Now this is civilised. From a French blog called, Expatica:

[Joe Chi Minh]

"French voters last to know president's name
PARIS, May 5, 2007 (AFP) - Millions of French voters casting their ballots for the right-winger Nicolas Sarkozy or the socialist Segolene Royal may be the last to discover the name of their new president on Sunday night.

Join us Sunday and follow the results of the French presidential election live. French electoral laws, among the strictest in Europe, ban the publication of any opinion polls, estimates of results or angled news reports from the day before a vote until the close of polls, to avoid influencing voters' choice.

For Sunday's presidential vote, in which France chooses a successor to the 74-year-old Jacques Chirac, the ban runs from midnight (2200 GMT) Friday to the close of the last polling stations at 8:00 pm (1800 GMT)."

Needless to say, the MSM are wingeing like mad.

[rocktivity]

1. I'd like to see a ban on projecting winners

until the poll has been closed for at least an hour AND at least 65% of the precincts have reported.

:headbang:
rocknation