France is heading for a historic presidential election on Sunday in a context of high unemployment, low growth and fear of globalization. Ahead of this crucial vote for France and Europe, the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party voices its support for centrist candidate François Bayrou.“We are living a defining moment for Europe as the French President’s priorities and ways of conducting business will have repercussions for the whole continent. With his credible reformist agenda, his European engagement and his will to bring people together, François Bayrou is the only candidate able to reform France and to create a better future for France and Europe,” said Annemie Neyts, MEP, ¨President of the European Liberal Democrat and Reform (ELDR) Party.François Bayrou is a firm supporter of a Federal Europe. In 2004, he participated in the launch of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, the third biggest parliamentary group in the European Parliament. With the ALDE Group, Europe’s Liberals and Democrats work together for a Europe able to foster individual liberty, a free and dynamic business culture, economic and social solidarity, environmental protection and respect and tolerance for cultural, religious and linguistic diversity. Leading European Liberal Democrat politicians, such as Prime Ministers Anders Fogh Ramussen, Matti Vanhanen and Andrus Ansip, have demonstrated that the liberal democrat approach for a highly competitive economy paves the way for more and better jobs and enables citizens and companies to reap the benefits of globalization, which is just what France needs today. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- For more information, please contact Myriam Cornillet (mcornillet@eldr.org), 00 32 2 237 01 43 or 00 32 485 99 40 56.Note to the editor: The European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party, aisbl (ELDR Party) brings together 51 political parties with common liberal, democratic and reform ideals and is the forum for member parties to develop a co-ordinated policy.