Given a stage, a politician won't stop talking.  And the closer the election, the more they talk.  Unfortunately for them, regulations in most countries impose strict restrictions on their access to big media such as television and radio, to make sure all candidates have fair access to the voter.

Enter podcasting and blogging.  In France, these new media are not yet regulated.  The result?   Politicians are in podcast & blog heaven, and are taking politician podcasting to levels unknown anywhere else. 

Ségolène Royal, the candidate for the Socialist party, has a video podcast.  See www.segolene-video.org/segolene-podcast.xml.  Dominique Strauss Kahn, one of the Socialist Party leaders is podcasting as well:  feed://feeds.feedburner.com/Wevod-Dsk2007

Not to be outspoken, Nicolas Sarkozy, candidate of the Conservative party, is getting his message out to the podcast audience with Nicolas Sarkozy Premier Podcast video, see http://www.loiclemeur.com/france/2005/12/nicolas_sarkozy_1.html

Worth noting is the high-profile involvement of serial hi-tech entrepreneur Loic Le Meur.  Fearing that a Socialist victory will spell disaster for an already overly-regulated and socialized economy, and result in jobs being outsourced to China, Mr. Le Meur has become Mr. Sarkozy's right hand man in charge of internet, blog and podcast strategy.

For more on the French election, visit:

http://sarkozyblog.free.fr - Mr. Nicolas' blog

http://www.loiclemeur.com  - Mr. Le Meur's site

http://www.desirsdavenir.org  - A site of the French Socialist party