French Connection

The upcoming U.S. Presidential elections aren't the only large stage for political rhetoric on the web. For example, after a first round of elections in France and an impressive 85% voter turnout, the field has been narrowed to two candidates who represent the bifurcation of the country between the political Left and Right. Now that the race has narrowed to Ségolène Royale and Nicholas Sarkozy. Each has an official campaign website. The website for Sarkozy includes a Sarkothèque, where logos for the candidate can be grabbed to show loyalty, along with pdf versions of Sarkozy's position papers. The website for Royal offers the Ségosphère, where prospective voters can watch Internet videos and take online quizzes about the statements of her challenger. YouTube presents both highly satirical and earnestly soulful videos about the political contenders.