French Ambassador dismisses first round of voting

The French Ambassador to Ireland says he is confident that voters in his country will do the right thing when it comes to the Presidential election.

Gabrile De Bellescize says it is important to remember that the shock success of extreme right wing candidate, Jean Marie Le Pen, was just the first round of the campaign.

Left wing voters across France have been pledging their support for current Conservative President Chirac in a bid to keep Le Pen out of power.

Ambassador De Bellescize hopes the vote that brought Le Pen this far, was just a flash in the pan.

"It is just the first vote where people just want to express their opinions, knowing that it is not going to effect the outcome. Of course we really have to wait for the election of the President."