spoke of his love for France, saying he had come to think of the country almost as a person.
He appealed for help to "create the conditions for a French rebirth", saying the nation had two days for "a new energy to rise out of the country's depths".
Mr Sarkozy, 52, also addressed his most controversial previous statements, saying he did not regret using the word "rabble" to describe delinquents from Paris' poorest suburbs, nor did he regret speaking about cleaning housing estates "with a pressure hose".
Did the televised debate sway many French voters?In pictures
Ms Royal, 53, was greeted by 25,000 supporters under sunny skies in France's traditional socialist heartland of Lille.
She urged voters to make the "audacious choice" to elect her France's first woman president.
She too called for a French rebirth, but said she offered a safe choice for those wanting "a protecting France, a fraternal France, a competitive France".
"We do not want to appeal to people's dark side, but to the light and hope inside them," she said.
But these rallies may not make much difference, says the BBC's Caroline Wyatt in Montpellier, because 90% of voters have already made up their minds.
Race to the centre
Both candidates claimed victory in a fiery TV debate on Wednesday evening, their only face-off ahead of Sunday's run-off election.
They clashed over employment, the economy and law and order.They clashed over employment, the economy and law and order.
You can never go too much on the offensive when it comes to defending convictions and values Segolene Royal class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/6617835.stm">TV debate: Excerpts class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/6357899.stm">Rivals' policies examined Centrist leader Francois Bayrou has said he will not vote for Mr Sarkozy, without saying how he will vote. The debate was watched by an estimated 23 million people, about half of the electorate, but neither candidate was thought to have landed a decisive blow, analysts say.
Mr Sarkozy and Ms Royal are both vying for votes from the 18% of voters who backed Mr Bayrou in the first round of the election. name="goback"> According to an opinion poll published on Thursday, 53% of voters found Mr Sarkozy more convincing than Ms Royal who scored 31%.
Votes 'decided'
Mr Sarkozy braved driving rain and storms to start his rally in Montpellier, while Ms Royal was greeted by sunny skies in France's traditional socialist heartland of Lille.
But what the candidates say in their final appeals may not make much difference, says the BBC's Caroline Wyatt in Montpellier, because 90% of voters have already made up their minds.
Did the televised debate sway many French voters?In pictures The television debate was watched by an estimated 23 million people, about half of the electorate, but neither candidate was thought to have landed a decisive blow, analysts say.
"I don't think either managed to convince the other camp. Both spoke to their own electorate," said Anita Hausser, political commentator for LCI TV.
According to an opinion poll published on Thursday, 53% of voters found Mr Sarkozy more convincing than Ms Royal who scored 31%.
The Opinionway poll, which was conducted after the debate on Wednesday night, was based on the views of some 900 internet users who watched it.
See the candidates' poll ratingsSee the candidates' poll ratings
The Opinionway poll, which was conducted after the debate on Wednesday night, was based on the views of some 900 internet users who watched it.
Mr Sarkozy and Ms Royal are vying for votes from the 18% of voters who backed centrist Francois Bayrou in the first round of the election.
Mr Bayrou, who has been strongly critical of Mr Sarkozy, said in an interview with Le Monde newspaper following Wednesday's debate: "I will not vote for Sarkozy."Mr Bayrou, who has been strongly critical of Mr Sarkozy, said in an interview with Le Monde newspaper following Wednesday's debate: "I will not vote for Sarkozy."
He added that the conservative candidate "could further rip France's social fabric apart", but that he thought Ms Royal had "done rather well" in the debate. He said the conservative candidate "could further rip France's social fabric apart", but did not say whether he would back the socialist challenger or abstain.
He did not say whether he would back the socialist challenger or abstain, adding he would be unlikely to make a statement before the second round.
Heated debate
Mr Sarkozy has said he thought the debate was dignified, though he found Ms Royal too combative.
Ms Royal defended her tough style, saying: "You can never go too much on the offensive when it comes to defending convictions and values."
During the debate, Ms Royal criticised Mr Sarkozy's record in government, particularly on crime and security - his traditional forte.
The former interior minister said figures showed violent crime had fallen.
The most heated exchange came during the second half of the debate as the contenders discussed school places for children with disabilities.
Ms Royal accused Mr Sarkozy of "political immorality" for dismantling socialist measures on the issue.
Mr Sarkozy attacked his opponent for losing her temper - a criticism often levelled at Mr Sarkozy.
The rivals also clashed over public sector reform and employment. Mr Sarkozy said the 35-hour week, which was brought in by the socialists, had been a disaster for the economy and France needed to work more.
Mr Sarkozy won 31.2% of the votes and Ms Royal won 25.9% in the first round of the election on 22 April. Mr Sarkozy won 31.2% of the votes and Ms Royal won 25.9% in the first round of the election on 22 April.
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