(6 Mar 2007)
1. Pan top shot inside annual agricultural fair
2. French presidential candidate, Francois Bayrou surrounded by crowd arriving and shaking hands to people
3. Close-up of Bayrou
4. Mid of Bayrou shaking hands with people
5. Various of Bayrou posing next to cow and talking to farmer
6. Mid shot of cow
7. Bayrou at meat stand talking to butchers
8. SOUNDBITE: (French) Francois Bayrou, presidential candidate
"It is a movement decided by the French people. It is their choice. They have had enough of this perpetual war between the UMP (right-wing) and the Socialist Party and they want a new path, a new political choice. I think they also want a new president. So they decided to say it and each time it's a step forward. When we pass ten (ten per cent in the polls) it is a step, when we pass 15 (15 per cent in the polls) it's another step, 20 (20 per cent in the polls) another step. And afterwards the movement will continue until the first and the second round of the presidential election."
9. Mid shot of cows
10. Various of Bayrou visiting the agricultural fair
11. Close-up of meat being sliced, pan to Bayrou drinking cup of coffee
12. SOUNDBITE: (French) Francois Bayrou, presidential candidate
"The French people, contrary to the journalists, the political analysts and the polls, have understood for a long time that the confrontation between the Socialist Party and the UMP (right) that has been lasting for 25 years - that this confrontation will not bring them anything good. So therefore they are looking for a new political way."
13. Crowd watching Bayrou
14. Bayrou walking through crowd
15. SOUNDBITE: (French) voxpop
"I have always admired him. I admire him today. And I will always admire him even if he is not president (of the republic)."
16. SOUNDBITE: (French) voxpop
"He is not credible, he won't be able to govern. He doesn't have a majority. It is the parliamentary elections that are important, it is not really the presidential election. The presidential election - yes, but according to the results of the presidential election, with whom will he govern? With which members of parliament? That is the problem."
17. Bayrou surrounded by media
STORY:
Speaking at the annual agricultural fair in Paris on Tuesday, presidential hopeful Francois Bayrou told reporters that French voters want "a new political choice."
"They have had enough of this perpetual war between the UMP (right-wing) and the Socialist Party and they want a new path," the leader of the UDF party told journalists as he toured the fair.
For the first time, the centrist candidate has reached 20 per cent in the latest poll of voting intentions in the first round of the French presidential elections.
For the last few weeks, Bayrou has kept rising in the polls.
Francois Bayrou's campaign is built on the notion that he offers a middle-ground alternative to the traditional left and right in French politics.
"The French people, contrary to the journalists, the political analysts and the polls, have understood for a long time that the confrontation between the Socialist Party and the UMP (right) that has been lasting for 25 years - that this confrontation will not bring them anything good. So therefore they are looking for a new political way." he said.
But reactions to Bayrou from people attending the fair were varied.
"I have always admired him. I admire him today. And I will always admire him even if he is not president," a woman said.
French far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen was put at 14 per cent.
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