On a lighter note, the French news website Rue89 has analysed the election campaign posters of six candidates to discover what they are really trying to say.
François Hollande is pictured staring directly at the camera in a classic "serious and austere" shot, which Rue89 says reminds them of passports and school photos.
The message: I am straight, I am an executive, I am serious, I am believable … I'm posing as president."
Nicolas Sarkozy, staring into distance, lightly smiling (or smirking), for some inexplicable reason has the sea as a background. The message: France has to be strong like I am. The worst has passed … and I should know … I'm the president.
Marine Le Pen: Lady Diana pose, coquettish at the same time "maternal and childlike, seductive and defiant", says Rue 89. The message: "I'm here, I'm maternal, I'm pretty (therefore I'm not the devil), I'm looking at you, I am what I am and I say what I say."
François Bayrou: smiling, looking away from camera, unposed, Richard Gere-ish. The message: With me, nothing can stand in the way. We'll attack the problems together … but we'll keep smiling.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the occasionally grumpy Front Gauche (and Communist) candidate, is pictured in a classic chin-up portrait on red background, reminiscent of Soviet posters of Lenin. The message: Grab power … then give it to me."
Eva Joly, the Green party candidate: simple natural portrait, glasses in hand. The message: Choose me and you're choosing ecology … but not much else.
Take a look: Would you buy a used economic policy from any of them?
