You might not have noticed, but I certainly have: on Sunday, France will elect a new president. In the left-hand corner is old-school socialist Ségolène Royal, bidding to be France’s first female president. In the right-hand corner is Nicholas Sarkozy, condemned as a racist by some, seen as the only hope for reviving the French economy by others. Voter turn-out for the first round of voting was an astonishing 84%, but many in France (including me, if I had a vote) feel that they could not in all conscience vote for either candidate.
It makes a nice change from the bland uniformity of British politics.
And what has this to do with eBay? eBay France have announced that the selling of votes is forbidden both by law, and by eBay rules. Sellers don’t seem to be taking this to heart: “I’m not going to be influenced by pretty speeches, super-white smiles or other temptations of democracy. I call on you, my dear fellow citizens, to clarify this terrible decision for me. Only your choice counts with me,” wrote one seller in an auction that’s been pulled while I was writing this.
And to be honest, I’m not sure I wouldn’t trust an eBay buyer more than a politician to tell me how I should vote 😉
