TURKIYE- Columnist Yilmaz Oztuna comments on the recent presidential elections in France. A summary of his column is as follows:
Jacques Chirac was elected President of France for the second time in seven years, this time with a record winning vote of 82%. He is 70 years old now, and will be 77 when his completes his term in 2009. Chirac will be remembered as one of the most brilliant politicians of his era in French history. He became a parliamentary deputy at the age of 35, a Cabinet minister at 39, and prime minister at 42. He also served as mayor of Paris for a decade.
However, elections to be held one month from now may cause him some trouble. During the second round of presidential elections last Sunday, his rival Jean-Marie le Pen received 18% of the votes. In other words, 6 million French voted for right-wing extremist Le Pen. But as the election system is two-round, le Pen’s party might not be represented in Parliament in June. It is highly probably that Parliament’s deputies will be from the center-right and left as well as the far left. Chirac may have to appoint a socialist prime minister like Jospin, who left the political arena at the beginning of this week. The majority of leftists in Parliament may cause trouble through friction with the president of the Fifth Republic, who enjoys great authority. However, a majority of rightists is also a high probability.
In my opinion, the Fifth Republic will end with Chirac, heralding in the Sixth Republic with a recovery of principles from the Fourth Republic: a representative president and fully parliamentarian European democracy.
In Turkey, True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller seems to greatly favor a two-round election system. She thinks that the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and her DYP will get to the second round. Leftist parties, which probably will not be able to proceed to the second round, will have to support the DYP, as they have no other choice. And Ciller will come to power with great support. Coming to power with votes totaling 15% seems a distinct possibility. If you don’t believe that, check Chirac’s percentage in the first round.

SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION