Washington (CNN) -- The French will vote next week to elect a new president. The April 22 election pits incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy against challenger Francois Hollande. Sarkozy, a conservative, argues that France did well compared with other European countries in the Great Recession. Hollande, on the left, urges a more expansionary program of government spending to create jobs. Normal politics, in other words. But the vote to watch is not Sarkozy v. Hollande. It is Sarkozy plus Hollande. The French constitution establishes a two-round voting system. The idea is to ensure that the ultimate winner obtains an outright majority of all votes cast. The system's side effect is to invite the French to use their first ballot as a protest vote.
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France, voting next week in first round for president, sees growth of fringe parties
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David Frum says the extremists are gaining due to disastrous economic policy
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He says preserving the Euro is forcing leaders to cut spending in midst of recession
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In France, National Front and Left Front are gaining, though neither will win, he says
But they are exerting enough political force to reshape French politics and possibly the politics of all @placeholder.