French Poll Shows Hollande in Lead

The latest French poll, taken after last night's debate, shows that Francois Hollande has a lead over Nicolas Sarkozy, 53% to 47%.
In addition, the centrist leader, Francois Bayrou, has said that he will vote for Hollande but that he will give no instructions to his party members, most of whom are center-right by conviction. This is a very risky move for Bayrou, but we can discuss that another day.
Today, President Sarkozy gave a rousing patriotic address to 10,000 supporters in the southern French city of Toulon. His speech set out in stark terms the differences between his vision of France and the vision of Hollande - controlled immigration, careful budgets, reduction of the national debt, creation of private sector jobs, tax relief for those who work and contribute to the French economy and culture.
Hollande also spoke to a large crowd of supporters in toulouse. His vision includes adding 60,000 public sector jobs, keeping the flood gates open to both illegal and legal immigrants, local voting rights for non-citizens, taxing the very wealthy at a 75% rate, placing price controls on petroleum products and paying the difference between the controlled price and the market price with tax dollars.
The difference is real and will either keep France on a footing to continue its leadership in Europe if Sarkozy is elected, or drive the French economy into the tailspin that the 14 years of the Socialist Mitterrand government produced, which this time around would mean a lowering of the French credit rating and higher costs when the government borrows its operating funds.
Sunday we will know which direction France will take for the next five years. I only hope the French electorate thinks long and hard before taking the short term easy road offered by Francois Hollande and his Socialist allies in the big labor unions.