APRIL (the major association promoting, since 1996, Free Software in the French area) launched on January, 2007 30th the Candidats.fr initiative. APRIL wishes that through Candidats.fr Free Software and digital rights will become a major theme for the French presidential campaign, but also for the 2007 legislative campaign.

The Candidats.fr website proposes blurbs, a questionnaire (In French) to French presidential candidates and concrete propositions (In French) about topics like Free Software, patentability, DRM, interoperability, treacherous computing, electronic administration, education, tying sales methods.

Two days before the election, eight out of 12 candidates have responded, include the major candidates: Ségolène Royal of the Socialist Party, François Bayrou of the Union for French Democracy and Nicolas Sarkozy of the Union for a Popular Movement.

English people read on linux.com a good summary of the responses received : « French presidential candidates on free software, related issues »

APRIL (the major association promoting, since 1996, Free Software in the French area) launched on January, 2007 30th the Candidats.fr initiative. APRIL wishes that through Candidats.fr, which is the continuation of the EUCD.info initiative, Free Software and digital rights will become a major theme for the French presidential campaign, but also for the 2007 legislative campaign.

First, we mean to give the French Free Software community a tool to make political authorities aware of the many of Free Software users and of their concerns about Free Software future. This why we call upon citizens to sign the usage declaration, asking that Free Software developers' and users' rights are guaranteed by the legislator, and that public institutions encourage use, production and distribution of Free Software.

Candidats.fr website also aims to help everyone to possess comprehension and debate elements on concerns sometimes complex and technical, then make her choice in conscience. This is why website proposes blurbs, a questionnaire to candidates and concrete propositions about topics like Free Software, patentability, DRM, interoperability, treacherous computing, electronic administration, education, tying sales methods.

Questionnaire aims to force candidates to define their vision about Free Software and to clearly take position on several concrete propositions. Candidats.fr gives the opportunity to presidential candidates to get out of a simple Free Software support bearing that does not commit to anything.

A similar campaign will be launched later for 2007 legislative elections.

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